How Does A Church Grow Biblically?

How does a church grow Biblically?

I remember going to Church Growth conferences held in Anderson, Indiana by John Maxwell in the late 80’s.  A lot of focus was on programs and procedures to shut the back door of the church to first time visitors by making sure they got the 7 touches.  Out of that movement came the seeker sensitive churches that looked at the atmosphere both physically and audibly that the “seeker” was experiencing within the four walls of the church.  Emphasis was put on how it looked and sounded to keep people coming back to the church to hear more about Jesus and maybe make the jump to be a follower of Him.  Jesus was kind of introduced through the back door to not scare them off and once they got warmed up to us then we would bring out Jesus slowly to them and pray they wouldn’t bolt.

Do these models match up with the Scriptures?  The answer is “no.”  Paul, the expert of all experts on church planting, gives a much different picture when it comes to seeing Christ’s church increase.  He doesn’t speak of slick programs or check list procedures or cool atmospheres or soft sells.  Let’s look at 1 Thessalonians 3:11-4:1.

13.11 Now may our God and Father Himself and Jesus our Lord direct our way to you; 12 and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all people, just as we also do for you; 13 so that He may establish your hearts without blame in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.  4.1 Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you excel still more.

I see 3 things here if a church is to be growing God's way.  The first is in verse 12 that we increase in our love for one another and then beyond the walls of the church.  If we are to grow then we need to pay close attention to the relationships that we have with each other so that the love we have for each other overflows to those who will be coming to this body of believers as they answer the call of God on their lives.  It sounds selfish of a church to increase its love for each other but the strength of those bonds between brothers and sisters in Christ is used by God to get the attention of a world that is busy loving itself. 

The second is in verse 13 that we focus on living holy lives.  We are not dancing on the line of temptation but we have put up guardrails to keep from sinful dangers.  We have accountability in our lives with our brothers and sisters in Christ to help us walk in the footsteps of Christ.  We do not hide our holy lives but we also don’t boast of them as it says later in verse 11 of chapter 4 “to lead a quiet life.”  There needs to be seen a difference of who we are living for.  The world focuses on what is pleasing to self, while the Christian is to focus on what is pleasing to God.  The world needs to see that holy devoted to God Christian not just in word but complimented by a holy life.

The third is in verse 1 of chapter 4 that we focus on the instruction given us.  The church grows as we make the Bible a priority to know and apply.  It is passed from spiritual generation to spiritual generation.  It is not brought in through the back door but front and center to be unavoidable not to bump into from any entrance of the church.  His Word is visible.  His Word is heard.  His Word is sung.  His Word is recited.  His Word is lived as we walk in it.  The world needs to hear His Word and His Church is designed and designated by Him to be the dispenser of it.

No slick programs or cool atmospheres here.  It isn’t that we should not have programs and procedures in place to make contact with newcomers or that we should not make changes to the atmosphere to update or give the message in an attractive, creative God grace filled way.  Those are good in the right perspective but Biblically if we want to grow in number of those who are following after God then we need to love one another more to love others also, live openly holy lives, and receive and live out the instruction given to us.  These are the cores of what we do and that way what comes out of these practices will keep our changes in relationship to being attracted to Him and not anything else.  God builds His church so what does He have to work with in relationship to these three at your church?

Pastor Adam