Church Growth
If you listen in on pastors talking "shop," quite likely one of the first
things you'll hear will be the question: How large is your congregation?
That seems to be the most important issue in much of the Church (at least in
much of the American Evangelical Church) these days. Growth is measured in
terms of how many more attendees there are now than there were a year ago in
the worship service - or house churches or small groups or whatever... It's
about numbers. Let's make sure we're keeping an accurate count. Let's put
it on a chart. Let's demonstrate what God has done by teaching others how
to get more people to come to their church.
King David took a count, a census, even though God told him that was
something that should not be done. David did anyway. (We're not told why,
we're just told he did.) And right after he did that he regretted it. He
had disobeyed God and he was sorry. He confessed his sin to God. He cried
out for forgiveness. And God forgave him... but there were still grave
consequences. Because of King David's disobedience, there was plague that
ravaged the people of Israel for three months. 70,000 people died.
Are you sure you want to "measure" Church growth this way?
I've got a suggestion. Let's change the question. Instead of keeping count
of how many we have in our congregations, instead of counting how many more
we have this week than we had last week, instead of determing who the
"great" pastors are by the size of their congregation, instead of asking,
"How many are in your congregation" let's ask this question:
How many of your congregation died because they followed Christ today? How
many in your parish are now martyrs for their faith in Christ?
The Church in China has it right. Here is true Church growth. Because they
are sacrificing everything - literally - to trust and follow Jesus, they are
being ostracized, they are beeing persecuted, they are being beaten and they
are being killed. But they are not dying... they are living! And as a
result they are taking the gospel to those who have never before heard of
Jesus Christ or his gospel - they may be ostracized, persecuted, beaten and
killed... but so what. That's no different than what they've already
experienced.
I don't care how large your worship attendance is. I want to know how many
have literally given their lives for the sake of Christ.
"They overcame [Satan] by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their
testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death."
(Rev. 12:11) When the Church in America makes this the important "count"
then the Church in America will grow.
posted by Jim at 10:01 PM
4 Comments:
Excellent post, wonderful blog! I discovered you by accident, someone came from your blog to mine by using the blogger toolbar (I guess) and I followed the link back.
We left the mega-church/mini-gospel scene last year and have been part of a much smaller church ever since and it is quite fresh. But you really nailed it with the proposed question, "how many died today for Christ?". Man, that puts it into perspective. Thank you.
Two nights ago I read aloud a short ghost story written by Russell Kirk, a literary and social critic who wrote with ease about his thoughts infused with his Christian faith. Most of his ghost stories are written on the basis of one Biblical verse which invites meditation on the morality of man. The story I read that night was based on I Chronicles 21:1 "And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel."
The story was excellently written, but it was reading your most recent blog entry that brought fullness to this lesson. Thank you.
Was it wrong for someone to count the 5000 that Jesus fed with five loaves and two fish? Was it wrong to count that more than 2000 were added to the church in Acts 2? To be sure, one can easily get caught up in numbers. But just because it is sometimes abused does not mean it should be totally neglected. Why do you assume that all megachurches are diluting the Gospel? Multitudes flocked to hear Jesus. Is it not possible that multitudes today come to hear the gospel at one particular church?
Regarding Anonymous' comment above...
Most mega-churches and mega-church "wannabes" have sold out to our culture. (Notice i said "most.") What goes on in the "worship" service? It is, for the most part, a concert atmosphere. Get 'em in. Make 'em feel good. Get 'em to bring their friends. There is NO scripture read. Prayers are utilitarian. There are virtually no sacraments. Church tradition is ignored (at best!). The message (sermon?) is frequently a Tony Robbins knock-off.
Why has this approach been adopted? Because it brings in the numbers. The Church in America - particularly the Evangelical Church - has sold out to the pop culture. What the Spirit says to the Church (churches) in the Revelation of John is ignored because we'd rather give attention to our demographic studies and social preferences. We get "better results" through strategic planning than through preaching about sin and holiness.
Church structures are now routinely designed to avoid looking like a church because we don't want unbelievers thinking they're coming into anything religious. A gymnasium with no Christian symbols is preferred to an adorned sanctuary so people will feel "comfortable" and won't be reminded of the despicability of their sin and need for the blood (eeewwwww) of Christ.
Image has become far more important than substance in the Evangelical Church in America. Yet our brothers and sisters in other societies suffer extreme physical deprivation - not to mention the millions of those suffering outside the Church - so we can have our Starbucks Cathedrals.
The issue is far less about numbers than it is about what constitutes a Christian, what constitutes the Church. Multitudes flocked to hear Jesus... and what did he tell them? Blessed are the POOR... Blessed are the MEEK... Blessed are the PERSECUTED...
I never said the Church should ignore numbers. What i said was that the Church should be paying attention to a different set of numbers. For example: How many people in your church attend a prayer meeting where the time is actually spent in prayer? (Check out the Korean church!) How much of a tithe/offering do individuals provide each week? (Check out the Zimbabwean church!) There are lots of numbers we would do well to look at.
And having said all that I look at myself and am ashamed... for I have prticipated in the very things i have condemned. Lord have mercy.
Is it possible that multitudes today come to hear the gospel at one particular church? It's possible. It happens. But I believe that, in America, it's the exception.
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