Category Archives: Church Growth

Bring in the New Year

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Lose weight.  Exercise more.  Quit some bad habit.  Read the Bible from start to finish.  The New Year is upon us, a time when we make plans about how we’re going to spend the next twelve months.  But one of the best resolutions you can make for 2017 is the decision to bring someone to the Lord.  That is not only a commitment that will change another’s life; in the process, you will start your own revolution.

Bringing someone to Jesus makes you take a closer look at the Savior.

I have found that there is no better way to get to know the Lord than to tell other people about Him.  Since you want them to come and follow Him as you have, you will seek to present His case in the most persuasive and convicting manner.

When you describe His miracles and wonders, you will have a better appreciation of His deity.  When you tell of His temptations, sufferings, and tears, you will have a greater grasp of His sympathy with the human race.  When you explain His sweat that fell as drops of blood and the nails that were driven through His hands and feet, you will have a more graphic picture of the destructive nature of sin.  And when you tell of His glorious resurrection from the dead, you will grow the anticipation of your own promised victory over the grave.  Help someone see Him through the eye of faith and watch how your vision for the unseen becomes even clearer.

Bringing someone to Jesus makes you take a closer look at the Scriptures.

No matter how many times you have read Romans 1:16, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek”, those words will take on a new meaning when you see them in action.

It is that gospel that has the power to penetrate stone hearts and to break stubborn wills.  It is that gospel that causes hope to be realized with the news that “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness” (1 Pet. 2:24).  It is that gospel that brings people under the condemnation of their sin and provokes the response of “what must I do to be saved?”  It is that gospel that produces inexpressible joy over the forgiveness of sins like the eunuch, after he was baptized, “went on his way rejoicing” (Acts 8:39).  Show someone the passages that led you to the obedience of the gospel of Jesus Christ.  It will only draw you closer to Him who authored that same message.

    Bringing someone to Jesus makes you take a closer look at yourself.  

If you want to point someone to Christ, then let them see Him living in you.  “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me” (Gal. 2:20).  Your life is no longer about you.  It’s about Him.

Jesus said, “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father Who is in heaven” (Matt. 5:16).  Who was more qualified to make that statement than He who practiced what He preached?  Jesus never took the approach of “Do as I say, not as I do.”  And He needs disciples who will follow in those steps of sincerity.  You can’t recommend a way of life that you are not willing to live yourself.   People have to see Jesus when they see you.  Not only will that allow you to be a good example to those you come in contact with, it will ultimately bring glory to God.

Live the life of a Christian.  Evangelism is as much about showing as it is telling.  The story of Jesus is too good not to tell.  It’s too good not to live.  You say you want a resolution?  Ring in the New Year by bringing someone to the Lord.

By Bubba Garner

Which Ones Have You Encouraged?

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The Lord’s church is composed of both strong and weak members. Each one needs encouragement at times, but certainly the weaker brethren need a greater amount of special attention. Also, there are some members who are not necessarily weak, but who have special physical problems, causing them to need special attention. The apostle Paul taught that the responsibility of helping the weaker members rested upon the shoulders of those who were mature, full-grown Christians (Romans 15:1; Galatians 6:1-2). In the minds of some, this type of responsibility is the work of the elders, deacons, or preachers. Indeed it is; but the instruction is given to all Christians. Sometimes elders and preachers are negligent. Sometimes there is simply more work to be done than a limited number of men can accomplish. Which ones have you encouraged?

Some Members Are Forsaking the Assembling of the Saints

This sign of weakness is obvious to any mature Christian. It takes no special training or skills to make a phone call, write a note, or drop by for a short visit to say, “I’ve missed you.” Would it be presumptuous to say almost all Christians could render service in this area?

Some Members Are Attending Without the Support (Perhaps With the Hindrance) Of Their Spouse

A mother rises early on Sunday morning to prepare breakfast and dress the children to get them to Bible class; and they leave home with the father still in bed. Sometimes the fathers have the same problem, leaving the mother at home. All recognize the special problems faced by such parents, admire their effort, and are encouraged by their faithful attendance under less than ideal circumstances. Are we not obliged to reciprocate some type of encouragement to these faithful parents?

Some Members Are Presently Experiencing Family Problems

There are parents who are struggling with a rebellious child. There are married couples who are experiencing serious problems, perhaps resulting from an immature spiritual life. There are adults who have aging parents who are sick or confined, and demand much of their time and attention. In many cases, an encouraging word may be all that can be offered. Who offers it?

Some Members Are Facing Problems Associated With Aging

The elderly and widows find it more and more difficult to do the basics, such as driving to services, shopping at the market, visiting with others, etc. Many live alone, without the encouragement or support of a faithful companion. Encouragement may be extended both verbally and actively.

This list could go on and on, but the initial question would remain the same, namely, “Which ones have you encouraged?” As the members of a congregation consider one another, the opportunities to serve are abundant. Christians may avoid the question for the present, but one day all will stand and give an answer.

By David Thomley

 

 

Count It Joy

As humans, we have a tendency to ask “why” when we experience difficulties in our lives. We may look at a situation as being the victim. God gives insight on how to handle these situations so that we may look at them as being a victor. We can expect experience difficulties as a Christian. After all, Jesus, the apostles and first century Christians endured hard times. James tells us how to approach these times in chapter 1.

We must first embrace the trial and count it joy (v.2).  Jesus said that we will have trials (John 16:33), so we should not be caught off guard when they occur.  These trials may be caused by satan, the world, our family and even brethren.   Peter tells us not to be surprised by these trials, but to rejoice in them (1 Peter 4:12-13).  Rejoicing occurred after suffering persecution for the cause of the gospel (Acts 5:41).  These times bring about perseverance (Romans 5:3).  We should look at the difficulty and thank God while adopting a joyful attitude when trials occur.  Persecution, in whatever form it may be, is a part of Christianity and when we suffer for Jesus, we should look at it as a good thing, especially since He suffered for us.

In verse 3, James says that the testing of our faith produces endurance.  Just as athletes train for their sport, we must train for Christianity.  Faith tested brings out the best in us if we remain focused on God.   Trials help us mature as Christians.  If we never have these, then we expect everything will be easy and as a result, we do not grow stronger.  Endurance denotes the ability to have consistency in the face of adversity.  We must stand firm with God, no matter what is thrown at us.  Testing can work for us, not against us (2 Corinthians 4:17).

Endurance must have its perfect result (verse 4).  Too often, we want the hard times to be over with immediately.  Instead of complaining or questioning God, we should simply endure it.   We learn to continue to seek God’s will during the hard times.

Lastly, we must look to God for wisdom (verse 5).  Wisdom is demonstrated when we take what Scripture says and apply it to our own lives.  We must look to the One who is all knowing for guidance.  Persistency must characterize our prayer life.  Especially in times of difficulty, we should become more dependent on God, looking to Him for strength, guidance and comfort.  James tells us to ask God in faith, without doubting (verse 6).

Seeing trials as an opportunity to rejoice is contrary to what the world thinks. Christianity is about seeking to please God.  It is about humbling ourselves in good times and in difficult times.  Christians are commanded to have a joy in all circumstances of life.  This joy occurs because, no matter what we endure, we have the hope of heaven.

By Randy Case Jr.

Welcoming Newcomers

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The man was a newcomer in town. On his first morning he went into the local restaurant for breakfast. Around a large round table was a group of locals eating breakfast, drinking coffee, and sharing stories and laughs. He could tell he didn’t belong in that circle, so he quietly found a booth where he would eat alone. If one in that circle had gone over to him, introduced himself, and invited him to join the group, he might have accepted or politely declined, but he would have been impressed with the friendliness of the town into which he had moved and might have been inclined to return to the restaurant to speak again to the man who had befriended him.

On the Lord’s Day, he went to worship with the church. As he walked in
he noticed several groups standing together, enjoying conversation. He could tell they were close friends who had known each other a long time. He was hesitant to join any of the groups, so he quietly went to seek out a place where he could worship. When he came to the first pew, however, it was filled with notebooks and Bibles, so he knew that seat was not for him. He went on to the next, but there was a line of footstools, and so it went until he found a place in the middle of a pew that seemed not to be “reserved.” There were a few polite “hellos,” but his reception was hardly better than it had been at the local restaurant. He “just didn’t seem to belong.”

Does the Bible not speak of some who “just didn’t belong”? “My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality. For if there should come into your assembly a man with gold rings, in fine apparel, and there should also come in a poor man in filthy clothes, and you pay attention to the one wearing the fine clothes and say to him, ‘You sit here in a good place,’ and say to the poor man, ‘You stand there,’ or, ‘Sit here at my footstool,’ have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?” (James 2:1-4). The poor man would know “he didn’t belong in that group.” But one does not have to be poor to feel that a group is not warmly receiving him.

Efforts to Correct the Problem

Some churches appoint “greeters” who stand at the door to welcome visitors. This no doubt is helpful. The visitor can recognize, however, that the “greeter,” no matter how warm and friendly he may be, is fulfilling a role given to him. Consequently
his good work cannot substitute for spontaneous warmth, friendliness, and concern on the part of the congregation as a whole.

Others deliberately “dress down” so that a visitor who comes in casual clothes will not feel uncomfortable. We appreciate the thought and are very respectful of brethren who are doing this, but we wonder about the effectiveness of this practice. After all, there are people who have been taught from childhood that when they go to worship, they should wear their “Sunday best,” and when they find the whole group dressed in jeans, they might wonder about their disregard for the occasion. We would also ask:

If a man in a suit showed genuine warmth to a visitor in jeans, would his warmth not communicate that he doesn’t judge others by the clothes they wear?

The Answer: Genuine Concern for Others

An incident that occurred several years ago provides the best answer. A young lady, a member of a denomination, had married a Christian. Having promised to attend services with him, she found a seat and immediately said, “I wonder whose seat we have.” “You don’t have anyone’s seat,” the lady seated in front of her said, “You are welcome here and you can sit anywhere you like.” “My heart just melted,” the young lady told me later. Is it surprising that a few months later she was baptized? Her husband now serves as a deacon.

Concern for others! Counting others better than ourselves (Phil. 2:3-4)! Leaving our little group of friends to welcome a visitor! Even going up to a visitor whom we see in the parking area, introducing ourselves, welcoming him, and introducing him to others! Giving up our “end of the pew” seat so the visitor doesn’t have to crawl over us. This is the answer.

By the way, our newcomer learned of another faithful church in town and went to worship with them the next Sunday. He was welcomed warmly and he soon asked to be received in the group. And the first church wonders why the church across town is growing while they seem to be stagnant?

Article by Bill Hall

Rock Music Packs the Pews

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Attendance sagging? Experiencing the “graying out” of the local flock? The Rev. Paige Blair can take care of your woes by rejuvenating the worship service where you attend! Her worship format will have the parishioners dancing by the altar! She has done “wonders” for some Episcopal congregations in the United States and the same revival could benefit your church!

Recent news stories have detailed a new strategy being used to re-invigorate stagnating congregations of the Episcopal denomination in this nation. Paige Blair, an Episcopal parish priest, has created a worship format which weaves songs by the rock band U2 into the liturgy. The objective of this strategy is to attract young people and social activists to congregations dwindling in size and aging in their demographics. U2 was probably selected as the rock band of choice for a couple of reasons. First, the lyrics of many U2 songs make references to the Bible and religion. Second, U2’s lead singer Bono is an advocate of efforts to alleviate global poverty and thus the band appeals to social activists.

If judged by increased attendance to eucharist services, these rock-n-roll worship services are a resounding success. Worshippers bothered by the volume of the music are offered ear plugs. Plasma-screen televisions, streamers in the “sanctuaries” and fluorescent glow sticks wielded by worshippers complete the ambiance of the worship service.

Not everyone is totally thrilled with these changes. Some of U2’s song lyrics apparently express doubt and anger about the fact that God allows human suffering. Some worshippers are puzzled by the use of U2, an Irish rock bank described as “traditional rock’n’rollers – they swear, drink and sing about sex.”

The Episcopalians are only doing on a small scale what mega-churches are doing on a larger scale. Find out what “un-churched” people want and give it to them in religious packaging. The Episcopalians are clearly amateurs in this arena. Think of the possibilities! Churches on the “go” could integrate some connection to current entertainment interests into “worship” services. We’ve missed “March Madness,” the recent college basketball tournament, but the NBA finals would work just as well. Surely we could find some basketball player with an emotionally-evoking religious experience to highlight each week in the sermon. The congregation could post game results in the bulletin and playoff stats on a large bulletin board in the auditorium. Worshippers could even develop closer relationships to one another as they speculate about which team will be eliminated this week. Just think about what could be done with NASCAR (instead of the twelve apostles, the young people could memorize the top twelve drivers on the circuit this week)! Don’t forget the “Football in the Fall” evangelism campaign! I wonder if we could get Hank Williams, Jr. to do a rendition of “Are you ready for worship?” that could be played before each worship service? Did I mention “American Idol”?

The marketing strategy of “give them what they want” employed by some churches is a far cry from the reverent, God-centered worship offered by early Christians. There is a complete paradigm shift from offering praise according to divine instructions to the entertainment and gratification of worldly “worshippers.” For many churches, it’s not about honoring God, but “packing the pews.” In the rush to fill church buildings, people forget to listen to what God has to say about acceptable worship (Colossians 3:17; John 4:24).

The church of the New Testament was not concerned with “marketing strategies.” The early Christians “went everywhere preaching the word” (Acts 8:4). The apostle Paul identified the gospel of Christ as the “power of God to salvation” and wrote of his determination to appeal to the Corinthians on that basis only (Romans 1:16; 1 Corinthians 2:1-5). Apparently he did not understand the effectiveness of presenting biblical truths in the lyrics of rock and roll, but instead instructed early Christians to sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs (Ephesians 5:19). The “give them what they want” strategy will fill church buildings with bodies, but won’t produce spiritually-minded disciples of Christ (Rom. 8:29).

By Allen Dvorak

Causing the Church to Grow

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If you are interested in learning some methods that will guarantee an increase in church membership then continue to read this article, especially to the end. These methods will stir up interest and attract people of the community. I know they will work because the denominational world has been using them for years. Look at the results. These churches have seen their membership roles increase to the point that newer and larger buildings have to be built to accommodate the crowds. At the same times their leaders are also smart enough to realize that they must often change their methods in order to adapt to the changing world.

Many churches of Christ, who in time past, at least claimed to follow “The Old Paths” all the way back to Jerusalem are now using these same schemes with great success. You can know they are increasing by observing their large ornate buildings and multi-purpose centers. They have learned that in order to compete with the world, they must adapt to worldly standards. Following are some of the methods being currently practiced to increase their attendance and membership.

1. Let People Remain as They Are. This method tells people they do not have to change their lives very much. It would be great if they do so, but if not, accept them anyway. Ignore their sins. Let them remain in a sinful, sexually immoral relationship (either living together outside of wedlock, or an adulterous marriage). Let them continue to practice social drinking, swearing and so forth. Make sure no emphasis is placed on the demands of Jesus found in Lk.13:3, 5, “But unless you repent you will all likewise perish” or “Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but

now commands all men everywhere to repent” Acts 17:30.

2. Let People Have Fun. The world loves entertainment and recreation, so the church needs to get involved in activities that will promote such activities. This will satisfy the physical cravings and at same time provide some type of religious atmosphere. It must work, for many churches have already or are presently building family life centers (multi-purpose buildings) which combine social and recreational activities. They cater to the physical side of man, but also offer something to those who seem to profess an interest in saving the soul. This country club atmosphere, combined with the glitter of Hollywood techniques will bring in the crowd. Evidently Paul did not know that this method would work when he wrote; “For the kingdom of God is not food and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” Rom.14:17, and “many walk of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is their shame – who set their mind on earthly things” Phil.3:18-19.

3. Appeal to Greed. Another method that can work to bring in the crowds is to tape $10, $20 bills under the seats of the church bus to be found by the one lucky enough to sit in those seats. Others offer door prizes, or have a contest to see who can bring the most new people in a set period of time, with the prize being a trip to some amusement park or ball game or some current video game, etc. Of course this method does away with the Biblical method of using the gospel of Christ as “the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes…for in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, ‘the just shall live by faith’” Rom.1:16-17.

4. Believe What You Want. Don’t worry about having firm convictions. Don’t attempt to understand the Bible. Just believe in Jesus. Besides, you and I don’t have to understand the Bible alike. Everyone knows the book is too difficult to read so don’t read Eph.3:3-5 which teaches otherwise. People who believe this won’t have to be concerned with such scriptures as Jude 3; Eph.4:5 that teach there is only “one faith” which must be followed and defended as well as obeyed. Exhortations such as 2.Cor.13:5; 2.Tim.2:15 teaching people to search the scriptures to learn how to be approved of God are ignored.

By now you may be inclined to say, “But these methods are unscriptural.” You’re right, they are! Yet, you will have to admit they will stir up interest and bring in the crowds. Making the church secular like the world does draw crowds and increase membership but it won’t get people into heaven. One might as well join some country club or some other similar organization, for membership in them will be just as effective before God as being a member of a church that ignores God’s will.

The only way to build up the Lord’s church in a scriptural, God-pleasing way is to follow the methods laid down in the book of Acts. Beginning with Pentecost, the early church enjoyed great growth, first 3000, then 5000, then a great multitude. This growth was no accident. Read Acts 2:41; 4:4; 5:14; 6:7; 9:31; 11:24; 16:5; 19:20. One thing is evident from these scriptures, when the preaching of the Word increased, so did the church. The early Christians utilized the true power of God, “The Gospel of Christ” Rom.1:16. The solution to church growth is not new and updated human schemes, but a concerted effort to scatter the seed (the word of God – Lk.11:8) into honest hearts. Increase the scattering of the seed and the membership will also increase.

The early church was possessed of no “magic” that made people listen. But, the members were totally committed to that which they believed, Jesus Christ the only true hope for mankind. They preached Jesus as the only way to God. They were dedicated to this task. They were bold as they spoke. Yet, in the midst of all this also found time to serve God with gladness of heart. They rejoiced even while they suffered, yet, never developed the “martyr’s complex.” They knew they were not perfect people, but they still tried to truly “practice what they preached.” The world understood then, as it does now, that people are not perfect. They despise the hypocrite, but respect those who recognize their own imperfections and are consistently trying to do better. So, Christian, be consistent in your life. Remember, following the truth will not make the church like the world, it will make it different. This is what the Lord requires. Scatter the seed. Be committed and concerned. Preach the gospel to others.

By Thomas Thornhill