Church Growth
Church Growth is a very popular topic that even non-Christians heard of this term before. In the past, people looked to the west for examples of growing a church. Recently however, people shifted to the east as well for examples of church growth.
In church growth, we should not copy the methods, but the spirit and the principles. Copying the techniques or methods will not help and will not work. Those things don’t happen in the church. If we were to look at the Bible, we will be able to look at the pattern. Churches around the world reflect different culture. Universal principles, applicable everywhere is what can help us. The first church the Lord has founded has many ways for us to learn. When we build the church, we build it this way, so that the gates of hades shall cannot overcome it. We got to reflect God’s pure word in the church.
Take out your Bibles and today we are going to look at a passage in the Bible that talks about church growth. Acts 2:42-47
42They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
This the first church in the world in Jerusalem. The Lord added to their numbers daily.
The first thing we can learn is
1.) It is a teaching church. (v42)
The early church emphasised greatly on teaching. We need to MAJOR on teaching.
Teaching the people the whole counsel of God. Big number with big spiritual quality in their lives. Only with this can they grow continually.
Only numbers will corrupt motives. We don’t want big numbers but people built into Him(Jesus) and grow in their spiritual life. It is the desire of God that His children grow in Him. Growth is a by-product of spiritual growth.
The Word of God is profitable for everyone of us.
What makes us a teaching church?:
i.) The teaching will make every people receive.
They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching
All is to be taught and none neglected. Teaching from young converts to leaders. This is how much a church that I know emphasised teaching in their church. There are no short-cuts.
-Expository preaching on sunday for 1 hour.
-50-60 Bible word classes before or after service for the people to choose from
-Sunday night teach cell group leaders how to teach. (in 1997, that is teaching 1000 cell group leaders)
-Monday night will teach new converts(follow-up)
-Wed is cell group and Bible lessons
-Thurs he(the senior pastor at that time) will meet top leaders
-Sat 1-3.30pm he will teach the leaders how to become leaders
-Monday top leaders will gather at his home and teach.
Teaching will change people biblically and affect their thinking, reflecting in their lives and they can grow solidly.
Everyone must be taught.
ii.) They must be eager to be taught.
They devoted themselves
You must see people want to have teaching. The people must be eager to want God’s word. People who are not hungry are sick people.
Be hungry for the word of God.
Put that emphasis in the very beginning. Not legalistic but make them desire read God’s word.
iii.) It must be biblical teaching.
".... to the apostles’ teaching"
Apostles’ teaching is from the Bible. Teach everything from the word of God. Balancedly.
Not what we think but what God thinks in every subject.
Expository preaching is the key. The Bible is balanced in itself. Teach according to the intention of the author and Holy Spirit behind the author. Not choosing topics.
In this way in the long run, they will not be led astray.
In preaching, we have to allow the Bible to conform the structure of our message and when we do that, we will realise its very powerful and can penetrate the hearts of people.
Sunday service preaching is aimed at teaching Christians but as a by-product, non-Christians get converted as well.
On sundays we don’t preach evangelistically. But as a by-product, God moves and people get converted.
When we teach biblically, there is a sense of harmony and unity in the place.
iv.) They fellowship with other Christians and God.
and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
We may not know everyone in church but we can make sure we fellowship strongly with close people. And they in turn share their lives with those under them. We love them and we do not want them to be uncared for.
Willing to die for one another, not legalistically, but out of love. Most churches don’t grow because they treat people as workers, not people. We don’t just work; but we are one family.
When you model that kind of relationship to the whole church, it will affect all down there even though you may have many tiers of people. The spirit behind the church will let God move powerfully this way. We have problems too but they will know we love them. This is a fellowshipping church. 5 characteristics of a fellowshipping church from verses 44-46
1.) Real fellowship must help those in need (v44-45)
The Bible never commands us to give up all our possessions because the people at that time have personal possessions too. But when in need, there must be a willingness to share when someone is in need. We must be careful however with people who have impure motives. But we must not let this minority affect our giving to the rest who might really be in need!
Real fellowship must touch the pocket. In the Acts church, 120 believers shared possessions with the 3000 new converts.
2.) Real fellowship must be intimate (v46)
We ate together. Rev3:20 Jesus said:"Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me."
Jesus really enjoys fellowshipping with people. It is intimate relationship, not superficial. Jesus eat with his disciples as well. It is said:"when the stomach is open, the hearts are open as well." Intimate fellowship comes about with open hearts.
People like themselves to be in a community, a place to belong.
3.) There is overflow of joy.
Their hearts are glad. Intimacy brings joy. It’s a joy that we can be together. Non-Christians have enough problems outside, they do not want to come church and see Christians have sad faces as well.
When they see Christians with a smiling face, like a watermelon, they may decide to convert. Because the joy radiates and people see it. Church grows because of the joyfulness in the church.
4.) Real fellowship must be REAL.
sincere hearts...
There is no faking about it. No stinginess in the Kingdom of God. In God’s kingdom, we become generous. We must be on the look-out for people’s needs and voluntarily give to others. Share with people.
We have one goal: to glorify God and live for Him. Nothing else matters. If you live for God, it is easy to be generous.
5.) Real fellowship is not once in a while but regularly.
Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts.
Life in the community has to be regular. It is not a social club alone but more than that.
Life in the community church radiates and attracts non-Christians.
2 Characteristics of fellowshipping with God.
1.) There were communion
to the breaking of bread (v42)
They broke bread in their homes and ate together (v46)
Holy Communion is a love feast. It is not a extra. They do it as often together as possible. Christ is the centre of our lives.
2.) Praying regularly (v42)
to prayer.
Jesus said:"My house shall be called a house of prayer." A praying church glorifies God.
Prayer reflects their relationship with God. When God is close, He is nearer in the eyes of non-believers.
Back to point 2.
2.) It is a miracle-working church.
Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles.
Gifts of the Holy Spirit and miracles happen today. We see mighty miracles happen regularly in the church. Just a few days ago, a man we prayed for who was deaf, after we prayed, his two both ears could hear!
Miracles are advertisement of God.
God is not a God of paper but a God of power.
The best ways to grow a new Christian is miracles. 1 Cor 2:4-5 and Rom 15:19
3.) It is a worshipping church. (v47)
praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.
Real worship brings the presence of God. Psa 22:3
God inhabits the praise of His people. God is everywhere but He especially presenced Himself when His people praise Him.
When God is with us, people will be drawn. Whatever methods of worship is alright as long as we worship in Spirit and in Truth.
