Why I Believe in Church Growth (Part 1)

“… and the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved” (Acts 2:47b)

Church growth is Biblical and God wants it! Consider the early church:

• Acts chapter 1 and 2 tells us that the early church went from 120 believers to more than 3000 overnight.
• Then the church kept growing daily (Acts 2:47 above)
• In Acts chapter 4 more than 5000 men were added to the church, not counting the women and children.

In the first year after Christ’s death the church had grown from 120 to approximately 15,000 to 20,000 people! That is the kind of God we serve. God wants His Church to grow because as it grows, His kingdom is advanced. That is the blueprint God has given us. We need to get out of the mindset that looks on churches with suspicion if they are growing. We also need to recognize that Biblical church growth has nothing to do with being small.

• Acts 5:8, “You have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine.”
• Acts 6:1, “The number of believers were multiplied.”

We need to start praying big prayers like, “God help us to do more for You than we have ever done before. Help us to see our church twice the size than it is today. God, help us to bring Christ to our entire city, and we believe that You will add to Your church daily those who should be saved.”

At PCC we have an unmovable, unshakable conviction about church growth. Here are four Biblical reasons why a local church should grow:

1. God’s Word commands it (Matt. 29:19-20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:46-48)
2. Because the needs of people demand it (Matt. 25:41, 46; Rev. 20:15)
3. Because Jesus believed in church growth (Matt. 16:18)
4. Because the NT church demonstrated growth (Acts)

In spite of the overwhelming evidence that clearly expresses God’s will concerning church growth, there are some people who are opposed to church growth. I’ve heard people say, “A church can get too big you know.” I think to myself, “Too big for whom? Certainly not God.”

Some people want everything else in life to grow…. except the church. They want their business to grow, their paycheck, and their bank account. They want a big house, a big car, a big yard, and a big boat – but not a big church! People die lost and go to hell because of selfish attitudes like that.

Jesus told a parable once and the punch line of the story is, “…. go out into the highways and hedge, and compel them to come in, that my house may be full” (Luke 14:23).

God doesn’t care if the building is small or large, He wants it full! Empty seats do not glorify God. Full ones do.