Essentials of Church Growth

1. Essentials of Church Growth

2. Strong Bible Teaching! • Preach the Word! • "I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching." (2 Timothy 4:1-2, NKJV) • Fearful or afraid to preach unique positions with Bible behind it?

3. Strong Bible Teaching! • Groups with far more extreme positions grow even when Bible is used improperly! • Religious groups are growing today because they have gone back to the Bible! • Non-prospects will be angry/prospects will not! • What can I do?

4. What Can I Do? • Read and know Bible! Ready to give an answer. • Encourage and demand lessons from Bible. • Prepare to teach or assist others who teach. • Be ready in season and out of season.

5. Totally Committed Disciples! • Total Commitment • "Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me." (Matthew 16:24, NKJV) • "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." (Matthew 6:33, NKJV)

6. Totally Committed Disciples! • The Lord’s church has more than most. • But we can do better! • Our profession should be obvious to all! • What can I do?

7. What Can I Do? • What does a totally committed disciple look like? • Does Christianity look like our 2nd profession? • When do we fit in the daily exercises of the Christian? Study, prayer, acts of kindness to brethren, even to those outside the household of faith. • Do we know what it looks like to be committed? Job, PTA, Avon, restoring a car, golf, hunting.

8. Lead Happy, Moral Lives! • Lead happy, moral lives • 1 Peter 2:12 having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation. • "Now when he had brought them into his house, he set food before them; and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household." (Acts 16:34, NKJV)

9. Lead Happy, Moral Lives! • "rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer;" (Romans 12:12, NKJV) • "Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe." (Philippians 3:1, NKJV)

10. Lead Happy, Moral Lives! • Not only make a stand in private, but public. • People will be impressed by consistent, non-hypocritical, moral examples. • No need to be ashamed to talk about morals! • Hypocrisy, anger, bitterness cause people to look elsewhere! • What can we do?

11. What Can I Do? • Lead exemplary lives. • Speech, manners, dress, etc. • Are we free from things that might cause others to think we are hypocrites? • Does it appear to others that we are happy about being Christians? Smile, contentment, lack of drama, etc.

12. Close & Caring Family Love! • Close & Caring Family Love • "Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous;" (1 Peter 3:8, NKJV) • Coldness in society, distance! • Congregations may fail in this area alone!

13. Close & Caring Family Love! • This love is attractive to people looking for more than the coldness of society. • Congregation must be close, but also…including not excluding.. • Include those in world in projects! • What can we do?

14. What Can I Do? • Some who could benefit. Elderly, sick, shut-ins, wayward, etc. • To whom do we associate? Have we made an attempt to get outside our circle? • Include those outside of Christ in our plans? • How do we treat wives, females, children? (Better seen and not heard?) • Afraid of the disabled? Or those that don’t look like us?

15. Every Member Committed To Growth! • Everybody needs to get involved! • Ephesians 4:16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.

16. What Can I Do? • Greet visitors and ask questions, but don’t pry. • Get involved with projects like: Visitor info. cards, greeting at the door, gospel meeting fliers, directory, etc. • Prepare yourself to have a Bible study! • Have someone over for a meal. • Invite people to come to services. • Don’t oppose ideas that might be related to growth just because…

17. Enthusiastic Bible Classes! • 2 Timothy 2:24 And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient,.. • Some are guilty of taking a casual ease towards this job. • Attitude that we can just wing it.. • Colossians 3:23 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men,… • What can I do?

18. What Can I Do? • Prepare for Bible class! Impressive to see participation! • Teach class or help with materials etc. • Impressive to see kids having project to share with family. Retain knowledge! • Harmful for people, visitors to observe others not interested or engaged!

19. Elders & other leaders must show the way! 1 Peter 5:2-3 Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; 3 nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock Good, Calm, Steady Leadership!

20. Good, Calm, Steady Leadership! • Peter & John Acts 4:18-19,29 • Acts 6:5 Full of faith and the Holy Ghost. • Ananias’ courage. Acts 9:13,14,17. • Peter’s faith. Acts 12:6 • Paul & Barnabas in Lystra. Acts 14:15 Not gods). • Acts 15 When authority principles used, it pleased the apostles, elders and whole church.

21. Good, Calm, Steady Leadership! • Eunice & Lois to teach Timothy. 2 Tim.5. • Lydia and her open heart. Acts 16:14. • Aquilla, Priscilla teaching. Acts 18:24 • Much could be said of others..Dorcus, etc. • Leaders: Elders, Older Men and Older Woman, Men in Business Mtg., Teachers, Husbands, Wives, Older siblings, etc.

22. Good, Calm, Steady Leadership! • We need leaders who know the Bible, rightly divide the word, apply it properly, sound reasoning skills, avoid vain babblings, gentle with inexperienced, know difference between judgment matters and opinion, practice patience, etc. • If there is a vacuum of leadership, and it is forced to inexperienced…? • Don’t be surprised if it’s not what you like?

23. What Can I Do? • Husbands can lead family by putting Christ first! • Wives can lead by putting the health of the family on the front burner! • Siblings must lead younger to Christ and not be accomplice or poor example. • Men can see to it that business is conducted with peace and be a positive influence on young. • Not just interested in self, but others of congregation. • Remember leaders lead by example, not by words alone.

24. What Can Be Done? • Evangelism – Young people who bring friends, friends from work, from liberal brethren. • Location, location, location! • Unlock purse strings to support evangelism. • Using different forms of media – radio, etc. (advertising) • Discipline towards those who walk disorderly – Negativism needs to cease! • Looking for curriculum that is more kid friendly.

25. Another Lesson Goes By… • I heard a story about a congregation that did not contribute (tithe) as expected. • What do you think would help remedy the cause? • Lesson? • Sermon? • Repeated announcement?

26. Another Lesson Goes By… • We should stop behaving as though there were no accountability! • "After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them." (Matthew 25:19, NKJV)