Living the Kind of Life You Want to Multiply with Josh Benadum
Summary:
We want to see disciples multiply — but who we are is what actually gets multiplied. In this conversation, Cynthia talks with Josh Benadum, author of A Life That Leads, about the character that has to be in place before multiplication is something worth having.
Josh has spent years training leaders in house church movements — growing up as a missionary kid in Southeast Asia, then leading a multiplying house church movement in Central Ohio, and now planting a new network of house churches in Orlando while coordinating Brave Future, a collective of micro and house church movements across the US and Europe. His book is built around a propeller metaphor: leadership needs two balanced blades, character and competence, and most leaders are out of balance in one direction or the other.
The conversation moves through self-will as the hidden root behind so many other character struggles, gentleness as discernment rather than softness, and why failure — not success — is the real proving ground for teachability. Josh shares a candid, formative story about a marriage crisis early in his ministry, and the two close on a warning worth sitting with: ambition for multiplication can quietly become its own form of self-will.
Watch the Episode
Key Points
Who we are is what we multiply — character has to keep pace with growth
Leadership needs two balanced blades: character and competence
Self-will often lies behind other character struggles, like anger or dishonesty
The fix for self-will is submission and “preemptive accountability,” not strategy
Gentleness is discernment — how you see people and situations — not just tone
Even disciple-making methodology debates are a gentleness issue
Failure is the real proving ground for teachability
Ambition for multiplication can quietly become its own form of self-will
Resources Mentioned
A Life That Leads by Josh Benadum (100Movements Publishing) — alifethatleads.com
Brave Future — bravefuture.org
What Actually Starts Movements by Emmanuel Prince (referenced in conversation)
Key Question
What kind of disciples are we actually multiplying — and is our own character keeping pace with our methods?
Resources Mentioned:
Read further articles: Dare To Multiply Blog Page
Join our Membership for more great content: Dare To Multiply Memberships
Order Cynthia’s Book: The Multiplier's Mindset Book
Connect with Cynthia Anderson
