Neil Cole is a key figure in the global movement of multiplying groups, known for his innovative and organic approach to disciple-making and church planting. As the founder of Church Multiplication Associates (CMA) and author of several groundbreaking books, including Organic Church and Church 3.0, Cole has been a leading voice in redefining how disciples are made and churches are planted. His influence spans continents and denominations, inspiring countless leaders to embrace the simplicity and power of multiplying groups. His plan is simple:
There is much discussion these days about church multiplication. This is my passion and life. But no matter how committed we are, we will never see church multiplication if it is all we speak of. Trying to multiply churches is starting at the wrong place. A church is a complex entity with multiple cells. We must go further down microscopically, to the smallest unit of Kingdom life if we want to start the multiplication process.
If we cannot multiply churches, we will never see a movement. If we cannot multiply leaders we will never multiply churches. If we cannot multiply disciples, we will never multiply leaders. The way to see a true church multiplication movement is to multiply healthy disciples, then leaders, then churches, and finally movements—in that order.[1]
The Birth of Church Multiplication Associates
In the late 1990s, Neil Cole founded Church Multiplication Associates (CMA) with a vision to equip ordinary believers to plant churches and make disciples wherever they lived and worked. The movement was birthed out of Cole’s conviction that the church should be simple, organic, and reproducible.
The First Organic Church
Cole’s journey began in Long Beach, California, a city known for its cultural diversity and urban challenges. He and a small group of friends started meeting in a coffeehouse to study the Bible and share their lives. They invited people from the community, many of whom were far from God. Over time, this small group grew, multiplied, and gave birth to other groups in homes, workplaces, and public spaces.
From these humble beginnings, the concept of the “organic church” was born—a church that grows naturally, like a living organism, without the need for buildings, budgets, or professional clergy.
The DNA of the Organic Church
Neil Cole’s approach to multiplying groups is built around a simple, reproducible framework known as the DNA of the Organic Church:
Divine Truth
Groups are rooted in Scripture, with a focus on applying God’s Word to daily life. Bible study is simple and participatory, often using tools like Discovery Bible Studies (DBS).
Nurturing Relationships
Organic churches prioritize authentic community. Members share their lives, encourage one another, and hold each other accountable to live out their faith.
Apostolic Mission
Every group has a missional focus, aiming to reach new people, start new groups, and expand God’s kingdom.
These three elements form the foundation of every organic church, ensuring that groups remain healthy and multiplying.
Multiplication Through Simple Church Planting
One of Neil Cole’s most significant contributions to the global movement is his emphasis on simple church planting. He believes that every believer has the potential to plant a church, and he equips them to do so using a straightforward process:
Go Where Life Happens
Cole encourages believers to plant churches in natural environments, such as homes, coffee shops, parks, and workplaces. The goal is to make church accessible to those who would never step inside a traditional building.
Start Small, Think Big
Like a seed, organic churches begin small but are designed to multiply rapidly. Cole often says, “Small things done with great love will change the world.”
Empower Lay Leaders
Cole’s approach decentralizes leadership, empowering ordinary believers to lead and multiply groups without reliance on seminary-trained pastors.
Multiply, Don’t Maintain
Instead of growing large, organic churches are designed to multiply into new groups. Each group is encouraged to start new groups within months of formation.
[1] Neil Cole, Organic Church: Growing Faith Where Life Happens, First Edition., Jossey-Bass Leadership Network Series (San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass: A Wiley Imprint, 2005), 98.
