The "Other" R & R

A while back, I wrote about the importance of honoring the Sabbath—stepping away, slowing down, and remembering that we are not machines. Rest matters. It’s biblical. It’s necessary.

But today, I want to introduce a different kind of R & R. Not rest and relaxation. Reproducing and reproducible.

When it comes to discipleship, most of us genuinely want to grow. Churches talk about it, leaders plan for it, and people show up for it. But somewhere along the way, discipleship can quietly drift into something else—something that looks productive, feels meaningful, but doesn’t always lead to multiplication.

It often looks like this. A group gathers around a book. There are 8–10 chapters. Each week, people read, highlight a few powerful quotes, maybe share a takeaway, and move on. By the end, everyone feels like they’ve learned something—and in many ways, they have. But here’s the question worth asking.

Did it reproduce?

The first “R” is reproducing. Are more disciples being made—disciples who don’t just know Scripture, but actually obey it? Not just more informed people. Not just people with better language or deeper insight. But people who are actively helping others follow Jesus through obedience. Disciples who are making disciples.

Jesus didn’t say, “Go and accumulate knowledge.” He said, “Go and make disciples” (Matthew 28:19). That implies movement. It implies multiplication. It implies that what we are doing should extend beyond the circle we’re currently in.

If our discipleship efforts end when the book ends, we may need to pause and ask whether we are aiming at the right target. And here’s the hard reality we don’t always say out loud. We grow in knowledge while our lost neighbors enter eternity without ever hearing the gospel from us.

The second “R” is reproducible. Can what we’re using be passed on? Can the average person take what they’ve learned and share it with someone else—without a seminary degree, without a leader guide, without a highly structured environment?

Reproducible discipleship is simple enough to pass on, but rich enough to transform lives. It doesn’t depend on a specific personality, setting, or resource. It can happen around a table, in a living room, over coffee, or on a lunch break.

Discipleship should not terminate with us. It should continue through us. This doesn’t mean studies or books are bad. They can be incredibly helpful. But they should serve a greater purpose: equipping people to walk with Jesus and help others do the same.

So ask two simple questions.

Is this reproducing?

Is this reproducible?

If the answer is yes, you’re on the right track.

And if you’re looking for resources designed with that kind of R & R in mind—simple, biblical, and built to multiply—I’d love for you to check out what we’re creating at:

👉 www.hearandobey.com

👍 to R & R.