Jesus’ final words, according to Matthew, were plain and straight-to-the-point.

All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age. (Matthew 28:18–20 NRSV)

Make disciples. As you go, baptize, and teach: make disciples. Despite this plain command, discipleship can feel like an optional add-on to the Christian experience. If we really want to get serious, we’ll make disciples. Well, Francis Chan is nothing if not serious! In Multiply, he gives everyday Christians the tools (and motivation) to obey this command.

While there are many elements of Multiply to appreciate, I most valued his narrative approach to the Bible. Rather than focus on famous scriptures or favourite stories, Chan tells the narrative of the Bible from the Garden of Eden to the final Garden-like city of Revelation.

Chan (as you would expect if you are familiar with his teaching) situates discipleship in the context of the local church, regularly taking shots at the individualism that frames our modern existence. He asks deep questions that cut to the heart of any would-be disciple-maker.

A practical note. I’m excited to see that Chan has made this material available for free at Multiply Movement. It includes free video content to help people become disciple-makers.

On the negative side, while discipleship does carry the connotation of teaching, that didactic role seems to eclipse the way that biblical disciples lived their lives together with Jesus, learning as much from his actions as his words. This emphasis on teaching necessitates part three of the book, “How to Study the Bible”(91–138). This section lacks a consistent hermeneutical perspective. Chapters two and three in this section, “Studying the Bible Prayerfully and Obediently,” and “Studying Logically,” seem at odds with each other.

Despite those misgivings, Multiply is a generous offering which can be used by any size of church to equip their people to obey Jesus’ call to make disciples.

Chan, Francis. Multiply: Disciples Making Disciples. David C. Cook, 2012.