church growth principles

At this stage in my life I am beyond having any motivation of having church growth for any personal recognition or "advancement".  All I want to do is see people come to Christ and grow in God.

I don't work to see empty seats filled with people - but empty lives filled with Jesus Christ.

More and more that is the complete and total motivation in ministry for me.

In going through a "miscellaneous" file this morning, I came across an article by Charles Arn entitled, "The Top five church growth principles."

Let me summarized his points - and let's all pray and work to see them implemented in our church.

Principle number one:

Disciple-making is THE priority.

Arn writes that, "the longer a congregation exists, the more concerned it tends to become with self-preservation - and the less concerned with its original purpose.  Time, money, staff and even the prayers become increasingly inward-focused.

The result, not surprisingly, is that the church stops growing.

That's why our goal, my dear friends, must continue to be making disciples.  Seeing people connect to Christ and grow in Christ.  This happens through programming, prayers, budget, staffing, and evaluating all the church's ministries on their contribution to increasing the number of Christian disciples.

A church can do many good things.  A church should do a few important things.  We should focus in on what we do well and leave behind what we don't.

However, that being said, our ultimate goal is to "go out and train everyone we meet, far and near, in this way of life...."  Matthew 28:19

Secondly, Social networks are the vehicle.

Arn writes that the "silver bullet" that any congregation can use to reach more people is non-Christians coming to Christ through relationships with Christians.

Friends reaching friends.

Listen to this sentence from Charles Arn:  "Christian friends and relatives bring over twice as many new believers into the kingdom as all the other reasons....combined!"

Thirdly, Felt needs are the connecting point.

Most unchurched people are not walking down the streets of the Southland thinking about their eternal destiny.  But they are thinking about their needs:  their jobs, friends, health, kids, finances, hobbies and so on.

In other words, the way to reach people is to show how a relationship with Christ is relevant to all aspects of their lives. 

People feel disconnected - they are looking for a place to belong.

People feel stress and pressure - they are looking for a sense of balance.

People feel that their relationships are superficial - they are looking for authenticity.

People feel drained from striving to meet their desires through work, material possessions or entertainment - they are looking for spiritual answers to their unfulfilled "hunger."

People feel overwhelmed by the pace of change in our culture - they are looking for help through transitions.

Fourthly, relationships are the glue.

Getting people in the front door is one thing - keeping them from quietly disappearing out the back door is another. 

What keeps people in our church?  Friendships.  Arn writes, "put simply, if people have friends at church, they stay.  If they don't they won't.

We all need to be "relational matchmakers" and may it a point to reach out from our own "circle of friends" to others who are new.

I encourage us all to speak with one person we "don't know" or haven't met each Sunday of the year.

Finally, transitions provide a window of opportunity.

If there is ever a time of "fertile ground" in the soil of a non-churched person it is when they are walking through life-transition events.

Marriage, divorce, relocation, retirement are a few.

But there are also uncontrollable events such as death of a spouse, medical crisis and job loss.

We all as followers of Christ - need to be sensitive to these needs.

Some great stuff for a Wednesday.