Church Growth Is Not As Difficult As It Seems
Today’s reading: Acts 2:42-47
I’ve done a lot of reading, thinking, and talking in recent months about what makes for a strong, healthy church. In fact, for a few months this year, I was part of a “Healthy Church Initiative” group my congregation’s pastor formed.
That group read and discussed several well-intentioned books on this topic, and we came up with a number of ideas for how to bring growth back to our once-mighty church that has seen its weekly worship attendance fall from more than 1,200 in the 1950’s to less than 150 most weeks this year.
Other matters in our United Methodist denomination have gradually taken priority among our church’s leaders, however, and I have little confidence that any of our ideas will be implemented any time soon.
Church growth is a tricky thing to achieve.
When men are doing it, that is.
It turns out all of those books, discussions, ideas and denominational concerns my friends and I have been fretting over are just part of modern society’s foolishness. Today’s reading is God’s age-old — but very simple — plan for church growth.
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people.” (Verses 42-46)
The early church was not about steeples, sermons, music, rummage sales, websites, food pantries, air conditioning, video screens, youth ministries, men’s groups, basketball teams, newsletters, tithes, social outings or pot luck dinners.
And, God knows, the early church had it right.
The early church was about people coming together (daily!) to worship, and learn about, God. And to support one another, wholeheartedly, in that effort. It was only about God.
It’s funny. Now that I think of it, most of the books I’ve read about church growth boil down to the point Acts makes in today’s final verse: “And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” (Verse 47)
Thanks be to God for His church. May it forever grow among men.