A Leadership Mindset That Will Either Unlock or Kill Multiplication
Summary:
Algorithms thrive on it. Politics runs on it. And Satan, Cynthia says, loves nothing more than to plant it in the heart of a disciple-maker: fear. In this episode, she names fear as the exact opposite of faith — a mindset that creeps in silently and can quietly block a movement before it ever starts.
Cynthia tells her own story from a restricted-access country in Central Asia — a discipleship training run behind a cover of business logos, ready to switch topics at a moment's notice if investigated. If caught, she'd be deported. The believers she was training risked beating, prison, or worse. "Our faith had grown far larger than our fear," she says — and the movement that grew out of that training is still multiplying today. Then she turns to friends facing a fearful situation right now in Asia — a team member's phone confiscated, names known to authorities, waiting for a knock on the door — and the choice between fear and faith they're making daily.
For listeners who've never faced anything close to that kind of risk, Cynthia draws the line plainly: the same fear shows up in "Minnesota nice" hesitation to mention Jesus to a coworker, or in the quiet fear of going against a church's traditions — whether that's letting an ordinary believer baptize someone, or a denomination's recent decision to bar women from preaching, teaching, or pastoring. She tells of a Jamaican pastor in her training network who had to wait three years before his own denomination considered him qualified to baptize.
Anchored in Ephesians 6:19-20, where Paul — facing possible execution — asks not for release but for boldness to declare the gospel fearlessly, Cynthia closes with a direct challenge: name your top three fears related to disciple-making, choose one passage to personalize and pray this week, and ask God to turn that fear into faith — faith in the same God who freed Paul and Silas with an earthquake.
Watch the Episode
Key Takeaways
Fear is the opposite of faith, and it's not passive — algorithms, politics, and "the enemy of our souls" all actively feed it.
Two of Scripture's most repeated commands: do not fear (Isaiah 41:10) and the reminder that God's Spirit gives power, love, and self-discipline — not timidity (2 Timothy 1:7).
Cynthia's own story: training disciples in a restricted-access Central Asian country, with a business cover story ready at a moment's notice. If caught, she'd be deported; those she trained could be beaten, jailed, or worse. "Our faith had grown far larger than our fear" — and that movement is multiplying rapidly today.
A current, real situation: friends in an Asian country facing growing anti-conversion laws — a team member's phone confiscated, names known to authorities, waiting for a knock on the door. The daily choice: fear or faith.
The Western parallel: fear of making someone "uncomfortable" — especially in "Minnesota nice" culture. Cynthia names the real sin plainly: disobeying Jesus' commands, not causing discomfort.
Ephesians 6:19-20 — facing possible execution, Paul doesn't ask for release or favor with judges. He asks for boldness to declare the gospel fearlessly.
Fear of going against church tradition — illustrated by a large U.S. denomination's recent decision barring women from preaching, teaching, or pastoring, and a Jamaican pastor in Cynthia's training network who had to wait three years before his own denomination considered him qualified to baptize.
Action step: write down everything you feel fearful or anxious about related to disciple-making, narrow it to your top three, choose one passage (Eph 6:19-20, Isaiah 41:10, or 2 Tim 1:7) to read aloud and personalize daily this week, and ask the Holy Spirit to turn that fear into faith.
Resources Mentioned:
Read further articles: Dare To Multiply Blog Page
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Order Cynthia’s Book: The Multiplier's Mindset Book
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