2 Thess 1:1 Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other, 4 so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure, 5 which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer; 6 since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, 7and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, 8 in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, 10 when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed. 11 Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power, 12 that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Much has been written down through the ages about church growth. Church growth is and should be important to all of us, but not necessarily in the way it is commonly presented.
Most of the flyers and conference invitations I receive in the mail have to do with the numbers of people in the seats. This is certainly the modern concept of church growth. It has everything to do with demographics in the community you serve, informative mail-outs, advertising, and slick presentation which can attract and “hold” a crowd.
Paul has nothing to do with any of this. While I am certain he was concerned with church growth, (after all, he gave his life to plant churches, and it was his fierce passion,) I am likewise certain Paul was not concerned at all about the kind of church growth the modern marketing experts speak of.
Numbers are a concern, because numbers can translate into people being born again and being on their way to heaven – but the number of people in attendance is never to be the focus of church growth.
Paul teaches us the focus of church growth is to be the heart of the individual – not the number of bodies in the seats. He teaches us that growth of faith and love for one another in each heart is the key to church growth. Always has been, always should be. Anything else is vanity.
- Pastor Bill
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