I'll Take the Pennies!
One principle in church planting movements is, "Go slow to go fast." The idea is that you invest your time in a few people, who are also investing their time in a few people, and so on. If this is done, the process of "church growth" is usually slow in the beginning, but grows at an exponential rate.
In thinking about this last night, Lucy brought up something she remembered from a math text book. Here is the deal. Option 1: I give you $2740 every day for the next year. Option 2: I give you one penny on the first day, but double the amount each additional day for a year. Which option would you choose? I think the typical person (who didn't know any better) would choose option 1. It is quick money and it sounds like a lot better of a deal than getting pennies. For the person who chose option 1, you would receive 1 million dollars after the first year. For those who chose the second option, about 5.3 million dollars in a year. Yes, there are church planting methods that produce results very quickly and in large numbers. The problem is that if the people are not multiplying themselves, then in the end, the results won't be so amazing (or maybe lasting). However, for those who take the time and invest in a few, multiplying themselves, the results can be amazing. As we are beginning our work in Kharkov, this is one of the principles we are trying to put into practice. It may be slow, but it is supposed to be slow. We are seeking out those few with whom we can invest our lives in and who in turn will do the same with others.
