Thought On Church Growth

Clarification: Don't miss the placement of the comma and misread the opening sentence of my previous post. I have not been a Landmark Baptist in almost 14 years.

 

Please explain.

 

Please explain. </font>[/QUOTE]Acts 2

 

Acts 2, what?

 

From personal experience.
Our pastor said he would not add on to the sanctuary until there was standing room only on the WEDNESDAY NIGHT service.
Why? You wonder?
It is said, (acurately, IMO) that the popularity of the church is seen in Sun. Morn. attendance, the popularity of the preacher on Sun. Night, and the popularity of Jesus on Wed. Night.
We just recently broke ground for a New Building which will hold 2000.
BTW, that doubles our capacity for WED. night services.

IMO, if the numbers growth is reflected in salvations and disciples, then that will show up in the mid-week service. If you need to build for THAT crowd, then do it.

Just my experience. I think it is a valid barometer of proper growth.

In HIS service;
Jim

 

Acts 2, what? </font>[/QUOTE]It's a short chapter,, read it.

 

Acts 2, what? </font>[/QUOTE]It's a short chapter,, read it. </font>[/QUOTE]What, 3000 in a single a day? Is that your point?

 

Acts 2, what? </font>[/QUOTE]It's a short chapter,, read it. </font>[/QUOTE]What, 3000 in a single a day? Is that your point? </font>[/QUOTE]__________________________________________________

agreed. That was a fairly vague reference. Could be the "mighty rushing wind"! LOL

Could be the prophet Joel? LOL

Could be every nation under heaven? LOL

What? WHAT? Inquiring minds want to know!

In HIS service;
Jim

 

You mean it never occurred to you to do a scientific survey to see what the unsaved in your area wanted in a church, and then just give it to them?

 

Well then, I guess Jesus isn't a very popular fellow at our church seeing that we don't even have a Wednesday night service. Come to think of it, we don't have a Sunday evening service either; poor preacher must feel unloved.

What we do have midweek, however, are small group meetings where about 8 to 12 people get together for fellowship and prayer and bible studies. In the 10 months since our church started small groups, we have had some significant spiritual growth; and we have even added a few people to the church as a direct result of people coming to Christ through the groups; people who would never have thought of darkening the door of a church, but felt "comfortable" in a smaller group setting.

Kenneth

 

It never fails to amaze me how folks will JUMP on one comment to show how very much in error that ONE comment is. Yet they IGNORE the remainder of the post.
Things that make you go hmmm.

Ken and gb specifically. Both you fellers did it. Care to comment or critique what WE do? Do YOU even know what we do? Do you even care?

I trow not. But in case you do, go here:
www.tvbc.org

In HIS service;
Jim

 

80% occupancy is the general cap for growth observed by those that do such studies.(SBC, GBC, etc). Not to say there are not exceptions, I know our Church was over 100% in one service for a while but new and inventive ways of worshiping God and delivering the unchanging message of Christ has relieved some of that. We currently have 5 on-campus services and one off campus in a growing part of town.
We have an 8:30(traditional), 9:50(contemporary), 10:00(traditional/blended), 11:20(contemporary), and 11:30(contemporary/blended). The 9:50 and 11:20 are in our activity centers and are 10 minutes longer to have more praise and worship. The services that happen at the same time alternate between live pastor and closed circuit feed. This has worked beyond our expectations because they have been our largest hours, God has truly blessed us. We currently have around 6000 members with 5000 present any given Sunday. Our new campus is 25 mile away in a new community and recieves the message via video with a week delay...they had 350 the past Sunday...the first day of opening the doors.

People are hungry, folks. Churches will grow in number and depth if the Word is being taught. Our methods will not work for every community and others will not work in this community but whatever method is used remember that the unfailing, never changing, God we serve is the one that grows Churches...we just do as He leads.

I know I just spoke about numbers but spiritual growth is hard to put into tangibles.

 

Here are few things DR. Bob:

1. A christian is expected to go
"Matt 28:18-20" (or as we go), and to be witnesses(Acts1:8.

2. A MATURE Christian will bear fruit. DR. Bob, I have never seen a one year old apple tree bearing fruit have you? A sign of a mature apple tree, or any other fruit tree, is fruit.
Matt 13:23 "This is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeeds bears fruit"

3. Souls are classified as fruit.
Romans 16:5 " greet my beloved Ppanetus, who is among the firstfruits of Achaia to Christ."

I find your language very dissappointing, and untactful; certainly not above reproach. How can you make such statements and give no support to your OPINION? I believe that we can sharpen one another here in this forum; but it must be done tactfully. I would be interested in knowing how and why you disagree with my statements and support them biblically.

 

Well av1611jim, I took a look at your church's website, and it looks like you guys got a good thing going there. If all those ministries are working for you, then glory to God.

Having said that, I still prefer mid-week small groups where fellowship and learning take place, but I guess it's just a matter of whatever floats your boat.

Kenneth

 

Chandler,
I think Dr. Bob disagrees with todays current definition of "soul-wining". My brother calls it cookie cutter evangelisim.

What I call soul-winning is sharing the gospel. Some plant, some water, etc. The Holy spirit is the one that saves. I do believe that people lead people to Christ.

Had a disagreement with a pastor once and he said:" Look at us grow. I'm not changing anything we do."

My response was that any good business man can make something grow. Wal-mart grows as well as Catholics, JWs', etc. Numbers doesn't mean a thing when you aren't centered on Christ.