Pentecost must have been an amazing sight to behold. Men were quite literally on fire for the Lord, as the Holy Spirit descended upon them in tongues of fire. The apostles began to speak in languages they did not know, so that everyone there could hear the Gospel in his own language. Some mocked the apostles, claiming they were drunk. But many did believe, and after Peter’s sermon, Acts 2:41 tells us that “those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.” Whoa. Three thousand people? And a short while later, after Peter and John healed a lame beggar, John preached again about Jesus, and that day five thousand men believed! That’s astounding. Suddenly the growth of the Church in our own day can seem very meek in comparison.
Good morning, class! I assume you’ve all passed Church Growth 101, where you learned the secret to church growth, yes? In case you need a refresher, by all means, please read The Secret to Church Growth to review. But my guess is that most of you not only agree that church growth starts with the family unit, you also practice that in your own home. That is wonderful. But it can’t stop there.
I have an unusual family. Allow me to explain before any family members reading this get offended. We are unusual because we’re so, well… normal. Take my dad’s side of the family. He is one of six children. That generation married and had kids, so my cousins and siblings and I total eighteen. Now our generation is getting married and having kids, and so far there are thirty and counting in the next generation. Here’s the thing—of all of us, there are no black sheep, no rebels, no skeletons in the closet, and all of us get along—no family feuds or rifts or anything. And we are all actively living out our Christian faith. Continue reading “The Secret to Church Growth”