RE-POSITIONING THE CHURCH FOR GROWTH
The God of Growth
The Christian God is the God of growth. At the beginning of His creation He set the growth agenda by instructing creation to be fruitful and multiply. (Gen 1:22). Due to the fact of God’s nature on growth others have gone to Him in prayers for growth and enlargements. In 1 Chronicles 4: 10 a prayer was said which is a key drive to growth. Jabez a man who was born in pain and suffering lifted a cry onto God for enlargement.
‘And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying “Oh that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain. So God granted him what he requested.”
Jabez indeed desired change and growth. His land had been occupied by enemies who were stronger than him. God enlarging his territory means the vacation of those enemies who had occupied the land. The exit of the enemies naturally leads to bigger space for economic activities and therefore economic enlargement. Having bigger economic space is expected to bring him into financial and logistics growth as his yields from the bigger land space will give him more economic opportunities. If he is able to handle his domestic challenges properly with the improved finances, his relational life and social status will equally be enhanced. If he turns to use his growth environment to serve God, who gave him the enlargement, his spiritual and ministry life will definitely know growth as well. God answering the growth and enlargement prayer was a clear demonstration that his growth and enlargement was within the will of God.
God has pleasure in the prosperity and growth of His people (Psalm 35:27). He causes His people to increase. In fact, He increases the people as well as their children. In Psalm 115:14, the Psalmist assures that the blessings the God grants to His people among others is the blessing of growth, ‘the Lord shall increase you more and more, you and your children’. (Psalm 115:14)
The Christian God is the God who desires growth and therefore His people must be growth-loving oriented. The church must not only pray for growth but must also work towards growth. The journey towards growth however, may be difficult and frustrating but the people of God must keep looking up to Him for the new ways of moving towards the higher levels that give Him glory and bring blessings to the people of God.
The Example of the Acts of the Apostles Church
The Acts of the Apostles is a demonstration of the movement of the Holy Spirit. The people of who were led by the Holy Spirit in their various faith journeys were moved into growth. The early undoubtedly experienced the growth that must inspire the church at all times and generations. The church grew in numbers. Three thousand (3000) members were added to the new church according to Acts 2: 41. Five thousand new members were again added to the church in Acts 4:4 and in Acts 6:7 the numbers of the church members multiplied. The growth of the church reached a multitude point that it became difficult to count.
The Acts of the Apostles church did not only grow in numbers they also experienced growth in the quality of their spirituality. They paid attention to the spiritual disciplines of Study, Fellowship, Worship, Prayer, Simplicity, Service etc. according to Acts 2: 42. The needs of members were met Acts 2:45. The church became a caring church were needy members became assured that they would not be left out because of their economic/financial challenges. If fact, we are told that systems and structures were put in place for the welfare needs of the members. Committee of men filled with the Holy Spirit was set up to work towards the needs of members. The church could meet the needs of their members due to the fact that they had the resources to do. Members who had lands were prepared to sell such properties and gave the monies to the church.
The early church had favor/ goodwill in the community Acts 2:47. The church had known hate and persecutions due to their claims that Jesus was alive and is Lord is now respected in the communities. A growth in their social standing and influence.
The growth of the Early church was seen among the leaders of the faith. The Priest were obedient to the Faith Acts 6:7. The Priest who were leaders in the church became examples of the teachings of the church. Eventually the Word of God grew and multiplied Acts 12:24. New converts for the love of God and His Word destroyed magical books that they had depended on to the tune of fifty thousand (50,000) pieces of silver equivalent of seven million dollars ($7m).
Dimensions of Church Growth
Church growth is multi-faceted. The church must grow primarily in its numbers. However other dimensions like finance, capacity of agents, spirituality, infrastructure, community influence, relationships, programmes etc. must equally be considered in church growth efforts. Even though most often church growth is considered from the angles of numbers there are other sectors that must attract the attention of agents of church growth.
- Spiritual Disciplines (Prayer, Study, Simplicity, Service, Worship,)
- Capacity Building of Agents
- Financial (Quality of fundraising, accountability, impact on members and communities)
- Infrastructural / Facilities Growth (Increase in infrastructure and impact on churches lives e.g. Church buses and transportation of members.
- Community Influence and Local Visibility
- Programmes
- Relational
- Advocacy Ministry
- Ecumenical Relationship / International Recognition
Numerical Growth
The early church grew numerically. The numbers in the church of the various generational levels i.e. children, youth, men, women and the aged in the church must know increase. Numerical growth is a typical dimension of growth that must happen in the church. In fact, the church must pray and work towards the growth and increase in numbers of all generational groups in the church. Church growth, it must be noted has come about from two major sources i.e. Organic growth and growth through outreach programmes.
Biological growth takes place when church members bring their children and other dependents to church. Some churches that have known tremendous growth have paid much attention to biological growth. Such children remain mainly in the children and adolescent ministries. Parents who are able to sustain their parental Christian nurturing are able to keep their youth and students in the church who in turn become sources of church growth. Biological growth which can as well be called Organic has become accidental source of growth for some churches as they do not have programmes for its growth and sustenance. However, those who have identified the organic growth as a key church growth source consistently develop family programmes that will ensure that church members remain in church with their families and other dependents.
Christian outreach programmes have remained key numerical growth factor. Organization of open air services (crusades), campus ministries, chaplaincy ministries (hospitals, security services, industrial, prisons etc.), have proved to have been key contributors to numerical growth efforts of the church. Media Christian outreach ministries (radio, television, publication of books, tracts, posters) have remained major Christian efforts in numerical growth. Contemporary media facilities like social media platforms (WhatsApp, Twitter etc.), livestreaming (Facebook, television etc.)
Framework for Sustainable Church Growth
Church leaders who are in charge and responsible for Evangelism and Church Growth Departments most often declare their growth intentions in percentages and figures. While it is good to declare such growth intentions it must be noted that sustainable church growth is beyond growth intentions. If sustainable church growth principles are not kept growth intentions remain self-amusement. Church members who have been equipped must sent out to where the people are. Remember Jesus said He has other sheep who are yet to come to Him. Those who were out must come back with new members/converts. The growth of the church cannot be sustained if those who were sent out do not come back or do not bring in new members. A very important component in the whole sustainable growth framework is keeping the people in the church. Sustainable Church growth depends on sustainability of the members in the church. If the rate of member in flow and out flow is the same it is obvious that the church growth cannot be sustained. Interestingly if the growth is measured from the entry points alone by those who bring people in, the church will celebrate achievements that do not exist.
Keeping in the particular congregations have become a very uneasy task for many church leaders due to the fact church members are free to exist churches at will.
- Principles of Sustainable Church Growth
- Send the People out.
- Bring the People in (Old and New Converts)
- Keep the people in
- Send the People out
Infrastructural Growth
The church must grow in its facilities and infrastructure. Churches must not only have chapels and cathedral, the worship places must know infrastructural growth and improvements. The temperature must be improved with appreciative decorations and comfortable seating arrangements. It is a known fact that the worship needs and facilities for children are definitely different from the adults. Church infrastructure purposefully must respond to needs of children, the visually and hearing impaired members as well as the aged. A growing church must provide equal opportunities for worshippers with different and varied needs. Moreover, transportation for church members and workers, availability of toilets, access to health facilities and security services at church premises are signs of growth. Most often church leaders and workers who desire growth pay very little attention to the role of infrastructure in the whole growth efforts.
Financial Growth
Churches grow financially. In the early church members sold their properties and donated outcomes of the sales to support the mission of the church. Monies were collected and sent to the Apostles. While some did it with all sincerity we are told others tried to manipulated the system. Churches have grown their finances through freewill offerings, tithes, and other forms of donations. Church investments in financial projects have remained a major source for financial growth. Church investments have involved in hospitality facilities, transportation, education, health, interests from savings, treasury bills etc.
Financial growth is not demonstrated by how much a church is able to collect the quality of the collection process must also grow. Churches are to growth their finance with higher understanding and free willingness of their members without manipulations. The church’s testimony in fund raising must also be growing with much satisfaction.
- Projects and Programmes
- Relational
- Spiritual
- Capacity Building of Agents
- Advocacy Ministry
- Community Influence and Local Visibility
- Ecumenical Relationship / International Recognition
- Reasons for Re-Positioning
- The Competitions
- Emerging Challenges
- New Opportunities
- Building the new Generational of Ideas
- Fulfilling our Divine Mandate
- Responding to Ministerial/Spiritual Burn Out
- Setting the Environment for Growth
- The Growth Mentality
- Building the enabling environment for Growth
- Growing into what and for what?
- Managing the challenges of Growth
- Re-Positioning for Growth: The Elijah and Elisha Paradigm
- Breaking the barriers of Growth
- Silencing the unnecessary/ unhelpful voices
- Unyielding Spirit
- Living in knowledge
- Walking on unfamiliar territories
- Living with the double anointing
- Getting the new generation of ideas ready for service
- The Framework for Growth
- Send the People out.
- Bring the People in
- Keep the people in
- Send the People out
