“Multiplying By Addition or How Churches Grow”
Acts 2:41-47
Act 2:41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.
I’ve been a minister now for better than 39 years and one of the main focuses of my life during that time, the thing that has occupied my thoughts, hopes and dreams has been the growth of the church. During that time I have had the opportunity to hear about every kind of church growth program and plan available. I’ve given it a great deal of consideration and I’ve come to the conclusion that they all have certain things in common. They may differ in methodology but they are similar in several areas.
ILL - Jawanza Kunjufu, who has written a book concerning black churches in America, says that only 10 to 20% of churches are empowering people to be bold witnesses for Jesus Christ. According to him, the other 80-90% of American churches fall into the entertainment or containment, just keeping their doors open on Sunday, categories.
One reason for this is that in many churches, whether black & white, man-made opinions & traditions that have been handed down over the years are held in higher esteem than the Holy Scriptures handed down by God.
ILL - Dr. Terry Teykl, in his book, "Acts 29," writes this challenge to us all: "Imagine gang members, drug dealers, racists & sex offenders being transformed by the Gospel. Imagine politicians, judges & other influential leaders taking stands based on the word of God. Imagine hundreds & even thousands of people being saved in a single church service! Imagine the unimaginable." Then he goes on to say, "It all happened in the pages of Acts, & it can happen again if you are willing to pay the price." He’s right! The early church, as recorded in the Book of Acts, was a dynamic, growing church that turned the world of its day upside down! In spite of incredible opposition & terrible persecution - first from the Jewish authorities & then from the might of the Roman Empire itself - the church began & grew so dynamically that within 300 years the Roman Empire had surrendered to the gospel of Christ, & the emperor himself had become a Christian, too.
How was this possible? Why did it happen? What was there about the early church that gave it the strength, enthusiasm, & unity to face incredible odds & outlast strong opposition in its conquest of the hearts & lives of those around them? MELVIN NEWLAND
First, there was:
I. The Scriptural Dynamic
A. The Communication of the Word
There is one truth that is inescapable as you read this second chapter of Acts. There was a strong commitment to the proclamation of the Word of God. Churches that grow understand this and strive to use every means possible to accomplish this goal. Preaching and teaching the Word is the prescribed methodology and nothing has ever been given by God to take the place of verbal proclamation! The following is a sampling of verses that reinforce this truth:
Mat 3:1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,
Mat 4:23 And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom…
Luk 9:6 And they departed, and went through the towns, preaching the gospel, and healing every where.
Act 8:4 Therefore they that were scattered abroad went everywhere preaching the word.
Act 15:35 Paul also and Barnabas continued in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.
1 Co 1:21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
B. The Content of the Word
1. A renowned Savior v. 22
Act 2:22 Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:
2. A rejected Savior v. 23
Act 2:23 Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
3. A resurrected Savior v. 24
Act 2:24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.
C. The Conviction of the Word
Notice in verse 37 that it is the preaching of the Word that brought real genuine conviction of sin. Nothing else will do this my friend!
D. The Commitment to the Word
One of the inconvenient truths about the church today is that there are far too many professing Christians who have no idea about what God’s will is for their lives. Folks 20, 30, and 40 years old who are saved but not sure where they fit in the Work of the Kingdom. There is a good reason for this problem. We cannot find God’s will apart from His Word. We must immerse ourselves in the Scriptures, reading and feeding upon it’s truths to grow in Christ in order to find our purpose in His kingdom. “…all too often the church fails to challenge them to truly be a disciple, learning His Word & will for their lives. As a result, there are people, some of whom may even be here this morning, who wouldn’t know Matthew, Mark, & Luke from Larry, Curly, & Moe”. Melvin Newland Notice in verse 42 that these folks “…continued stedfastly in the apostles doctrine…” Paul addresses the problem of Scriptural illiteracy in Hebrews;
Heb 5:12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.
1 Pe 2:2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
We learn how to grow and to go from God’s Word. Nothing else will do!!!!!
Second, there was:
II. The Spiritual Dynamic
A. They were graced by the Holy Spirit
Friends, nothing can be accomplished of any eternal value apart from the power of the Holy spirit!
Act 2:33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.
B. They were girded by the Holy Spirit
Eph 3:16 That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
C. They were guided by the Holy Spirit
Rom 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
Act 16:6 Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia,
7 After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.
8 And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas.
9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.
10 And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.
Finally, there was:
III. The Social Dynamic
Vs. 42 says, "they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers…” The Greek word that has been translated "fellowship" (koinonia) means far more than just meeting together, eating, & having a good time. It means a closeness, a sharing, a common bond, a feeling of togetherness, of belonging to each other, of belonging to the family of God.
Notice in our text what the Scriptures say about this fellowship.
A. They worshipped together
Melvin Newland writes that, It’s "fellowship," caring about one another, that causes you to roll out of bed on Sunday morning while others simply roll over & go back to sleep.
Heb 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
B. They walked together
Notice verse 44 and following; they “…were together… and …had all things common… and were …in one accord… and …singleness of heart…” What does that suggest to you? I tell you what I think! A growing church will be a church that is “walking together!”
A growing church will walk together in praise.
Act 2:47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
A growing church will walk together in prayer.
Act 2:42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
A growing church will walk together in proclamation.
Act 8:4 Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.
A growing church will walk together in passion.
Act 2:44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common;
A growing church will walk together in purity.
1 Ti 4:12 Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.
A growing church will walk together in perseverance.
Act 2:42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
A growing church will walk together in peace.
Eph 4:3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
Brothers and sister, a church that is constantly fussing, fretting, fuming and fighting will not grow.
C. They worked together
One of the metaphors that I like the best when trying to describe the church is the word “team.” You won’t find this word in the Scripture per se but the principle is found throughout Scripture, particularly in the NT.
The Church is a body made up of many members.
1 Co 12:14 For the body is not one member, but many.
18 But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him.
20 But now are they many members, yet but one body.
25 That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.
27 Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.
The Church is a building with many stones. Peter wrote;
1 Pe 2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
The church is a brotherhood created for relationship.
1 Pe 2:17 Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.
ILL - In "Acts 29," Dr. Terry Teykl relates that one day the mayor of a small city was driving through the city square when he noticed 2 city workers doing something rather unusual. Along one side of the main street, they were working steadily. One of the men was digging a hole in the ground, & the other was filling it back up. After watching them dig & fill several holes in this manner, the mayor, somewhat confused, confronted the 2 workers & asked for an explanation. "Well, sir," replied the first man, "we work for the city planting trees, & usually there are 3 of us - one to dig the hole, one to plant the tree, & one to cover it up. The guy who plants the tree called in sick today, but," he proudly announced, "we’re here & we’re doing our jobs anyway." How easy it is to become just like the tree planters, we totally lose sight of the meaning behind what we’re doing.
The result is that after years of "doing" church we have lost sight of why we are supposed to be here and what we are supposed to be doing and where we are supposed to be going!
A healthy church will “multiply by addition!” A healthy church will grow just as a healthy body will grow. I’ve been told that when we are young our bodies produce more new cells than those that die and that as we get older that process is reversed, that is, more cells die than new cells we produce. This is true of a healthy church. A church that is not producing more healthy cells than dying cells is a dying church. The result is inevitable but not irreversible. Church can be healthy and growing again.
REMEMBER THE MISSION
ILL - In 1629, when the favorite wife of Indian ruler Shah Jahan died, he ordered that a magnificent tomb be built as a memorial to her. The shah placed his wife's casket in the middle of a parcel of land, and construction of the temple literally began around it. But several years into the venture, the Shah's grief for his wife gave way to a passion for the project.
One day while he was surveying the sight, he reportedly stumbled over a wooden box, and he had some workers throw it out. It was months before he realized that his wife's casket had been destroyed. The original purpose for the memorial became lost in the details of construction. They built the Taj Mahal, but they forgot the reason for the building. They forgot what their mission truly was!
(Dr. James Dobson, Coming Home, Timeless Wisdom for Families, (Tyndale House Publishers, Wheaton; 1998), p. 122)
Dr. Harry Reeder, the pastor of the 4,000 member Briarwood Presbyterian Church in Birmingham and author of “From Ember to a Flame” writes that one of the best Scriptures for the revitalization of the church is Revelation 2:5. Three things are commanded by the risen Lord of the church in this passage:
1. Recall
2. Repent
3. Recover
How many of you know that this church had 2-4 hundred in church regularly with high days of 5-6 hundred? That there was a time when this church, our church was one of the largest churches in Dothan? When 607 buses were running and bringing children to our church. How many of you can remember a day when folks were being added to the church daily? When attendance was growing and lives were being changed radically? When First Free Will Baptist Church of Dothan, Alabama was one of the most effective soul-winning churches in our entire area?
How many of you believe that that can happen again and would do anything, make any sacrifice, pay any price to see it happen again? Remember the formula for revitalization? It can happen again because God has not moved and He has not changed. He still loves souls as much as He ever did. We are the ones who have moved and changed.
