CHURCH GROWTH,

the term which brings delight to the eyes of churches which are growing and fear and trembling to those who aren't. To Pastors and ministers it can determine one's future - "We like you and think you have made a significant contribution to our church, but we want someone who can help our church grow!" - or be instrumental in obtaining a ministry position - "We want someone with experience in church growth."

Yes, I am always happy when a church is growing, bringing people into the kingdom, expanding their numbers, and experiencing "success." Who wouldn't be? And when I see this happening, as we all do, I ask how and why is that happening there? And then books are written about what worked for that church and seminars are conducted by the leaders of those churches and hundreds (thousands) of churches and church leaders seek to follow the patterns so they too can grow. Sometimes it works, but mostly the success is moderate at best. And so I and others wait for the next round of church growth seminars for new ideas and new approaches to outreach.

But, and you knew a "but" was coming, then I consider the vast numbers of churches and ministers and pastors (the overwhelming majority) who serve faithfully for years with little "numerical growth" and I ask, "Have they failed?" If a successful church is a growing church, then doesn't it follow that a church which is not growing is failing! Woe is me!

Question? What do you think God thinks of all this? Is there any place in the New Testament where God talks about church growth? How to become a 1000 member church! How to win people for the kingdom! How to have a dynamic this or a powerful that!

Even when I read the book of Acts, it seems to me that the overall impact of the growth of the early church in Jerusalem and the "success" of the missionary enterprises of Paul and others is one of surprise! Wow, look at what God is doing! People are listening to our message and are coming to believe in Jesus! AND, not only are Jews listening and joining, but so are Gentiles! Who would have thought it possible.

It seems to me that it is all in God's hands. (I Cor. 3:6 = "I planted, Apollos, but God caused the growth.") Just like I don't understand why some children die young, or why a tornado hits this house and not that one, or why one person believes the gospel but another doesn't, so also I don't understand why one church grows and another doesn't.

Maybe God wants it that way. Maybe if I try so hard to figure out what works, I come to believe (although I would never say it out loud) that it is through MY EFFORTS that success has come. (I must say in all honesty at this point, that most of the leaders of these successful churches KNOW it was God who did the work and not them.) Yet, church leaders everywhere are looking for the right formula, the correct combination of prayer and program, and the creative method that works.

If I believe God is the Lord of His Church, if I believe that only God can change a heart, if I know that what God wants of me is faithfulness, not success, and if I am committed to being the man (woman, minister, pastor, leader, or just a Christian) God wants me to be, then maybe I can leave the results in His Hands and trust that He is still at work, even if my own little corner of the kingdom seems small and ineffectual.

I am not excusing laziness nor am I opting for a laissez faire attitude. I should be creative. I should look at what is happening elsewhere to get ideas as to how God can work through me and my church. But that should never replace the old idea of seeking the Lord and following in the way He leads.

Maybe if I stop focussing on church growth and start focussing on my relationship with and obedience to God, maybe I could come to realize that God is using me and my church in ways I may never know and trust that growth is happening, just maybe not in the way I would want.

What do you think?

Charlie

The 2 greatest threats to the church and the Gospel of Jesus Christ are what? What would you say? Where would you point an accusing finger? (Remember that for every finger you point at someone else, three are pointing back at you and one - thumb - is pointing to God.)

I think perhaps the writer of I, II, and III John (whom I also believe to be the Apostle John and the writer of the both the Gospel of John and the Revelation) is correct to stress Truth and Love. These two touch-points should make us aware of the real danger to the church.

First, the truth.

One threat to the church and to the gospel is from outside the "boundary" separating the believers from the non-believers. (Of course, having said that, a secondary danger is the desire to define either too narrowly or too broadly who is "in" and who is "out." From the narrow end, we have those whose definition of being a Christian is so legalistic that most of the Apostles themselves couldn't belong, and the broad end would allow anyone who believes in a god to be counted as "one of us." Obviously, the truth lies somewhere in the middle.) Moving on.

From outside the church, I don't believe we are seriously threatened by those who accept abortion on demand, stem cell research, or gay marriage. These people may give some of us heartburn but they don't really threaten the gospel. Rather, I believe it is those who would raise serious denials of the nature and work of Jesus Christ. Things like, "Jesus wasn't really the incarnate Son of God; that doesn't make any sense." Or, "The resurrection was a spiritual act whereby the Apostles and others understood that all that Jesus stood for was born inside them and they were sent to carry His message of love and hope for a better world." Or, "God is so vast and so complex that it takes all of the faith systems on the earth to comprehend Him - or It; there is no simple one-way to God."

So, threat nomber one is the denial of the truth of God as He has revealed Himself through what we call the Bible.

The answer. Believers in Jesus Christ as God's Son and Atoning Savior need to be clear about these facts and this truth. Everything we are and believe hinges on this one truth of Jesus Christ. If the world chooses to not accept it and make of fun of those who do, so be it. We know the Truth and the Truth has set us free.

Second, the Love.

I believe the second greatest danger to the church and the gospel is from within the body of Christ itself. It is found in those who have a level of faith in Jesus Christ as their Savior but have never had their lives transformed by the Love of Jesus Christ and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

What I mean is, the church has so many people who know the truth by affirmation but not by experience and conviction that we are in great danger of having such a watered-down faith that we cease to be light and salt. The love of Christ does not compel us to faithfulness or growth or outreach or servanthood - IN THE NAME OF AND FOR THE SAKE OF JESUS CHRIST. So the world looks at the church and sees good and moral people, but it often sees better people doing better things by looking at unbelievers. The result is that Christians don't stand for anything different than anybody else.

The answer. It is the love of Jesus Christ working through us unashamedly which will cause the unbelieving world to take notice. They may like or dislike what we have to offer in Jesus, but they will have a distinct choice. And it will not be a call to a higher moral code, but to the person and work of God through His Son Jesus Christ.

Truth and love. They're what make God's world go around.

Cahrlie

Evolutionary psychology or sociobiology is causing a stir in some places. If you're like me, you have no idea what these are or why you should even care. I would normally agree with you, except that as more and more "anti-christian, anti-God, anti-church" books and articles are being written, more and more of our country and world will not only be hearing about these ideas but listening to them.

These two terms seek to relate human behavior to our genetic makeup, or more specifically to our genetic ancesters.

Examples:
(1) Richard Dawkins, British biologist explains former President Clinton's sexual foibles as the alpha male dominating and monopolizing all females to insure the survival of the species. Its in the genes.
(2) Steven Pinker, a "telegenic science popularizer," says that infanticide (killing unwanted babies) is built into our biology - specifically into the mother as a means of natural selection. Its in the genes.
(3) Robert Wright, author of "The Moral Animal," says that freedom is an illusion; we are captive to and puppets of our genes, having ultimately no free will.

Therefore, by examining our evolutionary history and our genetic predispositions, we can identify behaviors which have survival or adaptive value. Therefore, what some call sinful behavior or actions may be simply the survival of the fittest. So instead of "the devil made me do it," its "in my genes."

The obvious conclusion to this nonsense is that no one is realy guilty of anything but everyone is only acting out of his genetic evolutionary makeup. WOW! That is such a relief! In order for my family and I to survive and propagate the species, I can anything I want and not feel a shred of remorse.

Lest we think this all just psycho-evolutionary-biology-think, we have another think coming. Underlying all this gobble-de-gook is a real contemporary philosophical and moral standard affecting millions across America. I am the center of my universe and I do whatever it takes to succeed and thrive. My self worth depends on it. And so does my future. I want to propagate me, and if I have no God and no basis for morality, I am the only thing that matters.

With standards for everything being relative and based on our evolutionary understanding of mankind, the above becomes the logical conclusion.

Only when I remember that I am created in God's image by God Himself, and that Jesus shows me the true God and the truth of how I should live, can I understand how to begin to have moral/ethical guiding principles. I have no doubt that genes play a significant role in our psychological make up and our behavior. But I also know that that is only one aspect of my humanity and in particular how I relate to other people and things.

The Christians among us have the task of continuing to proclaim that God has created us with a conscience, that there are standards of right and wrong, and that the principles of love and truth found in Jesus are the only real hope for the world.

Charlie