Equipped

Hebrews 4:12 says, "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword..." but is there a way to deploy the "sword" most effectively in small groups?

Our answer is yes, through the use of the 412 reading plan! We encourage our small groups to 1) read Scripture and spend time with God every day throughout the week 2) ask each other how their time in the Word has gone that week 3) ask what God has been showing them lately and 4) pray for one another.

Why such a simple plan? Because, complicated systems can't multiply. Multiplication requires freedom. We don't just need to sit under the teaching of someone that understands the Bible and spends time with God. We need to understand the Bible and spend time with God. That's the road to freedom. That's the path towards multiplication.

Today will be our second longer-form conversation with a tried and true MULTIPLIER: Buck Benton! Buck is married to Carly Benton, has 5 children, is the planter and lead pastor of Connection Church Dublin, and host of the Authentic Discipleship Podcast. Connection Dublin is the first grand-daughter church of Connection Statesboro as they were planted out of Connection Vidalia!

Buck led small groups at Connection Statesboro while attending college, and was the small group leader that led Jordan to place faith in Christ. Listen in as the guys remember the early days of coming to know Christ, growing up in the ministry under Brandon and Billy, and reconnecting all these years later with a common dream: to make disciples and plant churches!

IG: @buckbentonccd

IG: @carlybenton1989

Today, we ask a big question: why does SENDING people to other countries to tell others about Jesus make sense? Aren't there lost people here?

Here's our conclusion:

1.7%

6, 161 UPGs

10/40

3.16 BILLION

4%

1,000

Listen to this episode for these numbers to make sense. You'll come to the same conclusion as us: SENDING people on God's mission isn't special. It's normal.

Today we talking about what it means to be a disciple.

Today, we revisit the question of HOW do we multiply? In Part One, we said we multiply over time in relationship...but we wanted to be more practical than that!

Here's our conclusion:

Over time...in relationship...don't ignore behavior, but primarily seek to shape beliefs.

What do they believe (knowledge/confessionally) in their mind?

What do they believe (affections) in their heart?

What do they believe (actions) with their hands?

IG: @cc.equipping

Website: connection.church

Today, we are introducing a different type of content we are calling EQUIPPED Conversations. These will be longer form episodes where a host carries on a conversation with someone has adopted the lifestyle of a multiplier! Nothing seemed more fitting than to kick EQUIPPED Conversations off with Billy Shiver! Billy is the Founding and Lead Pastor of Connection Church Vidalia (the first daughter church of Connection Church Statesboro), as well as the Director of the Connection Network! Billy and Jordan are close friends. Join in on the conversation of two good buddies talking about following Jesus, learn more about their stories, get a look behind the scenes of what discipleship looks like, and hear their heart for church planting.

ccvidalia.com

connection.church/network

IG: @billyshiver

Today we answer the question: how do we multiply? There is only one time proven, Biblically rooted, Jesus' modeled method: time and relationship.

John 10:9 — "I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved (relationship) and will go in and out and find pasture (time)."

Connection Church 412 Reading Plan

Today, Jordan follows up last week's conversation on WHY multiplication matters by laying out what multiplication even IS in the first place.

A few notes:

—The book of Acts uses the word plethuno (play-thoon-oh) to describe people and Believers growing or significantly increasing in number. That is the same root word for multiply. Plethuno defined is: to make full to max capacity.

—The imagery of both the Old and New Testament for what multiplication looks like is the picture of Spiritual Parenthood.

—Multiplication, based on the imagery and context of Scripture, is defined as the fruit of a Believer's life by the work of the Holy Spirit through time and relationships. In other words, multiplication is just the fruit of Christianity when it is connected to the power of the Holy Spirit. It's the Spirit that produces the character, qualities, and life of Jesus in us, and then uses us to form that in another person. THAT is how we become Spiritual Parents.

This is our first episode. Today, Jordan takes time to introduce the podcast and define a key term: what is Multiplication? We define multiplication as the birthing of a new leader, a new group, or even a new church. Today we answer the question: why does Multiplication matter? The answer: it's our pre-sin created intent! AND! It's our assigned purpose after the Resurrection of Jesus. We were created to multiply, and we were redeemed to multiply.

This podcast is all about having conversations around fostering gospel community, fueling Spiritual growth, and prioritizing things that MULTIPLY!