ABOUT CHURCH GROWTH: WHAT ALL CHRISTIANS SHOULD KNOW

I have watched how many Church administrators, overseers and Pastors try in vain to grow the church numerically and their efforts were not been rewarded. It’s so sad because when it comes to excellence in all things, the church should be setting the pace.

Truth be told, it is God that ultimately increases the Church via the operation of the Holyghost. Ezekiel 36:37 says that “I will increase them with men as Flock”, also Jeremiah 30:19 Paraphrased, “I will multiply them, they shall not be few, I will also glorify them, they shall not be small.” So then why are many Churches and pastors experiencing the Opposite?

In 1Corinthians 3:6, Apostle Paul said, “I have planted, Apollo watered; but God gave the increase”. I believe this scripture is the key, most Pastors should hold as they seek for God’s intervention on increase.

For God to have given the increase, Paul and Apollo must have done their assignment well. From the fore-going, I take all Pastor-in-charge of a Church to be Paul, while other associate Pastors and Workers are seen as Apollo’s.

So How are the Pastor-in charge Planting? How are the workers and associate pastors watering? Let’s remember that Apollo was a companion and fellow missionary with Paul.

To the Pastors: Shepherds don’t birth Sheep, Shepherds feed Sheep while Sheep gives birth to sheeps. In other words, it is the quality of food, care and nurturing a shepherd gives to his sheep that foster the productive capacity of the sheep. Many Church pastors today wouldn’t even prepare adequately for their message, some hide under the guise of the help of the holy spirit only, as such their message may often be unconvincing and watery. Whereas some are too over dependent on their intellect and grammar that they forget the efficacy of the holy spirit. So their ministration are often not backed with evidence of the supernatural as this are the yearnings of most people that come into the church. The Bible says except ye see signs and wonders you will not believe, John 4:48. Thus, the Pastor is expected to blend both the help of the holyspirit plus his personal preparation and research, to make quality message. Preparations cover areas like improving on your communication skills, etiquette, dressing etc

Furthermore, in feeding the sheep and nurturing them, other activities like praying and counseling them cannot be over emphasized. So as the Pastor engage in dishing out qualitative sermons, counseling and prayers for the sheep and they begin to see sign of change in their life, the sheep would be the one to evangelize, spreading the news to other strayed sheep that there is a good shepherd here who can take care of them

To the Associate Pastors and Workers: These are the Apollo’s as gleaned from 1cor. 3:6 in my own point of view. As a worker, you should note that you don’t have another time to make first impression. In watering the Sheep, you must note that you are the Brand Ambassador of the Church. No good or Successful Organization ignores branding and Packaging. Packaging is about making your products stand out from the competition WHILE your Brand is what people say about you when you are not in the room.

How you look + How you Speak + How you act = Branding. When you brand your Church properly, your church sits on top of the competition. Always give the Sheep a reason to feel connected and loved. In serving the sheep, you will be stretched and offended, you must learn tolerance, imbibe true love and forgiveness and most times a deviant individual would come back remorseful

Finally, it is so essential for Church workers and Pastors to practice what they preach and live in Unity. When strife, Malice, envy, Covetousness etc are replaced with Excellence, spirituality, love and Unity, the church will undoubtedly experience growth. God Be Praised. Shalom!

-Tundegold: '2015