From Garden to Great Commission: God’s Call to Multiply
Lately, as I’ve been working through my MIT course The Spirit-Empowered Church, I’ve been reflecting on the biblical idea of “increase and multiply.” From the very beginning, God gave this mandate to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden:
“God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.’”
— Genesis 1:28
This call to fruitfulness was not just about physical procreation—it pointed to a deeper reality. As believers in Christ today, what does it mean to “reproduce” in the Kingdom of God?
Multiplication in the New Testament Church
When Jesus gave the Great Commission in Matthew 28:16–20, He reframed this mandate for His followers:
“Therefore go 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 I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Reproduction in the Kingdom is about more than bringing biological children into the world. Every believer—married or single, parent or not—is called to spiritual reproduction. We are called to make disciples. To share the good news of Jesus. To bring people into the family of God.
From Consumers to Contributors
Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:12 that pastors are called “to equip the saints for the work of the ministry.” In other words, the role of a pastor is not to do all the work while the congregation watches, but to train and empower believers to be the hands and feet of Jesus.
This means every Christian has a part to play. We are not just consumers of sermons, worship music, or programs—we are contributors to the mission of Christ. Each of us has a unique calling and a way to serve that helps expand God’s Kingdom.
Love at the Center
But reproduction in the Kingdom cannot happen apart from love. The Great Commandment (to love God and love others) and the Great Commission (to make disciples) are inseparably linked. The mission is carried on through relationship—first with Christ, then with others.
Without love, ministry can become mechanical. Without relationship, discipleship can feel like a task list. But when love is central, reproduction in the Kingdom becomes personal, transformational, and Spirit-empowered.
Jesus reminds us in John 15:5:
“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
Our fruitfulness is not in our own strength. It flows out of intimacy with Jesus and the empowering presence of the Holy Spirit.
Living Fruitful Lives
So what does it mean to reproduce in the Kingdom of God? It means living in such a way that others encounter Christ through us. It means disciples making disciples. It means loving God, loving people, and letting the Spirit empower us to bear fruit that lasts.
Reproduction in the Kingdom is not optional—it’s the heartbeat of our faith. And as we stay connected to the vine, Jesus Himself ensures that our lives will multiply His love, His truth, and His mission on earth.