Keys to a Growing Church

Numbers 2:17

Then the tabernacle of the congregation shall set forward with the camp of the Levites in the midst of the camp: as they encamp, so shall they set forward, every man in his place by their standards.

The children of Israel in the wilderness are a type of the church. Acts 7:38 reminds us of this when it says, This is he, that was in the church in the wilderness with the angel which spake to him in the mount Sina, and with our fathers: who received the lively oracles to give unto us: This means they give us a picture of what God expects from His church. Every action they took, whether good or bad, is an action that shows a local church what they should or should not do. God gives several keys to how a church can grow from the verse above. Let me share four keys that could help every church to grow.

First, the church ought to always move forward by faith. God said that the tabernacle of the congregation shall set forward. God expects His church to be a forward-moving body. If the church is to exist by faith, that means the members of that church are to live by faith. No church will see growth that does not attempt great works of faith. Churches should attempt to see many people saved because that takes faith. A church that desires to do something great for God should attempt to see growth in its attendance yearly. You cannot see growth if you don't have a push once or twice a year to hit new highs. A church must never accept the status quo in their church attendance. It should bother the pastor and the people when a church is not growing. A church with a vision to move forward in attendance growth will have a better chance of growth than the church or the pastor who does not care about their attendance.

Second, a church that grows is a church where every person is involved. Notice God expected every man to be involved. One reason many churches don't grow is because most of the people sit and do nothing while a few people do all the work. Churches could see great growth if every person got involved. Churches could see the highest attendance they have ever had if every person were involved. The need of any church are laborers. Even Christ mentioned in Matthew 9:38, Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest. Christ saw the need for laborers in the church, but sadly, there are plenty of laborers, but they just are not involved. You can get more laborers for the church if the people attending would get involved.

Third, a church that grows is a church where every person finds a place to serve. Any believer can be involved in service by being a soul winner. However, a pastor cannot give people a place to serve if the people are not faithful to the services and are not living to the standards that the church requires to teach God’s Word. You should do what you can to find a place to serve in your church if you want your church to grow.

Fourth, a church that grows will have people who are willing to serve in the background. In the camp of Israel, someone had to be in the hindmost of the congregation. Not everyone can be in the forefront of the church; there must be people who are okay with serving in the shadows if the church is to grow. Don't let pride get in your way of serving in the shadows. Every person serving in the church is critical to church growth, and usually, those serving in the shadows are the greatest contributors to a church growing.