A GROWING CHURCH

Philippians 3:13-14; Acts 2:41-47

I believe the saying is true: we are either moving forward, standing still, or falling behind. This holds true for churches as well. The problem is that it is very easy to fall into complacency (feeling satisfied, comfortable, and indifferent) and into a state of ease, which is the prelude to stagnation. Paul believed in pressing forward; it is the only way to avoid stagnation and failure.

As a church, we must reflect on what is required to move forward. We must never settle for the past or believe that what we are doing in the present is all we can or should do. To accomplish everything God gives us the opportunity to do, we must be ready to move forward and face the challenges of the future.

We must take up the challenge of evangelizing our community (Mark 16:15-16). Many people think their community is not open to the Gospel. It is not because there is so much opposition or animosity toward the church that no one wants to listen; primarily, it is because the church simply does not make the effort!

The Coca-Cola Company is so well-known that you can go to some of the most remote places on earth and find bottles of Coca-Cola there. Their motto is: "Think globally, act locally!" They want to be everywhere, but they know that to achieve this, they must attend to each specific location. The church needs to learn this lesson.

The second chapter of the Book of Acts describes the sermon Peter preached on the Day of Pentecost. It also describes the results of that sermon. The Book of Acts chronicles the impact of the Holy Spirit on the believers. This text describes what happens when the church lives in the power of the Holy Spirit.

THE CHURCH MOVING FORWARD:

Some terms that pastors us when they are discussing or describing how their churches are doing are, plateau, church health and church growth. What is meant by these terms?

PLATEAUED

A plateau is a relatively level or stable period in the life of a church. The word itself denotes a ledge. A ledge is a flat level surface. A plateaued church shows a historic, flat line on growth graphs when examining key statistical elements.  A church plateaus when it loses its focus on extending and expanding God’s kingdom. A plateaued church is not extending and expanding in reaching and assimilating new people, therefore growth ceases.  A plateaued church is in a period of inertia where the church has little movement forward in the area of growth.

CHURCH HEALTH

Many churches today invest time, talent and energy in church growth (adjusting programs, personnel and policies) when their real problem is church health (how well your system functions). As long as a church thinks it has a church growth problem when it really has a church health problem, it will be plagued by ministry frustration.

The key issue for churches today is church health, not church growth. When congregations are healthy, they grow the way God intends. Church growth and church health are interrelated. Only healthy bodies grow well, and only healthy churches grow well. A healthy church can be expected to grow it is one of the signs of good health.

Satan is working to make our churches sick spiritually. We must guard the fellowship and keep prayer at the center of all we do in order to defeat the enemy. Churches today are imploding and it is usually not over deep theological issues but personal preferences like music style, carpet colors, etc.

Church health addresses factors that determine how the church functions. Where untreated crises have occurred and have not been resolved, will affect a congregation’s willingness to change no matter how hard leaders work to move forward.

Unhealthy churches struggle with a lack of trust. Unhealed wounds such as church splits, shameful events and abuse by leadership figures predispose a flock to be wary of the pastor.  Anxiety among the members makes it hard for the pastor to get close.  Without trust, the distance between leaders and members grows and a church’s progress stalls.

The effects of poor church health lead to a weak congregation.  There is not much joy in the atmosphere.  Love and unity are not as prevalent as they should be.  Few conversions mark the church’s experience.  Visitors don’t stay. 

CHURCH GROWTH

Church growth covers areas such as a church’s vision. Vision is what a church aspires to be. What God has laid on the heart of the pastor for the church to become in the community? Church growth also concerns a church’s mission. A church’s mission describes what they feel called to do in their community as it relates to the effective implementation of God’s commission to “make disciples” (Matt. 28:18-20).

Church growth is not produced by a program, plan, or marketing strategy. The church’s greatest need is not a clearer understanding of its demographics, but a clearer understanding of its God. Church growth is not something we do or produce in the church. Church growth is not the result of any program or plan. Church growth is the by-product of a right relationship with God. Church growth is by definition a supernatural activity and thus is accomplished through the power of the Holy Spirit. When Jesus founded the church He promised that He would build the church. Church growth occurs when the local church supernaturally and faithfully fulfills the Great Commission in its unique context and with a vision for the world.

1. A GROWING CHURCH LIVES IN THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT

     The response to Peter’s sermon was extraordinary. Thousands of people believed and were baptized. Those new believers became part of the Christian community in Jerusalem. Furthermore, they joined the small groups that met in homes. This teaches us that a church living in the power of the Spirit grows because God grants the growth.

2. A GROWING CHURCH IS A CHURCH WITH FERVENT SPIRITUALITY (Acts 1:14)

     A church's level of enthusiasm, commitment, motivation, and passion either fosters or hinders its growth. This determines whether or not a new visitor stays in church. The level of spirituality determines the level of the church's relationship with God. A church that lives merely to fulfill rituals, discipline, and passion is usually in decline (Acts 2:46).

3. A GROWING CHURCH HAS FUNCTIONAL STRUCTURES

     Leaders who understand that structures exist to grow the church maintain “functional structures.” Church structures should be adaptable to allow for growth. Structures should serve to help the church; they are not an end in themselves.

4. A GROWING CHURCH IS A CHURCH ORIENTED TO OUTREACH

     Ingrown never equals growing. Many churches establish an anti-growth mentality without even realizing it by allowing their predominant focus to become the needs of those already in the church. While this is good, it will not produce growth. The mentality of a growing church is continually one of reaching out to others.

5. A GROWING CHURCH IS A FRIENDLY CHURCH

     Another factor in growth is a church's capacity to love. A growing church possesses a higher affective impact than churches that are in decline. Neither an evangelistic campaign nor special programs, nothing is as powerful as the “koinonia” (fellowship) among believers (John 13:35).

6. A GROWING CHURCH IS UNITED (Acts 4:32)

     The distinguishing characteristic of the Early Church was its unity. Note how often this passage speaks of unity within the Church. They worshipped together, studied together, ate together, shared their material possessions, and even sacrificed for the well-being of others. This teaches us that a growing church seeks the unity of the body.

7. A GROWING CHURCH HAS EMPOWERING LEADERSHIP (Mark 4:26-29)

     In the parable of the growing seed, the sower is anyone who spreads the gospel. The parable of the sower describes how people respond to Jesus' teachings. The parable of the growing seed explains that the teacher's responsibility is to teach, that is, to scatter the seed. The teacher cannot force people to accept the message or allow it to transform their lives. Our task is to preach the truth; it is the Holy Spirit's work to turn that truth into growth (1 Corinthians 3:7). This is an important message for every member. We must stay connected to the Holy Spirit for our own growth and to ensure we obey God by sharing the truth with others. However, we cannot force spiritual growth.

8. A GROWING CHURCH IS PREPARED TO WELCOME VISITORS

     What does your church look like? Whether people are looking at your church building, church activities, community involvement etc., it’s all part of your church’s image. Make your building look loved and cared for. Not every church can have a new and modern facility, but every church can ensure that facilities are clean and well maintained. Part of welcoming guests is preparing for them. A visitor decides whether to return within the first five minutes of arriving.

9. A GROWING CHURCH HAS NEEDS-BASED EVANGELISM

     A growing church implements evangelism programs tailored to specific needs. It features specialized groups addressing areas such as marriage, addiction, emotional crises, social assistance, and more. It is a church that understands that, while everyone is called to share the Gospel, not everyone possesses the gift of evangelism; consequently, it encourages members to discover their own gifts and the areas where God’s gift operates within them. 

10. A GROWING CHURCH SHARES GOD'S MISSION

      A good church mission statement is based on the Great Commission and explains how your church attempts to join God in His work. It should be brief, easy to remember and reinforced in your church. Carry the church into the community. Many churches have a “come and get it” mindset, but unless specifically invited to the church, most unchurced people are not interested in it.

 THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A GROWING CHURCH:

A. Functions as a body: Growth occurs when every part fulfills its function (I Cor. 12:27; Eph. 4:15-16).

B. Loves like a family: A willingness to get to know one another and spend time together (I Th. 4:9-10, II Th. 1:3).

C. Worships as a temple: Offering ourselves as living sacrifices (I Cor. 3:16-17; Rom. 12:1-2).

D. Submits as a kingdom: A strong church is one in which members submit to Christ as King (Col. 1:13; Rev. 1:9)).

E. Is pure as a bride: We must maintain our purity and our adornment (II Cor. 11:1-2).

The way each person fulfills their part will influence the church's growth. Moving into the future in this manner involves every member. Since the church is composed of people, the church moves only as the people move.