Building with Wisdom: Dag Heward-Mills’ Strategy for Church Multiplication
When it comes to church growth, many look for a quick method or clever formula. But what Bishop Dag Heward-Mills has demonstrated over the years is that true multiplication comes by wisdom. Not worldly wisdom, but the kind that is spiritual, tested, and grounded in obedience to the Holy Spirit. The remarkable growth of the United Denominations Originating from the Lighthouse Group of Churches (UD-OLGC) is not the result of chance or hype, but the fruit of wisdom applied consistently over time.
From the beginning, Bishop Dag has approached ministry with the mindset of a builder. He hasn’t been content with emotional highs or temporary results. He has always thought long-term. Every sermon, every training manual, every Bible school, and every camp has been part of a larger vision to plant and multiply churches that last.
His strategy is not complicated, but it is deliberate. He begins with a strong foundation — the Word of God. Teaching is central. Discipleship is constant. People are not rushed into positions, but carefully trained and monitored. Those who are faithful with little are entrusted with more. And once a leader is ready, they are sent. This has been the rhythm of multiplication: train, send, support, repeat.
Church planting is not an afterthought in his ministry. It is a command. It is woven into the culture of the denomination. From lay ministers to full-time missionaries, everyone is expected to think beyond their own corner. Everyone is reminded that there are still souls to be won, cities to be reached, and nations to be discipled.
One of the ways Bishop Dag has made this strategy work is through scalability. He raises lay leaders to plant and pastor churches while still keeping their jobs and caring for their families. This lay ministry model has allowed for rapid expansion without compromising the spiritual depth of the churches. It has also kept the doors open for anyone who is willing to serve, regardless of their background or profession.
Behind the growth is also a strong system of accountability. Churches are not planted and forgotten. They are followed up. They are trained. They are corrected. Reports are submitted. Camps are attended. The leaders are constantly poured into. This has kept the fire burning in even the most remote branches. The leaders do not feel alone. They are part of something greater.
There is also a spiritual dimension that cannot be overlooked. Bishop Dag prays, fasts, and labors in the Spirit. He carries the burden of the work with great seriousness. He does not rely on marketing or gimmicks. He relies on the anointing. And that anointing is what drives the multiplication. The fruit is not just in numbers — it is in lives changed, souls saved, and churches built with character and conviction.
Multiplication has come, not through shortcuts, but through structure and sacrifice. Through years of planting, pruning, and pressing on. What we see today — churches in over 90 countries — is the result of steady obedience to a divine call.
This is what it means to build with wisdom. And this is what Bishop Dag Heward-Mills has modeled for a generation of pastors, leaders, and soul-winners.