Biblical Church Growth
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What is Biblical church growth?
The New Testament makes clear that the local church is God’s instrument in this age that he works through. The local church being a local assembly of a body of believers and those believers as a whole make up the body of Christ. Since the local church is God’s vehicle in this age that he has chosen to work through, it is very important to determine God’s plan for building his church and the purpose for it.
In Matthew 16:18 Jesus said “…upon this rock I will build my church…” He is the master builder of the church. It is him who said he will build his church, not the methods of man. This exact principle is seen in the Old Testament. In Exodus 25:8-9, which is a foreshadow of the church and how it is to be built, God gave Moses the materials and the plan by which he was supposed to build the tabernacle saying,
“And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them. According to all that I shew thee, after the
pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it.”
It is God himself who shows us how the church is built, not the world. He instructs in his word, this is how it is supposed to be built.
Acts 2 tells us about the early church. They were filled with the Holy Spirit. They gathered together for believers to have fellowship and be instructed in the Word so that they would be equipped to be salt and light and evangelize the world. It was not a place to cater to the felt needs of the unchurched. The sheep are to be fed, is that not one of the primary responsibilities of a shepherd?
The pattern of Biblical church growth
Note the progression of how the early church grew in the book of Acts.
“And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their
meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.” (Acts 2:47)
They were in the word, fellowshipping, and praising God. How did these people get there? “…And the Lord added to
the church daily such as should be saved,”
After God added to the church, note what happened when the word of God increased and the priests were obedient to the faith.
“And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith.” (Acts 6:7)
The church is now multiplied! Is this a coincidence when the word of God goes out, people are getting saved and growing in the word and become obedient to the faith? This is Christian church growth.
The church was eventually scattered due to persecution and as a result the word went into all the world. Why? Because people were living the gospel. It was real to them. Note what happened when the church comes under persecution.
“And Saul was consenting unto his death. And at that time there was a great persecution against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered abroad throughout the regions of Judaea and Samaria, except the apostles.” (Acts 8:1)
The result?
“But the word of God grew and multiplied.” (Acts 12:24)
This is no doubt the pattern and process to Biblical church growth. Nowhere do we find in scripture that God relied on what is termed “Church Growth movement” strategies. It was He who grew and multiplied the church through the power of His Word.
August 27th, 2010 at 4:18 pm
The article is excellent in today’s context,because the Churches are deviated from the word of God as for as the quality and the growth is concerned