The New Testament church was a growing church. If we study church history from the book of Acts, we learn that the church faced many obstacles. Some did not believe and caused trouble for those who would preach the gospel (Acts 17:5). There were those in the church who fell short of their obligations (Acts 5:1-11). There were even some doctrinal problems that confronted the church (Acts 15). Yet, the church grew. We learn from this that growth is possible. We should not make excuses for not growing, but instead, we should be as busy as we can in doing things that will enhance growth.
The power behind growth in the New Testament was the Word of God. In Acts 2, Peter preached the Word, and three thousand souls were converted to Christ (Acts 2:36-41). Yes, Peter spoke by the inspiration of the Spirit, and folks were astonished by the miracle of tongue speaking on that occasion, but the conversion of the three thousand is still traced back to the Word. Signs and wonders simply confirmed the words spoken by preachers of that day (Mark 16:20).
The inspired Word is what caused so many to turn to Jesus. They believed what they heard and their hearts were pricked. “Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? (Acts 2:37). It was this question that led to their baptism, and it was the Word of God that led them to ask the question. Acts 2:41 says, “Then they that gladly received his word were baptized…”
The Word has not lost its power. Church growth still depends on the Word. In Rom. 1:16 Paul wrote, “I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth…” The gospel still has the power to penetrate the heart of the lost soul; however, it has obvious limitations. It cannot preach itself. There must be a sower to plant the seed in the ground if there is to be fruit produced. Such is the case with the gospel, which is the spiritual seed of the kingdom. We must be determined to sow it into the hearts of men. If we will develop the attitude that first-century Christians had toward preaching the Word (Acts 8:1-4), the church will grow.
Regarding the local church, there are other things to consider concerning church growth. A local church should be concerned with having a good worship service. Our services should be uplifting and edifying. We accomplish this, not by getting involved in entertainment and recreation, but by following the pattern outlined in the New Testament, and by worshipping God with the right spirit (John 4:24). Commitment and sincerity should be made obvious by our services. The way we pray, sing, observe the Lord’s supper and listen to the preaching of God’s Word reveals the overall spiritual make-up of the congregation. The atmosphere is important when visitors come who are looking for a church. Bible studies can be obtained when people visit regularly because they enjoy the worship service. Worship service is enhanced and more edifying when everything is done decently and in order (1 Corinthians 14:40).
Being friendly to all visitors is another important factor. When people come to visit a local church, they want to feel comfortable. If they do not, they probably will not come back, even if everything is done scripturally. One thing that makes people comfortable is to be treated kindly. We should let all of our visitors know that we are happy and excited that they have come to be with us. We should express our joy to them and be sure to invite them back. This means we should look around for visitors immediately after services have ended and go talk to them. Once people feel comfortable among us, they are more likely to return.
Another thing that is important regarding church growth is having good Bible classes. I realize that the kind of Bible class arrangement that we have is not commanded by God. We are commanded to study, but the classroom arrangement is simply an expediency to carry out that command. Nevertheless, if we are going to have Bible classes, we must strive to have the best classes we can. Again, that is brought about by being sure that what is taught in these classes is Bible doctrine. We must abide in the apostles’ doctrine (Acts 2:42). People who come to worship God tend to appreciate a Bible-based study where they learn more about God’s will or have their already existing knowledge reaffirmed and strengthened.
Ultimately, it is the Lord Who adds to the church (Acts 2:42; 1 Corinthians 3:6, 7). However, church growth is not completely out of our hands. We have some responsibility too. There are things that we can do that will better lead to God giving the increase. Let’s do our part.