The Church Planting Blind Spot | Why Multiplication Often Stalls

Church Planting & Disciple Making | Closing the Gap In this episode of the Disciple Making Leader Podcast, Ben Borgman, Craig Etheredge, and Gibson Largent tackle an important question facing churches and church planters today: Why are church planting and disciple making so often treated as separate ministries? Drawing from years of church planting experience, disciple-making ministry, and leadership development, the conversation explores how modern church planting models developed, where they succeed, where they fall short, and why disciple making must be more than an afterthought. Gibson shares his story of conversion, discipleship, seminary training, church planting in Philadelphia, and the lessons he learned from building a church with disciple making at its core. Together, the team discuss the relationship between multiplication, evangelism, discipleship, and church planting, arguing that healthy disciple-making movements naturally produce healthy churches. The episode also introduces the vision behind the CrossCreek Network and the Nine Cities Initiative, a strategy to plant disciple-making churches throughout the communities surrounding CrossCreek Church. On The Pod Ben Borgman — Executive Director, discipleFIRST Craig Etheredge — Lead Pastor, CrossCreek Church & Founder of discipleFIRST Gibson Largent — Assistant Director, CrossCreek Network Topics Covered Why church planting and disciple making are often separated The influence of church growth models on modern church planting The difference between discipleship and disciple making Why multiplication matters The challenges facing church planters today Funding pressures and church planting strategies Gibson Largent's church planting journey Disciple making as a foundation for church health International versus American church planting models The role of movements in advancing the gospel The CrossCreek Network approach to church planting The Nine Cities Initiative Building multiplying churches through disciple making Resources & References discipleFIRST: https://disciplefirst.com/ discipleFIRST Coaching: https://disciplefirst.com/coaching/ CrossCreek Network: https://crosscreeknetwork.org/ CrossCreek Church: https://crosscreekchurch.com/ Important Links Watch the Episode:    • The Church Planting Blind Spot | Why Multi...   Learn More About discipleFIRST: https://disciplefirst.com/ discipleFIRST Coaching: https://disciplefirst.com/coaching/ Learn More About the CrossCreek Network: https://crosscreeknetwork.org/ Release Date June 12, 2026 Tags church planting, disciple making, discipleship, evangelism, church multiplication, church growth, church leadership, church planter, leadership development, discipleFIRST, CrossCreek Network, Craig Etheredge, Ben Borgman, Gibson Largent, multiplication, Great Commission, ministry strategy, healthy churches, church movements, disciple making movement