“When you are on to something, it will lead to more and more profound questions.”

These were the wise words of one of my early mentors.

The Exponential team and I are convinced that we’re “on to something” with the vision of becoming a Level 5 multiplying church. We believe this vision is consistent with the original vision Jesus had for His church in Acts 1:8—that the church would start and multiply other churches who would move from “Jerusalem to Judea to Samaria and to the ends of the earth.” Jesus knew that through the fulfillment of that vision, His mission would be accomplished.

Currently only 4 percent of all churches in the United States are at Level 4 (reproducing) or Level 5 (multiplying), which means that the other 96 percent of all churches in America are either growing, plateaued or in decline. Our heartfelt prayer and ambition are to see the number of reproducing and multiplying churches grow from 4 percent to 10 percent. We believe that if 10 percent of all U.S. churches were reproducing and multiplying, we would be near a tipping point that would profoundly influence the entire Church in America.

With that ambitious vision in mind, my colleagues and friends, Todd Wilson and Bill Couchenour, have written developed this course. These leaders are as passionate about seeing the Church of Jesus restore its movemental form of multiplication as anyone I know. When they go to bed at night, multiplication is on their mind. When they wake up, it is one of their first thoughts. I can say without a doubt that they’re giving you this workbook out of a heartfelt passion to see you and your church multiply.

I encourage you to use this course to help you think through important questions:

Where are you now?
Why are you there?
Where do you want to go?
How will you get there?

Even better, use this course with your staff team or volunteer leaders and intentionally wrestle together through these questions to help move you toward becoming a Level 5 multiplying church. I’m confident that as you work through the questions in this resource, they will not only lead you to more and more profound questions, but also to more profound answers and a better, stronger direction for your church!

Dave Ferguson, president of Exponential