Growing Churches
Gerald Elliott
Deer Park, TN
8/27/97
Growing Churches
Those who study churches to see what might be keys to providing an atmosphere for growth tell us what we should know. It is odd how sometimes the obvious escapes us.
What does our congregation need?
A positive and enthusiastic atmosphere.
Members must feel good about being a member of this church. They must believe that they are better off by being a part. They want others to be a part and believe others would be better off if they were a part. Paul told the Philippians to have a positive attitude about their faith. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--
if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things.
Philippians 4.8.
An atmosphere of trust.
It is logical that growing congregations have an atmosphere of trust. If a person is reached with the gospel of Jesus and then finds the membership to be
untrustworthy, that new Christian will either move to another church or return to the world. Most people do not want to be part of a community filled with suspicion and faultfinding. People want to trust and want to be trusted. Paul described the love Christians should have for one another. From that description he said,
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. I Corinthians 13.7.
Growing churches strive for excellence.
Jesus told his disciples that their
righteousness must surpass that of the Pharisees. (Matthew 5.20) and said, You are to be perfect. Matthew 5.48. In issues of faith, Paul encouraged the Thessalonians to
excel still more.
I Thessalonians 4.1. About love for each other Paul said,
We urge you, brethren to excel still more.
I Thessalonians 4.10. Using the slogan from the advertising world, we need to be
the best we can be.
—
Gerald Elliott
Deer Park, TX
