INTRODUCTION
This article introduces the concept of ‘church growth’ along with evangelism primarily in the book of Acts. While the Old Testament describes evangelism as people who draw close to God, Luke’s perspective shows that God’s servants will go to his people. Blauw’s thesis is that “a centripetal missionary consciousness becomes Facts in a centrifugal missionary activity …” (1974, 34). In George Orwell’s Animal Farm, the pigs looked from pig to man and vice versa, but could not tell them apart on the last page of the text which by extension shows what could happen if the church wants to imitate the world. You cannot replace the methods or principles that brought about the growth of the church in the New Testament in our own age.
TYPES OF CHURCH GROWTH
1. Internal: This is the spiritual growth of Christians. A correct relationship is established with God and man. Many Christians quote John 3:16, which demonstrates God’s love for man without regard to 1 John 3:16, which focuses on man’s love for his neighbor.
2. Expansion: This is accomplished through the evangelization of non-Christians within the area of operation of the church or ministry.
3. Extension: This is the growth of the church by establishing daughter churches within the same general homogeneous group and geographic area.
4. Bridging: This focuses on church planting in different cultural and geographic areas.
CHURCH GROWTH: WAYS TO INCREASE
1. Biological growth: children of existing members entering the church.
2. Transfer of growth: members of a church joining with another church.
3. Conversion growth: the arrival in the church of people of the world who are converted by receiving Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
DEFINITION OF TERMS
Evangelism: Acts evangelism is the communication of the good news of Jesus Christ through verbal proclamation and lifestyle witness, with the intention of leading a person or group to salvation in Christ.
Church growth: This is the quantitative and qualitative development of the church. It is different from the ‘bloat’ that is common and dangerous in the contemporary church. The African Church is dismissed as being one mile wide and one inch deep, which implies that other parameters besides numbers explain the growth of the church. Church growth could also be viewed as an application of biblical, anthropological, and sociological principles to congregations, denominations, and their communities in an effort to disciple the greatest number of people for Jesus Christ. Believing that it is God’s will for His Church to grow and His lost children to be found, Church Growth strives to change strategies, develop goals, and apply proven principles of growth to individual congregations, denominations, and the worldwide body of Christ.
Church Growth Eyes – This is a characteristic of Christians who have achieved the ability to see growth possibilities and apply appropriate strategies to obtain maximum results for Christ and His church.
Church Growth Principle: According to McGavran and Ann, this is “a universal truth that, when correctly interpreted and applied, contributes significantly to the growth of churches and denominations. It is a truth of God that leads your church to spread his Good New, plant church after church, and increase your body “(1977, p.15).
BEGINNING
1. Prayer or spiritual warfare
Prayer is essential for the growth of the church. John Stott comments that after the ascension of Jesus, the disciples’ prayers had two characteristics that “are two essential elements of true prayer, namely, that they persevered and were of one mind” (1990, 10). The principle of unified prayer, or prayer with a single mind and purpose, is a common thread throughout Acts. Luke’s initial description of the 120 (1: 5) shows that they followed Christ’s command to wait for the Holy Spirit by obediently praying as a group WITH ONE MIND. See also Acts 4:18 (Sanhedrin); Acts 12: 5 (Herod); Acts 11:11 (Peter’s rescue).
2. A clear and unique vision
In the King James Version, Proverbs 29:18 is translated, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” Vision is God’s dream of what He wants to accomplish in and through our lives and the lives of our churches. Several churches have vision statements that they never use. What God hurts with success in one place is not necessarily His plan for another. Every growing church has a unique sense of vision and purpose – a clear sense of direction. The church planter and the laity share a common vision of what God wants the church to accomplish. In most cases, the church planter and the people can clearly describe and articulate their vision. This gives people a sense of direction. They move towards a target. They are not simply existing.
3. Leadership
A vigorously growing church is catalyzed by dynamic leadership that brings the whole church to action. For the church planter to function as a good leader, he must have certain specific character qualities and carry out certain specific leadership responsibilities. The church planter must truly desire church growth and must be willing to pay the price with hard work. Leadership must lead the work to organize the mission, set goals, develop plans, and mobilize people toward achievement. You must be creative, innovative, and assertive about the vision and mission that God has for His work.
4. The recognition and importance of the laity
The people of the work must be equipped to discover and use their gifts. They should be ready to take on new responsibilities and volunteer various leadership positions to other new people as the church continues to grow or expand.
5. Strategic planning
The idea is to develop ongoing strategies that will help accomplish the mission of the church. These should drive the church to achieve its vision. With specific instructions from the Savior, the apostles established a strategy to reach Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the ends of the earth (Acts 1: 8). Nehemiah positioned his people in areas of interest. Paul went to the synagogue and then to the agora, which was both a marketplace and a center of public life (Acts 7:17). A good church website can help your church grow. Unfortunately, there is a war going on in this technological age: Technophilia vs. Technophobia. Many Rip Van Wrinkles exist today. Several church leaders have yet to realize the potential of a website for church growth. However, a church website, designed specifically to reach out to outsiders, integrated with other appropriate outreach strategies, could be an important key to attracting non-Christians to your church.
6. Life development groups
This could be stated as the principle of assimilation. Perhaps the most important aspect of this principle is that the church should be structured in a way that develops an organizational foundation for growth. The larger the base, the greater the chances of growth. Life development groups provide a critical function that facilitates the growth of a church, for example, Sunday school groups, youth fellowship, ministries (men, women, youth, children), etc.
7. Indigenization
Paul and Barnabas left the indigenous churches with leadership that would provide direction after the departure of the apostles. Although the forms of government of the church vary in the New Testament, they appointed elders to continue their leadership roles. The elders were inside the church (“in every church” Acts 14:23) completing the indigenization process.
8. Open Gospel
In the early church, some viewed Christians as Jews who had received Jesus as the promised Savior. Consequently, any Gentile who wishes to become a Christian must first become a Jew. This ‘closed’ gospel was of great concern to Christians like Paul. The Council of Jerusalem became a pivotal point in the history of the early church. Neither circumcision nor adaptation to the Jewish community would be a requirement. Christians today should discover the same attitude toward the unbelieving world. Is the gospel open today, or does it carry the baggage of cultural expectations, the idolatry of tradition, etc.? One need not necessarily become a member of their tribe before becoming a Christian.
9. Follow-up
The mission of the church is to win souls. Therefore, evangelism is not treated as a single principle, as that is the primary mission of the church. The related concept of “following” is crucial for young Christians. According to Acts 15:36, “Some days later, Paul said to Barnabas: let us go again to visit our brothers in all the cities where we have preached the word of the Lord. And see how they are doing.” maternal. It is a deliberate focus on young and new believers for the purpose of spiritual guidance and counseling.
10. Discipleship
According to John Wesley, bringing souls to Christ without a discipleship program is begetting children for the devil. Church growth increases when each member becomes part of the body (Ephesians 4:16; Romans 12: 3-8; I Corinthians 12: 12-22, etc.) and is in danger when they do not identify with the body . . What we have learned must be committed to the faithful to teach others as well. The importance of Bible study, Sunday school classes, etc. cannot be overstated.
11. Sovereignty (Supreme Authority of God)
Despite the abundance of conflicts and setbacks in the early church, Luke clearly communicates that God is the ultimate victor. Acts, in one perspective, is a narrative of God’s sovereign work in the midst of external and internal forces that would thwart any “normal” movement. Although we are the vehicles for communicating the gospel, our strength and power come from God. He gives the increase after ‘planting’ and ‘watering’, He makes everything beautiful, not in our time, but in His time. One sows, another waters but God gives the growth. The clay does not question the Potter’s intention.
REFERENCE LIST
Blauw, J. The missionary nature of the Church. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1974.
McGavran Donald A. and Winfield C. Arn. Ten Steps to Church Growth. New York: Harper and Row, 1977.
Stott, John. The Spirit, the Church and the World. Downers Grove, Illinois: Inter Varsity, 1990.
Wagner, Peter C., ed. Church growth: the state of the art. Wheaton: Tyndale House, 1986.
