Go. Multiply.
This slogan isn't just East-West's heartbeat. This is part of God's heartbeat. Going and multiplying is driven by our desire to hear the Father say, "Well done, good and faithful servant" (Matthew 25:21).At a recent missionary conference, a message on the parable of the talents focused on the question, “What is Jesus Christ's definition of faithfulness?"
The speaker shared that faithfulness is not…
- Maintaining what God has given us
- Misusing what God has given us
In the Matthew 25 parable, none of the servants misused their master's resources; they didn't use it for themselves. One of them tried not to fail. He preserved and maintained his master's resources. But the Father commended only those whose resources had multiplied and grown.
Jesus Christ's definition of faithfulness is "multiplication."
I once thought faithfulness meant maintaining what God gave me. This incorrect understanding manifested itself in my sin, church attendance, work, marriage, parenting and providing for my family. The speaker even said, "Our definition of faithfulness is maintain: Just don't blow it!" I easily related to this.
Here is the scary part.
The servant who maintained what God had given him was told, "You evil, lazy servant" (Matthew 25:26) and the "good-for-nothing slave" was thrown "into the outer darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth" (Matthew 25:30).
Maintaining—including avoiding failure and big sins—is not faithfulness. Jesus Christ's definition of faithfulness is multiplication.
Multiplication looks beyond ourselves to influence and impact. He made it clear that we should "make disciples of every nation" (Matthew 28:19).
He's given His people forgiveness, grace, and purpose to share the gospel. Faithfulness means sharing that message of forgiveness, grace, and purpose to see Him work in others' lives … multiplying His followers.
Faithfulness means using every gift and resource He’s given us to make disciples.
It’s truly simple: Go. Multiply.