Using Principles, Practices, & Steps
of Church Growth & Planting
Principles, Practices, and Steps of Church Growth and Church Planting
Learning Objectives
1. The students will be able to explain how the Holy Spirit helps the church grow.
2. The students will be able to state five mission strategies for church growth.
3. The students will be able to list areas where they should concentrate their church planting efforts.
4. The students will be able to explain five motivations that influence conversion and explain reasons for different receptivity among some people.
Introduction - Jesus said, ``I will build my church and the gates of hell (all evil opposing forces) will not prevail against it!’’ (Matt. 16:18)
Since, the church is Christ’s body, it is His work to see that it grows qualitatively and quantitatively. We can belief, work, and contribute to the growth of the church in terms of winning more people with the promise of Christ’s support. The elements of that promise from Christ include:
1. Christ founded the church - ``No other foundation can any man lay except that which is Jesus Christ!’’ (I Cor. 3:11)
2. Christ is the builder of the church - Paul said, ``I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who water is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.’’ (I Cor. 3:6-8)
3. Christ has power over all enemies of the church - Gamaliel said in Acts 5:38, ``. . . For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God.’’
4. Christ’s Church will Endure - When all secret societies, false religions, and traditional beliefs have vanished, the church will prevail.
5. Christ Adds New People to the Church - Dr. Luke tells us in Acts 2:47, ``The Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.’’
Definition of Church Growth -
1. The Church grows quantitatively by increasing the number of: buildings, house churches, numbers of missionaries it has sent out into new geographical areas, sizes of worship centers, and number of converts, transfers, and children joining the church. (Acts 2:41-42; 4:4, 5:14; 6:1-7; 9:31; 16:5)
2. The Church grows qualitatively when members mature spiritually in: their worship, service, fellowship, commitments, giving, Biblical understanding, outreach efforts, societal impact, and cultural influence!!! (Eph. 4:11-16; Col. 2:6-7)
I. How the Holy Spirit Causes the Church to Grow Today!
A. The Holy Spirit gave birth to the church at Pentecost (Acts 2)
B. The Holy Spirit is our comforter, indwelling guide and our convicter of sin, righteousness, and judgment. (John 16:8-11)
C. The Holy Spirit builds, preserves, and expands the church.
D. The Holy Spirit will lead the church safely to its eternal destiny after it has fulfilled its mission.
E. The Holy Spirit helps the church grow through His ministry of inspiration, illumination, and revelation through the Scriptures!
F. The Holy Spirit creates in people a need for fellowship, service, worship in the Church.
G. The Holy Spirit takes the seed of the word of God and causes it to grow in the hearts of men!
Example - Jesus said, ``The kingdom of God is like a man who casts seed upon the ground. The seed grows - how, he himself does not know.’’ (Mark 4:26-29)
1). Five Factors That Contribute to Effective Seed Sowing
a). The proper seed must be sown - The right scriptures.
b). Someone must sow the seed - God calls certain men.
c). Time is needed for the seed to sprout, grow, and mature. Some seeds grow up within a month, but others might take years!
d). Proper seasons are important in harvesting - Timing is important in knowing when to preach the gospel to the people.
Example - When certain people burned the 175 churches in Northern Nigeria in 1987, people rushed to the church like never before. Certain historical events can contribute to the growth of the church.
e). A man must be ready to bring the fruit of the harvest into the storage barns. Pastors, evangelists, and teachers must be available to take care of the fruits of evangelism.
H. The Holy Spirit uses people who are available to begin new churches if people are willing to go.
Example - The Ethiopian eunuch, Saul of Tarsus, Cornelius, the centurion of Caesarea, and Lydia of Thatira were all converted by the Holy Spirit through the word of God.
I. The Holy Spirit has a harvest mentality, a harvest theology, and a harvest ministry! He wants converts.
II. The Structure of the Church Regarding Responsibilities for Growth
Although all departments in ECWA work together for the overall growth of the church, let us look at the areas of concentration.
A. Qualitative growth is undertaken by the Theological Education, Christian Education, Services and media departments. These groups concentrate on bringing about maturity to the members of the church.
B. Quantitative growth is accomplished through the ministry of Evangelical Missionary Society. With the goal of penetrating unreached areas with the gospel, the EMS, seeks to evangelize and plant churches in new areas.
III. Mission And Church Growth Strategy
A. We must first pray. Ask the Lord to send workers into the fields, asking Him to convict sinners of their need for Christ. And ask Him for wisdom in preaching the scriptures in relevant ways
B. We must study the scriptures to discover God’s will for evangelism, church planting, and church growth! Otherwise, one may not have the convictions when things become difficult.
C. We must make solid objectives for evangelism, church planting, and church growth. If we aim at nothing, will hit it every time. Paul said in Phil. 3:13,14
``Brothers . . . but one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.’’
D. Identify the fields, survey the area, and categorize priority areas for evangelism. (Acts 1:8; John 4:35, Mk. 4:1-22)
E. Set up standards for those you will recruit as missionaries (I Tim. 3:1-6)
F. Conduct training specifically suited to the missionaries’ backgrounds, education, needs, callings, goals, methods, responsibilities, roles, and jobs!
G. Organize your personnel through administrative structures.
H. Plan your strategies with people in order to most effectively utilize your people, materials, and areas where you seek to begin new churches.
I. Enlist the assistance of the local churches, districts, and local church councils to provide men, equipment, prayer, and money in supporting the work of evangelism and church planting.
J. Contact local authorities in the new areas who can assist your missionaries in the work.
Example - God has Christians in government, farming, trading, and many professions who could help you start new churches!
K. Arrange to greet the local church officials, as well as some religious, political, traditional, and social leaders in the community. This will help you build bridges of communication, support, and cooperation.
L. Occasionally teach missionaries to send reports of their progress in the work back to EMS, local churches, and supporters so people know how to pray, give, and assist in the ministry! (Acts 11:22)
M. Find, train, and utilize seed families to start home Bible studies and prayer fellowships. A seed family is a group of people who are mature enough in Christ to take leadership responsibilities in helping to start a new church. Meet in the seed families home or outside veranda for your Bible studies, prayer meetings, singing sessions, and worship times. This will enable the neighbors to know what you are doing. The seed family should visit their neighbors and invite them to attend the meetings.
N. Test the receptivity of the people by visiting their homes to see if they are familiar with personal salvation through Jesus Christ.
O. Use the Four-Spiritual Laws or another gospel tract to help you share the gospel with the neighbors.
P. Ask the neighbors this question, ``If you were to die tonight and go to heaven, and the Lord would ask you why He should let you into heaven, what would you say?’’ If they do not answer that they can enter heaven only because they have trusted Christ for their salvation they need the gospel explained to them!!!
Q. Pray and plan for the beginning of a new church. Pray and act as if the Lord is going to provide the people, land, and resources to help you plant a new church. Sowing the seed is good, but planting a church is better. (Mark 1:35; Matt. 9:36-38)
R. Find other helpers besides the seed family to assist you in starting a church. Jesus said to Peter, James, and John, ``Follow me and I will make you fishers of men.’’ (Matt. 4:19)
S. Your helpers should be:
1). Truly born again Christians committed to Jesus Christ. (II Tim 1:12)
2). They must live clean lives (Rom. 12:2)
3). Their lives must exhibit the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8)
4). They must be willing to work hard (Rom. 12:11)
5). They should pray together with you often (Mark 11:24)
T. Your helpers may be farmers, workers, students, teachers, government employees, or community leaders.
IV. How To Conduct Surveys Before Starting Your New Church
A. Survey your prospective area for the best place to begin a new church. Go to several areas and talk with Christian leaders about where a new church is needed. Ask questions of people in the area to see who is most interested in beginning a home Bible study and prayer fellowship. Ask the Lord to lead you to people who will be willing to act as seed families to help begin new churches.
B. Here are some questions to ask the people in doing your survey:
1). Are there any serious Christians who are mature enough to help lead a Bible study and prayer group in their homes?
2). Is this a Christian, Muslim, pagan, or carnal- Christian community and why?
3). Historically how did the area become what it is today?
4). What are the predominant tribes represented in the area?
5). Is this a growing area where more people will move too soon?
6). What do the people feel, think, and perceive are their major needs in this area, what are some of their major problems?
7). What has been hindering the people in this area from becoming Christians, attending church, and starting their own church?
8). Does ECWA have any members living in this area What do they already know about ECWA?
9). What things must we do to win people to Christ in this area?
10). What languages are spoken in this new area?
11). Are there any schools around this area? This will indicate that there are families with children?
12). Is there a building where we can temporarily hold our worship services or a place where many people can gather together?
13). How can we approach the authorities so as to not hinder the work of the gospel by causing offense?
14). What scriptural teachings should we begin with so as to make the Bible relevant, need meeting, appropriate, and convicting?
15). Are there relatives, friends, or people from similar tribes who may be able to help us reach the people in the area?
16). Are there a certain traditional beliefs that the people have about spiritual things that we may be able to use as bridges for the gospel like blood sacrifices, legends about God, or beliefs about the power of God?
Example - After working in Ethiopia without any fruit for 3 years, Albert Brandt, an SIM missionary, sat down underneath a certain tree to read his Bible. Soon he noticed all the people in the area coming to listen to him. When he preached to them about the love of Jesus Christ that day, nearly everyone became converted. Later he learned that the people had a legend in their traditions. A man would come with a black book, sit underneath that certain tree, read to them, and then they would know the truth to believe.
God had prepared them for the missionary’s coming through that legend. Ask the Lord for help in revealing special historical beliefs that people have that may serve as a bridge for the gospel of Christ!!!
C. After you have gathered information from your survey, discuss the results with elders, godly Christian leaders, or EMS leaders to help you decide on a strategy for starting a church. Determine if this is the will of God at that time!!
V. Where to Concentrate Your Church Planting Efforts!
A. Try to concentrate your witnessing efforts on families. Jesus visited the families of Simon Peter (Mk. 1:29-31); Matthew (Mt. 9:9-13); Mary, Martha, and Lazarus (Lk. 10:38-42); and even the family of a Pharisee (Lk. 11:37)
B. Follow Christ’s and Paul’s examples in church planting and evangelism (John 20:21 & I Cor. 4:16)
C. Even though younger people are generally more responsive to the gospel, talk to the older men first to show respect for their age.
D. Visit the inactive Christians offering them a chance to live victorious, dynamic, and fruitful lives of service to the Lord.
E. When you visit families talk about Jesus, his teachings, his love, his miracles, his messages, his purposes, his power, his forgiveness, his death, burial, and resurrection from the dead, etc!
F. Teach people from the Bible. Their confidence in your message will be enhanced. Teach them to read, study, memorize, meditate, and apply the Bible themselves and then to others. (II Tim. 2:2)
G. Do not preach ECWA, BUT PREACH CHRIST!
H. Speak of starting a church after people are committed to prayer, Bible study, and fellowship. Do not try to push a new church on them right away!
I. Teach that it is God’s will to build his church and that no evil force can ever stand in its way! ``Wane ne zai hana bishara!’’ (Matt. 16:18)
J. Do not just preach, teach, and direct your people. Listen to their problems. Pray with them. Counsel with them. Visit them regularly to encourage them. Bear their burdens. Assist them as much as is possible with their physical and social needs!!
VI. Use Local People To Help Start a New Church
A. Ask for help from your local overseer or supervisor in finding a new location to hold your worship services. For instance, a primary school, a large house, a large porch, under a large tree, in a conference center that is not used on Sundays. (I Cor. 16:19)
B. Teach the people to sing choruses, hymns, and thankful songs.
C. Begin a children’s Sunday School along with your worship services as soon as possible. Enlist helpers to teach the children!
D. Do not do anything that may cause you to lose your credibility, trust, and honesty in the community. Avoid every appearance of evil. For example, do not visit women alone in their houses without their husbands at home.
E. When you begin your worship services, conduct the services according to your Pastor’s Handbook guidelines. Include in your service the following:
1). Call to worship - Scriptural readings (Psalms)
2). Choruses and Hymns
3). Announcements
4). Introduction of the Visitors
5). Pastoral prayers
6). Prayers for special needs, the offering, the sick, and various concerns of the church and its missionaries.
7). Offering and report of last week’s attendance and collection amounts.
8) Choir or special numbers from women’s fellowship, men’s fellowship, youth or designated choir members.
9). Preaching of the word of God and when appropriate an invitation to receive Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.
10). Benediction. Closing Hymn, and Pastoral Encouragement.
11). Pastor greets the people as they leave the church.
F. Ask the Lord to help you find, train, and delegate authority to leaders in the group as elders. A leader should be faithful, available to serve, and teachable to learn from the Lord. The apostle Paul gives the qualifications for a leader in the church in I Tim. 3:1-6:
``Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to much wine, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?)’’
G. Delegate assignments to potential leaders to see who is faithful in the little things. If a man is consistent in doing little jobs like ushering, taking the offering, or studying the Bible, then he may make a good leader where he has responsibilities over the people of God! (Luke 16:13)
H. Be sure that you as a church planter and the leaders in your church have God’s call to leadership! This means that you are given special leadings, abilities, and gifts to witness, lead, feed the flock of God, serve, teach, and preach. (Matt. 23:8-12)
I. A Pastor should be selected who suits the people. He speaks their language, identifies with their backgrounds, needs, concerns, and interests.
Example - One D.C.C. tried to force their choice of Pastor on a certain church. For two years the church waited, prayed, and search for the Pastor of their choosing. They found the best man whom God had prepared for them. Now they are a growing church without divisions!
J. Help the leaders learn how to meet together for a special time of prayer, Bible study, and planning. Teach them how to conduct their meetings, plan their goals, and execute their strategies.
VII. What Are some Special Guidelines For Local Church Planting
A. Use the PASTOR’S HANDBOOK (Or Your denominational handbook) to teach the people basic beliefs, constitutional rights, how the church should be run, and scriptural guidelines.
B. The leaders must eventually be willing to let a trained Pastor come in and assume the full-time shepherd’s position for the church. Usually, this is a man who has been trained in a Bible School, Bible College, or Seminary.
C. Utilize revival meetings, musical specials, concerts of Christian groups, public preaching with kungiyar bishara (witnessing teams), crusades, cassette ministries, films, evangelistic literature, literacy training, public health, rural development, dispensaries, and school works to help you with evangelism and church planting!
D. Form prayer groups to support your efforts to begin a new church in your own area, in your supporting churches, and in the new area. Visit these people informing them of the answers to prayer as often as you can!
E. Ask Gospel Recordings for gospel cassettes in the language of the people so that they can listen to the stories of Jesus in their own tongue.
F. Use pictures of Jesus, his life, ministry, death, burial, and resurrection to help people visualize who Jesus Christ is!
VIII. How To Use the People’s Background in Evangelism
A. Learn the culture of the people enabling you to become all things to all men that by all means you may save some! (I Cor. 9:22)
B. Learn what people’s world view consists of:
1). What is real to them? What are their traditions, experiences, fears, hopes, spirits, ancestors, fear of death, family, enemies, problems?
2). What is truth to them? What standard do they use to deter mine if something is true?
3). What are their beliefs? When things become difficult in whom, what, and where do they place their trust?
4). What are their values? What are their priorities? What do they feel are the most important things in their lives?
5). What are their behaviors? What are their customary actions toward people, toward God, toward gods, toward their families, toward authorities?
6). How are their emotions expressed? Are they aggressive or passive, loud or quiet, angry or calm, fearful or courageous? What are the dominant personalities in their groups?
Once you learn people’s world view you can begin to teach the truth from the Bible. Help the people try to see things the way Christ views things, people, problems, traditions, and the future!
IX. The New Life For All Plan of Evangelism
Gerry Swank, the founder of New Life For All recommends eight step in evangelism and church planting which merit our attention (Frontier Peoples of Central Nigeria, Swank)
A. Preparation (1-6 months) - Earn the right to be heard by making friends, greeting the authorities, and observing responses in people. This will build their confidence in you and your message! Find who the natural leaders are in the area.
B. Proclamation (3-12 months) - Declare the person, message, and promise of Christ to the people. Teach Bible studies by using the Great Commission book Concepts for Living. (10 Steps to Christian Maturity) Christian Education Department offers literature to help evangelist with beginning level Bible studies. Let people hear of the stories of Jesus. People enjoy learning through stories. Preach the essential things that people must believe in order to become Christians and begin a new church. Use the Bible to encourage familiarity with Jesus’s guidelines for establishing a new life! Even use power encounters with the enemies of righteousness as God leads. One power encounter was seen when Elijah contested the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. God showed His power through His servant’s faith.
C. Persuasion & Decision-Making (As the Spirit Leads) - Seeking to persuade individuals, families, and groups to receive Christ as Savior and Lord. As people show interest in becoming Christians, conduct Bible studies on ``How to Become a Christian!’’
Practice reinforcement of decisions with discussions, stories, dramas, cassettes, films, radio messages, and giving new converts an opportunity to share their testimonies with others!
Help the people realize that making a decision for Christ means they are becoming a new member of the family of God. This means they have new responsibilities to obey their heavenly Father. They are now turning from idols to serve God. (I Thes. 1:9,10)
D. Discipling (12-16 months) - Help people to grow in Christ to maturity spiritually through Bible studies, prayer meetings, witnessing together, worship involvement, and participating in youth, mens’, or women’s fellowship groups. The evangelist may have to spend special time with those he is discipling teaching, encouraging, praying, loving, serving, and modeling a Christ like life to them. (Eph. 4:11-16; Acts 2:41-47)
E. Baptism (After Demonstration of Conversion) - Encourage converts to make a public testimony of the change that Christ has made in their lives. Baptism is making a public statement of loyalty to Christ and a denouncing of faith in all other gods, idols, or spirits. Baptism is one step toward responsible church service.
F. Organization (12-18 months) - Appoint elders, leaders for Sunday School, for offices in the church. Authority for decision-making through these leadership structures must come from the Bible not from age, position, education, or power.
G. Instruction (Har Abada- Forever) - Develop those who hunger for deep growth in Christ. Encourage the church to help support some who are called to the ministry. Many churches do not grow because they are not fed sound spiritual food. Begin with instruction from John’s Gospel, then Ephesians, then I John, Romans etc. Always interpret the Old Testament in light of the New Testament not visa versa!
H. Outreach (Continually) - Teach the members to witness through kungiyar bishara, through tracts, through gospel films, through inviting people to special events at the church, through trips to villages of unreached people to share the gospel. Jesus said,
``You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bring forth fruit and your fruit should remain.’’ (Jn. 15:16)
I. Church Growth (In all ways and at all times) - Help members to grow qualitatively (spiritually) and quantitatively through more conversions as well as through starting new daughter churches. Study Paul’s pattern for starting churches in Acts 16:10-40! (Much of the above information was taken from Gerry Swank’s book Frontier People’s of Central Nigeria on p. 72-76)
X. Factors of Motivation That Influence Conversion!
There are many factors that motivate people to either accept or reject the gospel.
A. People’s response to the gospel will depend upon their culture, background differences, how that person views himself,how that person views what those around him will think of him, how that person views the evangelist, how the gospel is presented to him, if the gospel is reality to what he already knows about God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit.
B. People may change their behavior by:
1). Changing their knowledge and skills
2). Changing the situation, circumstance, or the people around him.
3). A combination of the above two factors
C. What motivates a person to do something today, may not motivate that person tomorrow. We must ask the Lord for wisdom in timing our approach with the gospel.
D. Most people are motivated by habits, traditions, and examples from other people.
E. Many people are motivated by fear of punishment, exposure for doing something wrong, or the avoidance of shame.
Example - One man would not become a Christian despite the pleas from his family. One day, the man saw the film, ``THE BURNING HELL’’, that night he dreamt that he went to hell. The next morning he quickly went to the Pastor’s home to ask him how he could become a Christian immediately!
F. Some people are motivated by individual desires that are an expression of his personality type (Amiable, Expressive, Driver, or Analytical).
G. Some people are motivated by their supposed role in the society, tribe, village, job, or church.
H. Some people have different expectations from God, their friends, their family, and themselves that affect their motivations.
I. Motivation is inevitably a social process.
J. Motivation is ultimately from the Lord working through the human will.
``For it is God who is at work in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure.’’ (Phil. 2:13)
XI. Different Levels of Evangelism
Different groups of people need different levels of evangelism. George Hunter describes 7 types of evangelism:
A. E-0 - Evangelizing people who are already attending church and think they are Christians, but in reality are not.
B. E-1-A - Evangelizing people of one’s own culture who are our close friends.
C. E-1-B - Evangelizing people of one’s own culture who are similar in interests, backgrounds, language used, lifestyle, and social class but are not our close friends nor are they in the church.
D. E-1-C - Evangelizing people of similar culture, but of a different sub-culture (such as a town Fulani trying to evangelize a bush Fulani). There will be differences in education, lifestyle, interests, and goals.
E. E-1-D - Evangelizing non-indigenous people who have migrated into an area assuming all the cultural traits of the indigenes. For instance, a Bambuka may move into Yola-Jimeta assuming the identity of a Fulani.
F. E-2 - Evangelizing people of a different culture. For instance a Hausa man evangelizing an Igbo man.
G. E-3 - Evangelizing people of a different culture and of a different continental family. Like the SIM missionaries coming to Nigeria.
Each succeeding level becomes more difficult. We must try to teach our people to use E-0, E-1-A, E-1-B, E-1-C and E-1-D types of evangelism since it is generally more effective!!
Example - We must try to find missionaries who are closest in cultural background to the unreached people. They will be able to do E-1-A evangelism more effectively than a missionary coming from the U.S. who has to do E-3 evangelism!
XII. Understanding Various Reasons For Different Levels of Readiness to Receive the Gospel
Jesus Christ spoke of fields that would be more ripe for the harvest than others. (Mark. 4:1-22) Some people will be more receptive to the gospel message than others. Changing receptivity or openness to the gospel’s message depends on many factors.
A. Felt needs, real needs, and perceived needs. People may feel that they need a school, a dispensary, or answers to their problems. As much as possible help them meet these felt needs. This will give you an open door for a hearing of the gospel.
B. Familiarity with the message of the gospel.
C. Amount of exposure to the gospel. It may take many exposures to the gospel before they are ready to decide.
D. Level of understanding of the main points of the gospel (God’s will, God’s nature, God’s word, Jesus Christ; His message, His life, and His offer of salvation, forgiveness, and eternal life, the meaning of belief, the responsibilities of repentance and obedience etc.
E. Persecution - People in trouble usually turn to God!
Example - When the certain men burned Churches down in 1987 in Nigeria, many people ran to the church for protection.
F. Changing moods, concerns, and whims of human nature.
G. Seasons - Some people are more open to the gospel during dry season when they do not have as many responsibilities on their farms.
H. Miracles - There may be a series of God inspired miracles.
Example - The fires in Ibi of Gongola State made people sit up and listen to God’s word.
I. Disasters - When people lose a loved one, experience a tragedy or are faced with great difficulties, they turn to the Lord for help!
J. Movements - When some people move into a new area they are looking for friends who can help them.
K. Wars - After the civil war in Nigeria, people had great opportunities to help evangelize others who were hurting. But, few people took advantages of those important opportunities for evangelism.
L. Famines - When people need food, they are more open to the Lord’s message.
M. Unemployment - When people cannot find work, they are more open to the Lord from whom all blessing flow.
N. Leaders - When significant people in a society make a decision for Christ sometimes others will follow.
O. Returned travellers - When students return to their villages after going to school in another area they may have a unique opportunity to evangelize their people.
P. Literacy training - Some people have become Christians by learning how to read using the Bible or other Christian literature.
Q. The unique aspects of each culture - Each culture has its own reasons for opening itself up for change. Explore the history of the people to learn what these open areas are!!!
R. Look for Eye-Openers - Study the way Paul got the attention of the Athenians in his message to them in Acts 17:16-34.
XIII. Types of Church Growth
There are various factors that bring about church growth.
A. Homogeneous growth - A church will grow at the initial stages better if many members have the same characteristics. These characteristics may be tribal identities, interests, goals, historical similarities, languages, and similar educational levels.
``Birds of a feather tend to flock together.’’ (People like to be with people of their own kind)
B. Biological growth - When children are born to church members, and are brought up in the church. The only reason that some churches are growing is because of biological growth. ``Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth.’’ (Gen. 1:27)
C. Transfer growth - When Christians from other churches join your church.
D. Conversion growth - When new people are won to Christ and brought into the church.
E. Maturing growth - When members of the church are growing in the grace, knowledge, and service of Christ.
F. Rice Christian growth - When people come to church to get physical or material help. Some people followed Jesus just because they were interested in getting what they could get from him without committing themselves to him. These people do not represent real growth for the church.
G. Internal growth - When the number of competent Christians who can take leadership responsibilities in the church increases.
H. Expansion growth - Each church grows when it takes in new converts into its membership.
I. Extension growth - When a church starts a new daughter church.
J. Bridging growth - When a church or a denomination or a mission society reaches unreached areas with the gospel. (McGavaran, p.100-101)
Study Questions
1. What are some of the main principles, practices, and steps for church growth and church planting?
2. How does the Holy Spirit help the church to grow?
3. What are some factors that contribute to effective sowing of the seeds of the gospel?
4. What are some effective mission and church growth strategies that could be used in your area?
