Multiplication

Multiplication is the intentional split of a group when it grows too large. Ministrium models it as a first-class operation, preserving the lineage between parent and child groups.

When to multiply

Typical signals:

• Group hit 15+ active members
• There’s an assistant formed ready to take their own
• Venue logistics start being a problem
• A leader explicitly asks to multiply

The multiplication flow

1. Under Church Life → Small Groups → Cellular Structure, open the group → Actions → Multiply.
2. The system suggests a balanced split (halves). You can adjust manually by dragging members between the two columns.
3. Assign child group leader (typically the parent’s assistant).
4. Define venue and time for the new group.
5. Confirm.

Result:

• A child group is created with its own members and meetings.
• The parent group keeps remaining members.
• Both are linked by lineage: each knows its parent, child, etc.

Lineage

Viewable from Church Life → Small Groups → Cellular Structure (group tree / lineage):

Downtown - Families (María R.) [2018]
  ├─ Downtown - Families II (Pedro G.) [2021]
  │    └─ Downtown - Families III (Lucía R.) [2023]
  └─ North - Families (José L.) [2022]
       ├─ North - Young Couples (Carla T.) [2024]
       └─ Online - Couples (Roberto P.) [2025]

Lineage enables reports like:

“María R.’s tree has 6 descendant groups with 73 total members — that’s generational multiplication.”

Communication to members

Before confirming, define how to communicate:

• Auto email to each member: “You’re in group X” + new group info
• Transition meeting: schedule one last joint meeting before they split
• Grace period: 4 weeks where a member can return to the parent if the child doesn’t fit

Canceled multiplication

If a member reassigned to the child says “I’d rather stay with the parent”, they can revert within 4 weeks. After that it’s permanent.

If the whole multiplication was a mistake (rare), org_admin can revert it in the first 48 hours. Past that, groups stay independent.

Metric: multiplication rate

Multiplications YTD: 4
Avg multiplications/year (3 yr): 5.2
Network growth: +14% YoY

This is the most important metric of the module. A multiplying church grows sustainably. One that only adds members to existing groups eventually stalls.

Closed by multiplication vs closed by disappearance

When a group closes:

• Closed by multiplication: counted as success, stays in lineage as “graduated”.
• Closed by disappearance (leader leaves, members scatter): counted as departure, doesn’t appear as anyone’s child.

The difference matters for health reports and for the leadership team’s morale.