Some Keys to Church Growth
After Saul was saved on the road to Damascus, the church spread throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria. The persecution let up for a while, and the churches were built up. They enjoyed a time of peace and growth. (Acts 9:31) How did this happen? There were at least two keys to this continued growth.
The church was going forward in the fear of the Lord. They did not become complacent or lazy. They feared the Lord enough to obey Him and worship Him as He deserves. They knew the Lord was gracious, but if they fell into unbelief they would be punished because He is holy and just. The fear of the Lord kept them on track and being His servants. Then, they also enjoyed the comfort of the Spirit. They word comfort means "with strength." The Holy Spirit gives us the strength to do God's will and not get down. Yes, the burdens of life can and do get heavy, but with the Spirit to empower us and guide us, we can overcome the pressures and the things of this world, so that we keep on growing in the Lord and His grace. Therefore, I believe two of the reasons that the church continued to grow were the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Spirit. We need both today in all of our churches.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Acts 10-13.
The church was going forward in the fear of the Lord. They did not become complacent or lazy. They feared the Lord enough to obey Him and worship Him as He deserves. They knew the Lord was gracious, but if they fell into unbelief they would be punished because He is holy and just. The fear of the Lord kept them on track and being His servants. Then, they also enjoyed the comfort of the Spirit. They word comfort means "with strength." The Holy Spirit gives us the strength to do God's will and not get down. Yes, the burdens of life can and do get heavy, but with the Spirit to empower us and guide us, we can overcome the pressures and the things of this world, so that we keep on growing in the Lord and His grace. Therefore, I believe two of the reasons that the church continued to grow were the fear of the Lord and the comfort of the Spirit. We need both today in all of our churches.
Tomorrow, I intend to read Acts 10-13.