how to handle growing pains?

[nodak]

I know wiser folk than I often post on this forum, so I am going to toss out a situation and seek your advice as to how to handle it.

Our little church has experienced phenomenal growth in the last year. It is still a small church, but attendance has more than doubled.

We are not into the church growth movement--not seeker friendly, not purpose driven, or anything like that. About half the original church is really into friendship evangelism, one on one witnessing, old fashioned visitation, compassionate ministries, or just about any means of letting the town know we are there, what we believe, and how welcome they are with us.

The other half of original folk are into being "big fish in a little pond" and are getting resentful that the pond is expanding.

How do you handle this kind of growing pain in your church?

Thanks.

 

[Salty]

Its time to start take 4 or 5 families to start a mission work, with the goal of establishing a new Bible believing church!

 

[Tom Bryant]

First of all thank God for such a good problem to have!

Second, make sure you love even the tough people. Pray for them and don't allow yourself or those who are reaching out to become bitter towards them. Sometimes they are feeling left out of the excitement that is sweeping the church. I kept pointing out to people that the reason our church was started was because the founders wanted to reach our community with the Gospel and we are continuing to do that.

But don't concentrate on the negative people. Keep encouraging the people who are reaching others. Lift them up in prayer and in letting others know that people are inviting their friends to Jesus and His church. A wise person once said that you choose who you will lose. If you choose to tone down the evangelists in the church, they will leave and be a blessing to another place.

 

[nodak]

Thanks for the encouragement!

Here are some of our specific bugaboos we are dealing with, with hopes you have a good "what to do at the time" idea:

1. One person who, whenever someone visits, makes a point to tell everyone in the church all the dirty laundry on the visitor--usually in the presence of the guest.

2. One person who, whenever we have visitors, "shares" during adult ss or during the prayer time of church service how many churches she drives past to get to ours, specifically because it is small and she absolutely will not "worship with a crowd."

3. Two people who do nothing to serve til one of our newer members volunteers for a job, then rush in with "oh, I'll take care of that", and then do not follow through and get the job done.

We are trying to reach these specific folks, feeling they either missed the boat somewhere spiritually, have some unhealed hurts themselves, or something. We want to get them on the team if we can.

Thanks in advance.