Church Growth

The commission of our Lord Jesus Christ to His people is to "... go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, and teaching them to observe all things which I have commanded you, and lo I am with you always, even to the end of the age." He is the one who has formed His local assemblies (church) through whom He desires to fulfill this commission. Each and every believer is sent into his or her home, workplace, community, and church with this commission. Every church must be sensitive to this commission.

It seems to me evangelical churches take this commission very seriously. There are many books describing many excellent methods for doing church growth, advancing philosophies of ministry, and many courses which teach leaders how to organize in order to accomplish church growth. Church growth is advanced as being obedient and fulfilling this commission. I admire and embrace many of these concepts, but I have being thinking about the basics. What is true church growth, and how do we really accomplish it, even after we are organized, mobilized, and philosphised up?

Two scriptures come to my mind as I think on this. Both are from the gospel of John. The first is John 4:13, "...whoever drinks of the water I give him (her) will never be thirsty again. The water I give him (her) will become in him (her) a spring of water welling up to eternal life." The second verse is John 7:38, "Whoever believes in me as the scripture has said, 'Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.' Now this He said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in Him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified."

These words clearly indicate that true ministry is about people. Yet, it’s not just caring for human needs or providing encouragement through human efforts or affections. It is all these things, but it is much more. True ministry is first loving God, and as a consequence of encountering the infinite joy of His character, ministering to others. Then true ministry is bringing care to others out of the joy of knowing Him, in order that those who will can encounter the ministry of their Heavenly Father, in the Lord Jesus Christ, by the Holy Spirit. This seems to be the Lord's plan and provision for fulfilling the Great Commission.

It seems to me that church growth at its very basic level is about loving God and caring for people. Let us abide, so His divine power will meet the needs of those around us in family, workplace, community, and church. Let us fulfill His commission with His plan, knowing His promised presence, and in the joy of our daily encounter with Him.

Gratitude

Once again I have been considering life and ministry, and as I do so, one word comes prominently to mind. It is the word gratitude.

Through the story our Lord tells of the day laborers, our Lord reminds us of how central the mindset of gratitude is for our lives. The apostle Paul in Philippians includes the practice of thanksgiving as an important part of rejoicing in the Lord and prayerfully presenting our anxieties, needs, and even desires to the Lord. Paul explains that gratitude is central to knowing the peace of God, which only God can bestow upon us in the Lord Jesus Christ.

I was reminded of this recently as a member of IBC Munich was discussing the world circumstances and some of the devastation so many in the world are experiencing. The normal approach would have been to compare the pleasant circumstances he and those who are a part of our church normally enjoy with those who are experiencing devastation and say, “I am grateful we are not experiencing such circumstances." That however was not the attitude expressed. Rather, his comment was, "We see these things others are going through, and yet we complain about every little thing." The comment is both an encouragement and a rebuke—a very insightful way of reminding us of how important it is to maintain a sense of gratitude.

So what am I grateful for today? I am of course grateful for my life circumstances, the security in which I live, the privilege of living in a country I can enjoy, the relatively good health my family and I are experiencing, the wellbeing of my children at present, the friends with whom I share life. I am grateful for these things, but I am reminded that our gratitude rises out of a much more profound reality—hope in Christ.

I recently stood at the bedside of a critically ill person, and as we spoke together, I was reminded in a very, very profound way of what we as believers have that cannot be taken away and that undergirds all of our life. It is the love of God, which provides an incorruptible hope that cannot be tainted by any earthly or eternal experience or circumstance. His love has been demonstrated for us through the death on the cross of the Son of God and through the power of the resurrection. When thinking on this hope and how much our Heavenly Father loves us (He allowed Jesus, who lived in perfect righteousness, to die for my unrighteousness so I can live with hope), I can only humbly say, "Thank you, Lord.”

Let me commend the reading of Romans 8:31-39 to you today, as we continue to abide with hope and gratitude in fellowship with Him who has loved us and given Himself for us.