Increase More and More

1 Thessalonians 4:10

And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more;

Paul’s desire for this church in Thessalonica was that it would increase more and more. Increase in the Lord’s work is not a dirty word, but it ought to be the goal of every Pastor and believer that their church increases. You will notice that Paul didn't just want to increase and for it to stop, but he wanted this church to increase more and more. In other words, he never wanted them to stop trying to increase. If you follow this model of increasing more and more, there are several key actions you will have to do.

First, you must have a mind to increase. Nobody increases by accident, but they increase because they attempt to increase. Increasing is a Godly mindset; without that mindset, you will fail to see any increase in what you do.

Second, you must not stop pursuing increase. Again, increase is a mindset, and that mindset must never settle though you have seen some increase. Many have seen an increase and gotten comfortable, only to hurt the future growth of their church or ministry. The pursuit of increase must be a lifelong pursuit if growth will be a part of your life or ministry.

Third, you must keep records to increase. You will never know that you are increasing if you are not keeping records. Nothing will cause you to squelch your growth like not keeping good records. Records will let you know when the increase has stopped, and it will also let you know how you are doing. Someone who wants to increase more and more must be a person who keeps records of their attendance and what they are doing.

Fourth, you must not meddle in other areas that will pull you away from seeing an increase. Paul told them that they needed to study to be quiet. In other words, he was admonishing them to mind their own business. You will do more to see increase in your church and ministry if you stop worrying about what everyone else is doing.

Fifth, you must do your own business if you want to see increase. One of the greatest things that keeps increase from happening is people stop doing their own business for things that will not matter in the Lord’s work. As a pastor of a church, I have learned that I must give my full attention to my church and not be concerned with things that would pull me away from my church. Anything that would pull you away from seeing increase should be avoided. Some of those things are not bad things, but they keep you from increasing more and more in the Lord’s work.

Sixth, you must be honest with yourself if you want to see increase. Paul told this church to walk honestly. You must be honest with yourself about how you are doing and whether you are truly giving the effort needed to increase more and more. You can lie to yourself that you are seeing increase when you are not, and you are hurting yourself from finding the answer to why you are not increasing. Honesty is critical to seeing increase because it tells you what to do when something is hindering your ability to increase more and more.

My friend, my desire is that every church sees increase more and more. The cause of Christ and the plight of souls needs churches worldwide to see increase more and more.