You heard about the golfer named Jones who was twenty minutes late at the first tee one Sunday morning, and the other three members of the regular four-some were almost ready to drive off without him. "I agreed with my wife," explained Jones, "that this Sunday I'd toss a coin to see whether I played golf or went to church. Heads, I played golf. Tails, I went to church. And you know fellows, I had to toss that coin forty-three times before it came up heads."
In the Broadway musical, The Fantastics, one of the fathers who is a gardener sings a song titled, Plant a Radish. The words of the song say,
Plant a radish. Get a radish. Never any doubt.
That's why I love vegetables;
You know what you're about! ….
Plant a turnip. Get a turnip.
Maybe you'll get two.
That's why I love vegetables;
You know that they'll come through!
Church Vision directly relates to Church Growth AND IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF EVERY CHURCH MEMBER!
Scripture talks about a tree that quit growing and producing fruit. The outcome was that the tree was cut down and thrown into the fire. To be a healthy church we must be a church that is growing and bearing fruit.
So who is responsible for church growth?
Matt 6:33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
1 Cor 3:1-11 Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly — mere infants in Christ. 2 I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. 3 You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men? 4 For when one says, "I follow Paul," and another, "I follow Apollos," are you not mere men? 5 What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe — as the Lord has assigned to each his task. 6 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. 7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. 8 The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor. 9 For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building. 10 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Church Vision and Church Growth are the responsibility of EVERY Church Member!
I. We Are All to be Servants
a. 1 Cor 3:1-5 Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly — mere infants in Christ. 2 I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. 3 You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men? 4 For when one says, "I follow Paul," and another, "I follow Apollos," are you not mere men? 5 What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe — as the Lord has assigned to each his task
b. Matt 23:11-12 The greatest among you will be your servant . 12 For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.
c. Rom 1:1-5 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God— 2 the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures 3 regarding his Son, who as to his human nature was a descendant of David, 4 and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.
Some are like canoes -- need to be paddled.
Some are like kites -- if a string isn't kept on them, they fly away.
Some are like kittens -- more contented when petted.
Some are like balloons -- full of wind and ready to blow up.
Some are like footballs -- you can't tell which way they'll bounce next.
Some are like trailers -- they have to be pulled.
Some are like neon lights -- they keep going on and off.
Many, thank goodness, are like the North Star -- there when you need them, dependable and ever loyal."
d. Phil 1:27 Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. Then, whether I come and see you or only hear about you in my absence, I will know that you stand firm in one spirit, contending as one man for the faith of the gospel
e. Serve with a servants heart!
II. Only God Makes it Grow
a. 6-7 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. 7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.
b. "Church growth comes not as a result of a concept, but rather as a result of the application."
c. If we want our church to grow, then we must be obedient to God’s Word.
d. 2 Chron 7:14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
e. God will bring growth to our church but it will only come when we are obedient to Him.
f. God makes covenants with His people … If you do this … I will do this … .
g. It is an action and a response.
h.Apollos was obedient … Paul was obedient … and God’s response was to make it grow.
i. Do we, as a church want to grow?
j. Are we willing to be obedient?
III. Each Member has a Purpose
a. 8 The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor.
b. From time to time we hear statistics about how people first came into church membership. These figures trace back to the Institute for American Church Growth, which asked 10,000 people about their pilgrimage. What led them in? Answers were: Special need, 2 percent; Walk-in, 3 percent; Pastor, 6 percent; Visitation, 1 percent; Sunday school, 5 percent; Evangelistic crusade, 5 percent; Program, 3 percent; Friend/relative, 79 percent.
c. While some are wishing for the church to somehow grow, others are preparing themselves to be instruments of God in church growth as "fishers of men"
d. Remember the disciples?
e. Mark 1:17-18 "Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." 18 At once they left their nets and followed him.
f. Reasons for attending church fall into two categories -- good and bad.
In the bad column are these: Attending is socially acceptable. God is angry if I don't. Going merits His favor. I feel better. Such motivations dishonor God, and some are the devil's lies. In the good column are these reasons: God's Word commands it. I need Christian fellowship. Others need my encouragement. I can hear the Word. I can meet God.
g. A story might help to explain. One day the telephone rang in the rector's office of the Washington church attended by the President. An eager voice said, "Tell me, do you expect the President to be there Sunday?" "That I cannot promise," the rector said patiently. "But we do expect God, and we fancy it will be incentive enough for a reasonably large attendance.
h.Heb 10:23-25 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. 25 Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another — and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
i. Every Member a Minister!
IV. We Work Together to Accomplish One Goal
a. 9-10 For we are God's fellow workers; you are God's field, God's building. 10 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds.
b. 1 Peter 2:2-3 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, 3 now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.
c. Charles Spurgeon was one of the most popular preachers of the last century. He preached to over 5,000 people each Sunday in the London Tabernacle Church. When asked how he built such a large congregation he replied, "You asked me how I got this congregation? I never got it at all! my congregation got my congregation. I had 80 when I first preached. In a short time I had 200. Everyone in the congregation was urging a neighbor to come to the service. Soon we had 400 and then 800. This is how our people got our congregation."
d. The secret to church growth really hasn't changed since Spurgeon's time. The best way to build up the church is for every member to be actively involved in inviting the people they know.
e. Secret … shhh … don’t tell anyone … this is personal evangelism!
f. When friend invites friend, and neighbor brings neighbor, souls are going to be saved and the church will grow.
V. We Build on the Foundation that is Jesus Christ.
a. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.
b. Eph 4:15-16 Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. 16 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
c. If you get into your car and put the key into the ignition and when you turn the key all you get is a clicking sound then you know that something has gotten between your engine and the source of power. … You take off the battery cables and you clean the terminals. You put them back on and suddenly your car will start.
d. Jesus is our power source.
e. Sin and neglect corrode our battery cables…
f. When we clean the terminals by confession and repentance then the power can flow so that great things can happen!
