Francis Chan with Mark Beuving
David C. Cook, 2012, 336 pp., $14.99

Francis Chan’s newest book Multiply is quite a different format from the others he has written thus far, but it still is full of the same quality Bible teaching that Chan readers have come to know and appreciate.

Multiply is not a book that you just pick up and read, and I believe that was done on purpose. That’s not suggest you can’t do so, but the book is specifically written to be read with others in the context of a small group, Bible study or one-on-one discipleship. More than simply a book, Chan has provided a fantastic resource and guide to use within the context of discipling others.

Chapters are short and to the point, yet are loaded with questions to help readers take the information deeper in conversation with others. Chan, along with David Platt, also provides videos for each chapter that are said to be “for the leaders” to help them have a better understanding of how to lead others through the material. However, those videos also can be used to help spur conversation with others.

The book is broken into five different parts designed to give Christians—specifically new Christians—a complete overview of what it means to follow Christ and be one of His disciples. Part 1 gives a direct and sound view of what it means to be a disciple and focuses on the responsibility of discipling others. Part 2 provides three chapters on what the church is and should be doing. Part 3 goes through the basics of how to study the Bible. Parts 4 and 5 are actually Bible study sessions that provide a general survey through the Old Testament and the New Testament respectively.

As youth workers, this is a great book to go through personally as a refresher and could be used with volunteer leaders or other staff as a great foundational training in discipling youth; it also could be used within a small group, with your student leaders and/or one-on-one mentoring relationships.