What makes a church grow? Is it the role of church leadership to put on a show every Sunday, and water down the Scriptures, just to get a church (the body and bride of Christ) to grow? That might be what it takes for the tares (unbelievers), but that is not what it takes for the real believers. When we study the early church we can see that from its inception it was a mighty entity that burst forth from God’s working, God’s will (Acts 2:41) (Acts 4:4) (Acts 5:14) (Acts 8:1,4).
Why was the church so powerful in its influence? Why did it grow so rapidly and dramatically in the first century? Let us note carefully that it was not because its members had been trained in “the world’s largest Jewish synagogue and/or Greek school of philosophy.” The following are some answers as to why the first century church grew based on plain Bible teaching:
1.) The church grew because it trusted in the one true God (1 Timothy 4:10; 1 Timothy 6:17). It would not compromise with false (humanly originated) religions (Galatians 1:6-12).
2) The church grew because it trusted in Jesus Christ, and refused to compromise with idolatry, preaching Christ crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2) and that only through Him could men be saved (Acts 4:12).
3) The church grew not because it observed the worldly methods and “gimmicks” of the Jews and Greeks, but because they had abiding faith in the power of the Gospel (Romans 1:15-17) (Hebrews 4:12). They preached that saving word without fear to everyone (Mark 16:15) (Acts 4:18-20) (Acts 5:27-29) (Acts 20:25-27) (Romans 10:18) (Colossians 1:23) even if such preaching were to cost them their freedom or lives (Revelation 2:10). They reproved, rebuked and exhorted one another with it (2 Timothy 4:1-5). They preached “one body, one Spirit and one hope of our calling”; “one Lord, one faith, one baptism”; “one God and Father of all” (Ephesians 4:4-6).
4) The church grew because the members of Christ’s body (Ephesians 5:30) lived lives of sincere dedication to Christ. They knew that their lives had to be “worthy of the gospel of Christ (Philippians 1:27), to be lights in a world of darkness (Philippians 2:15-16) (Matthew 5:13-16) and to be willing, if necessary, to sacrifice everything for Christ (Luke 14:26-33) (Luke 9:23) (Revelation 2:10). Thousands of people were added to the Lord’s church soon after it was established (Acts 2:41) (Acts 4:4) because its members:
(1) Preached and taught the gospel with faithfulness and zeal.
(2) Defended the gospel without fear or favor whenever the gospel was challenged.
(3) Lived the gospel with all of their being.
Are you involved with the growth of your church? If not, then get involved.