|
|
 |
| How
Can I Help The Church To Grow?
|
|
| Marshall Reid |
|
Too often, I have heard people
complain that the church they attend just isn’t growing, or there are
not enough people their kids’ age, or the people just don’t get
together and do things like they’d like to. Unfortunately, most of the
time, these same people aren’t willing to do what it takes to help bring
about positive change, so they just move to another congregation nearby.
That’s not the correct solution to the problem, and so the question begs
to be asked: How can I help the church to grow?
First, it must be
recognized that everybody is vital to the health of the congregation and
everyone has a part to play. Paul refers to the church as a body and in 1
Cor. 12 shows the importance of every part, making the case that no part
is greater than any other and every part is necessary. Not all do the same
job but everybody must do their job in order for the body to be in the
best shape it can be. In Eph. 4:16, Paul says that when every joint is
working and doing its share, it “causes growth of the body for the
edifying of itself in love.” Are you doing your share? Do you know what
you’re good at doing? Then do it! It doesn’t matter if others are not
doing their share, we still have an obligation to do what we can to help
the body grow and be edified.
The edification that Paul
speaks of is crucial in the church’s growth and development. We have to
make sure that edification is at the heart of everything we do, both in
the public worship service and in our personal lives. That means that
whatever we do to help the church grow must be done out of love and
sincerity, thinking of others’ needs and their spiritual health. By the
way, isn’t it interesting that when we do that, our own spiritual health
is increased? So how do you help edify the brethren? Edification has to do
with encouragement, so seek out ways to encourage the members of the body.
Visit the sick at home and in the hospital. Take food to the sick. Talk
with the discouraged. Show people you care. Have people in your home for
meals and fellowship. If you’re good at teaching, teach and make sure
you put your all into it. Begin some Bible studies at your home and invite
people from church as well as neighbors and friends. Doing these things
and more can help edify the church and help develop the close feelings
that Christians needs to have with each other.
An obvious benefit of
having home Bible studies with neighbors and friends included is that the
lost are taught. Considering this is one of our greatest missions as
Christians, we should be doing this anyway. How does this help the church
to grow? Of course, the first way is by adding new converts to the local
church. That should be our primary goal in the Bible studies and when
others are converted, the church has grown numerically, but it also has
grown spiritually. New converts breathe new life into a church and can
help jumpstart a stagnant church into action. New converts are excited and
are often more zealous for the gospel than those who have been Christians
for some time. Also, new converts are likely to start spreading the good
news to their friends and neighbors, and so with the Lord’s help, even
more converts are brought to Christ. When all of this starts happening,
the church becomes excited and those who haven’t been doing their share
start getting involved again.
Instead of complaining
about the church and trying to find a “better” church, let’s make
sure we are doing our part to help the church grow. When we do our part,
encourage the brethren and help to bring new converts to Christ, then
everybody benefits and suddenly, we’re not looking for greener pastures.
|
|
Copyright (C)
2008
Southside Church of Christ
All rights reserved.
|
|
|
