A Growing Church (Part 6)
For a church to be a growing church the leaders and the people must be disturbed by the lostness of the community around them.(Acts 17:16,17) It is not enough to have a desire to be a growing church. Our spirits must be provoked to action over the fact that the people around us are worshiping all of the wrong things instead of the Lord Jesus Christ. When we are provoked like Paul was in Athens, we will get out of the walls of our homes and churches, so that we engage the people with the gospel in the meeting places and in the market places.
Churches cease to grow and begin to die because they get comfortable with their routines. They think that by doing worship services and having a sign to show the times of those services people will come, get saved, and join the church. They get comfortable with their friends and family so much so that they begin to have an "inward focus." They only think about what goes on within the four walls of the church building. They neglect the Great Commission to "make disciples" as they are going. They do not even think about making contact with people who need the Lord in meaningful ways. Their hearts become hardened to the fact that souls are dying and going to hell every day, when they should be moved by the love of Christ to reach out to them.
Is your spirit provoked by the lostness of people around you? Are you intentionally engaging people in a caring way to show Jesus and His salvation to them? If you are a Christian and a church member and your answer to either or both of these questions is "no," your church is in danger of dying. You need to ask God to open the eyes of your spirit and to give you a heart that is sensitive to those who are perishing around you. When He answers your prayer, which He will, you can help others pray the same thing and join you in doing what it takes to cause your church to grow.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Acts 19-22.
Churches cease to grow and begin to die because they get comfortable with their routines. They think that by doing worship services and having a sign to show the times of those services people will come, get saved, and join the church. They get comfortable with their friends and family so much so that they begin to have an "inward focus." They only think about what goes on within the four walls of the church building. They neglect the Great Commission to "make disciples" as they are going. They do not even think about making contact with people who need the Lord in meaningful ways. Their hearts become hardened to the fact that souls are dying and going to hell every day, when they should be moved by the love of Christ to reach out to them.
Is your spirit provoked by the lostness of people around you? Are you intentionally engaging people in a caring way to show Jesus and His salvation to them? If you are a Christian and a church member and your answer to either or both of these questions is "no," your church is in danger of dying. You need to ask God to open the eyes of your spirit and to give you a heart that is sensitive to those who are perishing around you. When He answers your prayer, which He will, you can help others pray the same thing and join you in doing what it takes to cause your church to grow.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Acts 19-22.