We saw, in our last blog, that the gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16).  It is important to remember, however, that the gospel cannot help anyone unless it is preached.  The gospel is like salt—it has a lot of power, but it has to make contact to be effective.  Salt does not do any good just sitting in a box, but once it is poured out, it can go to work.  Such is the case with the gospel as well.  If it just abides in us, it will have a favorable impact on us, but it will not help anyone else, and the church will not grow.

In order to survive, local churches must grow.  Churches that are not growing are becoming weaker.  I know that a local church can grow in different ways.  It can grow in knowledge, love, and spirituality, and all of those areas of growth are needed; however, it is vital that a church grows numerically as well.

We know that all local churches are going to lose members.  There are four ways that this happens—members move away, fall away, get upset, and walk away, and some members die.  There is not a congregation of God’s people that has not lost members in these ways.  It is inevitable.  So, if these members are not replaced with new ones, the local church will continue to shrink in number until it finally ceases to exist.

How does a church grow in number?  If we are talking about a local church, it grows numerically in two ways.  It might swell in numbers by receiving members from other congregations.  Rember, churches lose members because of Christians moving away or getting upset and leaving.  Churches gain members because of this as well.  The second way that a local church grows, and the most exciting way, is by souls being saved and then placing their membership with a specific church.  For this to happen, the gospel must be preached.  

Romans 10:13-14 (ESV)
¹³  For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” ¹⁴  How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?

The church needs those willing to preach.  I am not talking about being full-time evangelists, though the church needs more of them as well.  I am talking about members who are willing to proclaim the gospel to family and friends, co-workers, fellow students, and anyone else who is willing to listen to the Word of God.  Members spreading the gospel of Christ is God’s plan for church growth.

Matthew 28:19 (ESV)
¹⁹  Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

In a world in which people are becoming more and more hostile toward the Word of God, it takes courage to preach the gospel to the lost.  You risk being rejected, or even persecuted in some way, when you engage in personal evangelism, but it is a risk worth taking.  The well-being of the church is at stake, and so are the souls of men and women who are presently outside of Christ.  The church needs you, and even if they do not realize it, so does the world.  Are you willing to do your part?

As you wind down for the night, think about these things.