Growing From the Inside Out
If we as a church are to continue to be a church in this community, we must grow. We must grow both in spiritual strength and maturity (internal growth), as well as in numbers (external growth).
Numerical Growth. Numbers are not necessarily an indicator of church success or failure. At the end of His live, Jesus had very few faithful followers, but He wasn’t a failure. Numbers can be deceiving – giving the appearance of strength, yet true spirituality can be lacking (see Re 3:17). A church can be small because it is standing for truth in a wicked culture. This is not to say that small numbers are better, only that numbers are not everything.
Numerical growth must be focused on the salvation of our families, friends, neighbors, co-workers, etc. It must be about more people eternally saved and more people glorifying God. Remember, our job is to plant and water the seed (the word of God), but it is God’s job to “give the increase” (1 Co 3:6).
Spiritual Growth. External and spiritual growth cannot be separated. True growth involves both because when we are actively growing, internal and external fruit will be produced of various kinds. However, mere external growth without deepening spirituality will not produce truth growth. It can be exciting, but it won’t ultimately save or glorify God because God is spirit and worshiped in spirit and in truth (Jn 4:24).
Those who are growing must keep growing in knowledge and grace (2 Pe 3:18), in faith (2 Th 1:3), in hope (Ro 15:13), in the work of the Lord (1 Co 15:58), in love (Ph 1:9), in strength (Ac 9:22), in bearing fruits of righteousness (2 Co 9:10). It pushes us to study more, ask more questions, pray more, worship more, and talk to others about these things.
Those who are not growing need to start. We need to stop procrastinating and excusing ourselves and get to work. We need to accept the help of those who are strong and growing (Ro 15:1). This needs to begin right now – not the tomorrow that never comes.
We need to try to help the weak and restore those who didn’t grow and have become unfaithful to the Lord. “Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins” (Ja 5:20). Our strength as a church can be sapped by discouragement when we see people become disinterested and turn back to the world. We need to try to help them.
In many ways we ARE a strong church, but we can be stronger. To be stronger each of us must become stronger and more active. dd