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Ten Principles for Launching a Major Growth Thrust - Part 2

My hope is that every church would experience a season of dramatic growth like the church in Acts 2 did, but the reality is that most are unwilling to pay the price for that type of growth and impact. A major growth campaign in your church will cost you something.  It will cost you your comfort, it will cost you time, it will cost you money, it will cost you your sleep and it will even cost you some relationships because everyone is not going to embrace this journey with you.  The following are three more principles we are gleaning from Acts 1-2 for launching a major growth thrust. (Check out the previous post)

6. Create interest throughout your webs of relationships and throughout the community. Acts 2:5-13

Three thousand people were added to the church in a single day but the big question is how many people were impacted by the miracle of the disciples speaking in different languages?  God in a miraculous way created a buzz throughout the community through this miracle both relationally and attractionally.  There was so much buzz that it caused a reaction in people.  The crowd asked three questions and made one accusation.

• "Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans?"
• "Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language?"
• "What does this mean?"
•  Some, however, made fun of them and said, "They have had to much wine"

Here is a big principle that most churches don't understand.  If you are going to have a major growth thrust you must, in a big way, gain the attention of your community in such a way that it causes people to react.  They will react out of curiousness, out of sincerity or even out of anger or jest. 

When was the last time your church caused a community reaction that led to redemptive activity?  Many churches are great at creating buzz in the Christian community but what about the community of the unchurched or dechurched?  Its like the church that only promotes their events through Christian media.  Who are they trying to reach? Learning how to grab the attention of your community at large is central to launching a major growth thrust.

Here are a couple of posts on sowing seeds of awareness through relationships and throughout the community.

• Sowing Seeds Through Your Webs of Relationships
• Sowing Seeds of Love in Your Community
• Sowing Seeds Through Servant Evangelism #1, #2, #3
• Sowing Seeds Through Marketing #1, #2, #3

7. Have bold relevant preaching of God's word.  Acts 2:14-36

I remember a well-known pastor say that 85% of the people stay in a church because they made some type of connection with the person bringing the message that day.  We can have all the latest technology, the greatest music, the warmest people, the best children’s ministry but if people don’t connect with the message and the messenger they will move on.  Many a pastor has spent hours on preparing the service and outreach strategy but only minutes on preparing their message. This is to their detriment and is dishonoring to God.

Two things we learn for Peter's sermon 1) He responded to the questions and reaction of the crowd.  The bulk of the sermons preached in the book of Acts are responses to people's questions. HT If we are going to do a effective job of touching the hearts of people outside the church we must address the questions they are asking. We must understand their "heart language."  We must understand what moves them.  Do you know the primary heart language of your community?  2) He boldly proclaimed the word of God in providing an answer to their questions. Paul writes to Timothy, “Preach the word.” (II Timothy 4:2 NIV)  The foundation of any church is to be based on strong biblical preaching, not motivational speaking; an undying commitment of bringing the unshakable Word of God to a world that is falling apart at its core must be the underlying conviction for every pastor.

8.  Ask for a commitment to Christ.  Acts 2:37-41

The key to getting commitment is clarity!  Peter's conclusion to his message was crystal clear, "Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ."  (vs 36)  His call to action was specific and realistic, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."  (vs 38)  His appeal was filled with passion and urgency, "With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, 'Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.'"  (vs 40)

Remember that this major growth thrust, at its core, is evangelistic in nature.  Our preaching must be evangelistically focused.  David Murray describes evangelistic preaching as plain, simple and clear. He writes, "Evangelistic preaching will be plain. If we love sinners and we are anxious for them to be saved, we will be clear and plain in our structure, content, and choice of words. If we can use a smaller word, we use it. If we can shorten our sentences, we do so. If we can find an illustration, we tell it. Everything is aimed at simplicity and clarity, so that, as it was said of Martin Luther, it may be said of us, 'It’s impossible to misunderstand him.'" HT

At some point during this major growth thrust we must passionately lift up the person and work of Jesus Christ.  We must challenge our audience with the implications of His claims as Lord and Savior.  We must make it clear on how one becomes a true follower of Jesus.  Check out the David Murray post on the four kinds of evangelistic sermons.

Come back mid-August for the final two principles...