I remember not long ago getting an email from a woman in my former church. She had moved into a new neighborhood and instantly began to make new friends. She found out one particular family didn’t have a church, so she invited them to Easter services. The invitation seemed to fall on deaf ears. She was persistent though and invited the family several more times, but each time got no response. The Saturday before Easter the family sent her a text asking what time the services were for Easter. Long story short, they came, they loved it, and they will continue to attend.
Grace Community Church, continues to grow because people got excited about what happening in the church and brought their friends. That’s the short and the long answer. We continually thought through ways to improve upon what we were doing, but the bottom line remained that it was the people attending the church that were growing the church. (Obviously, God grows the church…I get that…but He uses people!) As people get excited about what God is doing, they bring people with them.
With that in mind, here’s a great question to ask if you want your church to grow:
Who are the catalyst type people in your church that if they ever get excited about your vision will bring others along with them to help implement it?
That’s how we planted a church. We looked for people who had influence within a circle of people; whether in business, in their social life, or in the community, to find a core of people to start our church. Then we invested in them and released them to lead in the church. Years later, even today after I’m gone from leadership, the church continues to invest in people with influence in a circle of friends.
Look for and invest in people who others follow and the natural system of multiplication will work for your benefit and the benefit of your church.
Aren’t you amazed…and grateful…that God chooses to use you in His work?
I am continually "amazed . . . and grateful" that God uses me, especially those times where I get in the way of his plans rather than line up in step with them. And our church, too, is striving to reach those who aren't looking to be reached . . . not for the programs our church runs or for the music we play or even for the pastor who's messages challenge us and make us uncomfortable, but for the love of our risen Savior and for the commandment He has left for us.
Thanks for the reminder, Ron!
I stand amazed that He uses me also Erin. Thanks!
As we read in Act 2:47 “And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.” Note is says God added, it was not the result of anything man did.
So if you want to see growth in the body of Christ then preach the gospel and do what Jesus said in John 12:32 “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”
Jesus said “I will build my church” he never told the disciples or anyone else to build the church, He said He will build, our job is to preach the gospel,to lift Him up then He will draw people unto Himself.
Where the Holy Spirit is dwelling, where He is manifesting His power as we see in Acts, Where Jesus is being lifted up, the gospel proclaimed like we see in Acts, God will added.
We should Not want people who are excited about a pastors vision, about the churches programs or vision. I am not called to call people to follow my vision, but to know and follow Jesus. A pastor should want people who are excited about Jesus, passionate about preaching the gospel. People who weep and lament over the lost. People who pray, Lord give me souls or let me die! People who live to lift up Jesus for everyone to see. People whom to fulfill great commission is their very life purpose, the reason they get up every morning.
We want people to lift up Jesus Not the pastor, or the church events. To be excited about Jesus, so in love with Jesus, that they can not wait to tell everyone they meet about Jesus whom they love. That they burn so passionately for everyone to be saved they can not sleep tell they have told every sole about Jesus.
Thanks for your comment. I totally agree with lifting Jesus up so the Holy Spirit can draw men. Unless the Spirit is first working no man can be saved.
I can't agree totally with what you say though because I certainly think God intends to use people in this process. Aren't we told to "Go and make disciples"? What about "They will know you are my disciples as we love one another"."Carry one anothers burdens". "If anyone gives a cup of cold water". "For I was hungry and you ave me something to eat". "I needed clothes and you clothed me". "In Joppa there was a disciple…who was always doing good and helping the poor". "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few"."Ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers". "Come follow me and I will make you fishers of men".
Those all sound like very active working to win others to Christ to me, beyond even just the preaching of the Gospel or proclaiming Jesus. I don't know about your church but in mind we are trying to reach the ones who aren't looking to be reached. To do that we have to go to into the world but not be of the world.
Thanks again for your comment