HOW TO GET A CHURCH TO GROW?
By Rev. Diana Gray - Evangelist
Copyright (c) 2002-3 All Rights Reserved

     There are many ways to help a church to grow.  We will be looking at the various ways like:

• 1.) External: Physical members
• 2.) Internal: Emotional, Mental, and Spiritual growth.
• 3.) Natural Growth: as babies are added to the body as well as adoptions.
• 4.) Outside church transfers
• 5.)  Backsliders who are out in the community looking for a loving home church.
• 6.) Conversion as lost souls are added. (This should be done daily but seldom is.)

     First lets look at small churches.  Now some people think that a church that has 100 members is a small church. Where I come from a small church is from 10 to 50 members.  Anything less than 10 is really a home church so let's look at a small church and see if we can't come up with some solutions to the central question, "How to get a church to grow?" Some of these ideas may or may not apply to your situation but as you read on you will find some that do.

     Growth can and does happen but there are certain proven methods that has worked in a number of churches.  Not all churches will be helped by these ideas but at least it could get one thinking upon these lines.  Growth step by step has to be broken by the barriers that are a hindrance to it.  If we study them all together we might be able to come up with a few ideas that may be of use to you so read carefully asking the Lord if there is anything here that can help your church.   Remember we should always seek the Lord's will for our lives first.  We should always do this before we do anything else if we want to be truly successful in ministry. 

     Just a a baby small churches need time to grow to full maturity.  Healthy church growth at a steady pace is always desirable but it doesn't always happen that way and we must always be prepared for the unexpected to happen church service after service.   Life, energy, excitement, anticipation can incite the congregation into action BUT.....everyone must also learn to be patient as well.  We never fully get to receive our expectations and Pastor's must make up their minds that they are in for the LONG HALL.  Too many pastors quit after only a few years thinking that they should have a big church when they may only have 20-50 members.  Up where I live in Wisconsin  the average church is between 20-50 people.  Medium to large churches are the exception rather than the rule.  So if your church fits into that category your in good company!  

     I know one Pastor who had about 8 loyal people and felt blessed to have that many.   His sermons were no different than preaching to a large group.  Very anointed speaker too!  Let's face it a sermon is a sermon, is a sermon and you want to do a good job no matter who is sitting there, lots of people or a few.  Bloom where the Lord plants you and do the best that you can do for Him.   

     I talked to a Pastor friend that I know of and he said that there was a Sunday morning that his wife had to leave town with the children to go visit relatives.  When he went to have his service not one person from the congregation was there.  (They only had about 11 people who were regulars since they were a new church trying to get established,) so he said to him self, "There is at least one person here who needs to hear this sermon," and so he worshiped the Lord in music, singing and preached one of his best sermons.  You see the Lord wanted this pastor to rejoice in the Lord no matter who does or doesn't show up for services.  He could have been sad or he could have said, "I am going to praise the Lord in all my circumstances."  G-d had the glory!  G-d Wopd doesn't go out void but goes to where He intends it to go.

     1)  A new church is a baby church needing to learn to be mobile.  It's starts out as a baby needing constant supervision and care.  Every step has to be directed but once the baby has been successfully established and familiar with its surroundings it begins to crawl.  At this stage a small group of people have started coming to Bible Studies and church services on a regular basis.   Worship music has been set up to be followed by a Spirit filled sermon and the duties of the Pastor is fully underway as he or she ministers to the body.

     Holidays generally bring more people in but they soon seem to level off for awhile at a certain number.  This is frustrating to the Pastor who had such high ideals but is finding out that there seems to be a hindrance.   It alludes him as to the why of it all.  What is needed to get things up and running..................many times the baby is immature and needs more nourishment before it can grow bigger.  This is feeding the Word of the Lord time. Get them to eat the Word (Read, study, eat the Word.)  It's important and needs to take place before anything else should happen.  When the baby is ready for more it will start moving on it's own with a little nudge from the Pastor and church leaders. 

     REMEMBER THIS......Pastors are to be Coordinators not a one man or woman show forever.  Too many times the Pastor will try to do it all and after awhile the congregation begins to feel like they are being CONTROLLED.  Not good!  Murmuring starts as complaints begin to happen.  Some pastor's feel they need to play worship music as well as preach the sermon and minister into the body.   Even the disciples said that others needed to weight on tables not them.  It may be all right for a Pastor to play music while pioneering a church but as soon as possible they need to step aside letting other people do music ministry for them.  

     Church leaders are to train people for ministry that the Lord has gifted them with. Yes G-d gave them talents and skills to get a church up and running but the key area here for success is to allow the people to have ministries so that they can begin to feel Connected.  Pastors need to perform their jobs as an Overseer and a Coordinator.  Once in a while it's good if a Pastor can play special music but not each and every church service. This would be a real set up for burn out and we wonder why so many good pastors leave the ministry.  Get everyone working as a TEAM and you will have success.  A one man or woman show over an exstended period of time would be harmful to any church but a TEAM of workers is fun as well as in line with the Lord's will.  

    This means letting go of the control and allowing the Lord the throne.  This is G-d's house that is being buildt not any one person's.  We serve the Master not the other way around.  Humility, patience and perseverance is what's needed.   Growth begins when you take a firm stand in a solid commitment to grow. (NO matter how long it takes!)  We are assuming that the pastor has leadership skills and training.  Pastor's must have the skills to manage and lead as well as good ministry skills to keep on top of all the different problems of the congregation. 

     Some Pastor's keep aloof from the congregation and then wonder why the church isn't growing.  Pastors need to know their people and learn to make friends.  Look at Jesus, He lived right along side of the diciples for three years.  He saw and heard everything that was going on and knew when they were troubled or hurting.  (He is still doing that today, isn't He?)

     Listen to this bit of wisdom............the sheep need to learn the sound of the sheepherder.  I can't say that loud or hard enough!  They need to get to know the Pastor in a close personal way and he needs to do the same.  Now there's great wisdom in what I am saying.  Fellowship with the different members of the congregation is fun and educational as well.  Everyone needs to be honest,  sincere,  as true as they can be and learning to love each other like a family.  When you break bread with someone (eat a meal with them,) they will begin to feel like you really care for them.  Love, loyalty and deep lasting friendships begin to happen.  People will want to help build up the body along with you. 

     A Pastor needs to truthfully ask themselves, "Am I really doing all that I can to be involved with my congregation's lives? I bet if we all looked there will be areas for improvement.  Be real, be honest and let Jesus look out of your eyes full of His compassion at each other.  Genuine attraction comes from people who feel special being around eachother.  Be a good listener by hearing what they are saying.  Treat them with respect, honor and dignity.  Remember we who minister to others must class others higher than ourselves.  Our job is to be a servant with a servants heart. 

     If you want church growth you must first be a person who is growing spiritually, praying through all decisions and then double checking them again.  If you're a dynamic Pastor or rather sheepherder of a congregation your sheep will follow.  By being a broken vessel instead of a person filled with self pride your church will grow as the Lord fills up the pews.  Whatever you are in your moral character will be reflected in your congregation.  If a Pastor is a gossip, the rest of the congregation will too be.  If he or she is a G-dly person the congregation will be too.

     Whatever way you act, they will reflect that actions good or bad.  Live with G-dly morals and integrity, not judging in condemnation but allowing people time to change growing into the type of people that you can lead in righteousness.  Whatever seed you plant into your congregation will take fruit later.  Think of the congregation as a mirror of the Pastor.  If you see something in them you don't like better look at yourself to see if you are doing the same.  See what I mean!  Be careful not to advocate separation from sin because you will alienate the very people you are trying to reach.  We catch them, G-d cleans them! You won't expect a baby to run until they have learned to walk.  Well the same goes true of congregations.  They will only be able to run until they are grounded and founded upon the Word.  Again....patience and more patience!

     Become a church that goes after spiritual babies.  If you don't your church won't grow.  Seek every way imaginable to bring the people in.  One such way is to make handout invitation cards for the body to hand out to their friends inviting them to the church.  Another way would be to put adds in  the newspaper over and over and over and over again.  Get radio spots and if you can afford it place church advertisements.  Use every bit of media that you can think of to get the people to come.  Invite, invite, invite and again invite.  When you are tired, do it again and again over and over....ect.   Knock on doors and when you have knocked on every door in your city........go back and do it again.   Invite people to come!  Word of mouth does get around and if the people hear long enough and loud enough they will become curious to find out about your church.

     First concentrate on helping the people to spiritually grow to maturity, as they develope into a strong core group of believers.  You can't just preach and teach but lead, coordinate guiding people into various church ministries and then...............pull back allowing them to take their first steps in ministry.  Sure they will make mistakes, expect it but a church that allows for mistakes will be a church that allows the Lord to use the leader wisely.  This is called, "Getting out of the way or off of the throne allowing the Lord to be in your place. 

     Warm services and anointed powerful sermons can make or break a church.  If a pastor puts the people to sleep by preaching with the same monotone voice That's  hard to listen too for more than a few minutes wake up and make the nessisary changes.  Ever notice that there are some pastors who preach in such a way that people could sit for a long time and still want more of the sermon?  Then there are others who only read the Bible out loud and put everyone asleep.  

     Bring life into your sermons, get down and let them see occasional tears as well as feelings.  Preach in honesty and passion.  If you deeply believe something you will preach it with authority.  People for too a long period of time have walked out of churches feeling hungry, don't let your sermons be that way.  Spiritual fire with sincere emotion as well as spiritual anointing go a long way in getting people to bring their friends to church. 

     Take my word for it that if a Pastor leads the worship music week after week and then preaches the sermon, he will begin to loose people in his congregation.  Why, because no one wants to see a one person show week after week.  This is one message that tells everyone that this is a selfish pastor and that he feels no one is important enough to minister in the church.  WE are all part of one body and G-d gave each of us a job to do. Here is somthing good to try; set up a rotation of special music each week and allow the people to take turns.  This will allow others to feel more connected with the body and that they are part of the church.  I am seen this become a very succesful thing in a number of churches. Try it!

     A healthy body will grow and spread out.  Team work is what's needed not control! Everyone pulling their own weight helping others to do the same in the love of Jesus.  Praise, prayer, concentrated prayer and more concentrated prayer.   Be strong on your knees and your church will grow. 

     Make sure you church doesn't cater to only people of one race.  Multiracial groups all serving the Lord in His love and compassion.  (When cut, don't we all bleed red blood so what does it matter what the color of our skin.  Underneath we are all the same.) 

     If you want people to come to your mid week services............play gospel music and worshipful songs.  People don't want Bible study as usually anymore.  These types of worship services really help to bring the people in.  Call the services 'Midweek uplift' services and your in business.  One other thing...........look for anyone who can play guitar.  Guitars and drums really add to the worship music.  Piano is nice but when you add guitars and drums to the worship people can feel the life.  Think of it this way, people will not necessarily remember what you say or how you pretty  your voice is but they will remember how you made them feel.   If your worship services make them feel the joy of the Lord as they enter into the Holy of Holies than you will be onto something great for the church. 

     Another area that we need to look at is how healthy is your church.  Now ask yourself honestly, is your church healthy?  A body has trouble growing if it's not healthy.  A physical body needs to be fed the right food, nurtured, and exercised.  A pastor can't and shouldn't try to do everything.  Remember a Pastor is an Overseer and Coordinator.  Yes he or she needs to know how to run a church but they have to let go of jobs as soon as possible in order to allow the members to function in their various ministries.  It's like telling a child to clean up a room. If you do it for them they never learn how to but if you briefly show them how and then step back it begins to get done.  Sure they may leave a few messes here or there that still needs your help with but sooner or later they do lean how to do the job.  
   
     Now look at the Word in sermons, are the people truly getting fed the right kinds of food.  A good indicator that the sermon was good or not is whether anyone is talking about the sermon later.  If the people are sitting on the edge of their chairs to hear more is a good indicator too.  People falling asleep or getting up to go for a walk is not.  Let me ask this question about the services, is it nurturing people's inner needs or is it bringing condemnation upon them.  When people come to church are they eager to hear the message or are they  accustomed to attending because it's something they have always done? 

     One more thing.......after the church service do people literally leave the church  building vacant within ten minutes of the service ending?  This is a good indicator that the service wasn't very spirit filled.  When people are properly fed they will want more of the same.  If they run away repeatedly as soon as the doors open, I would have to say the sermon needs to change.  Encourage people to stand around and fellowship for a while longer after the service.   

     Please I'm not being hard, I'm trying to help you analyze what needs to happen to make your church successful.   I know that if you're reading this teaching than you  are seeking some help and honestly willing to look at some possible solutions to the problem dealing with "How to have church growth."

WELCOME ALL TYPES OF PEOPLE 

    Let's move on, now consider whether or not your church is open to mixed races and what about rich or poor.  Consider also whether or not your church is open to having a rougher element of people who may have lived a sinful rough life in and out of jail.  Take a hard look at your congregation and who and what do you see?  A growing church is a church that is open to everybody, (all types of people).  Look at the way Jesus Christ was, He went to everyone with the message, not just the Publicans.  Aren't we to be imitators of the Lord?  Become a church that is multiethnic and multiracial as well as multicultural.  Become a church for everyone as you reach out to the lost.

     In order to treat the sickness we have to get a solid understanding of the cause behind the sickness hindering church growth.  I don't know exactly what's wrong with your church and why it's not growing so I am putting everything I can think of to try to help you.  Dig deep in this teaching asking the Lord to reveal if there be any truth here that you need to work on and change for your church.  If your church body is sick in anyway understanding why it's sick is the first step in helping it to heal.  When a Pastor has this understanding than healing can take place, the body heals and church growth begins to take place.  Let's do what the Word of G-d says and live our lives striving to fulfill the Great Commission.

    So you may have discovered that you church needs help in these multicultural areas here is a few ideas to help:

• 1.)  Begin by starting up a buddy system.  Pair up new people with mentors.  Someone to help newcomers feel welcome and loved.
• 2.) Start up Bible Study classes in cell groups in various parts of town, the pastor should attend these too if time permits.
• 3.) Aggressively seek to reach out to the lost souls in your city that is generally forgotten about by other churches.  Bring them in and allow the Lord time to clean them up.  Then you will have some fine members added to your congregation.  Everyone has potential to be better than what they are.  Give a person half a chance and they will surprise you.
• 3.) Make sure that whomever you have in leadership with you is open minded.  Their values as well as your own must be in line with the Word of G-d.  It would be wise to have a mixture of people in leadership representing everyone in the congregation.  Male, female, rich, poor, et.   In the Lord's eyes...

     If you have reached a plato in your church consider that it may be suffering from a condition connected with dying.  Yes even young churches can suffer from death too.  Why, well lets consider this concept.  Has your church become stabilized and set in it's ways?  When church growth comes to a stand still we need to dig deep to understand the whys of it and one of the problems could be the dying syndrome....and when it's not growing  it begins to die off.   What can you do to break this trend? Surely prospects for Evangelism is being hindered.

• 1.)  Start up a week long prayer vigil at the church storming the gates of Heaven is the most important thing to do.  Hard, heavy group prayer is needed.  Praise, Repentance of sin and finally make your Petitions made known to the Lord.
• 2.)  Consider moving to a new location.  Maybe a planned move will be the ticket in getting a new refreshing of the body.  People who live and church in the same area over long periods of time tend to get set in their ways.  They tend to become stagnant in their point of views.  Take a look at the early church in the book of Acts.  The Christians who were in Jerusalem had become way too comfortable and it took a thing like Religious Persecution to burst them loose into other cities.  New churches were pioneered and spiritual growth happened.  All because they were forced to get out of their comfort zone.
• 3.)  Notify your city's welcoming committee and give them gifts from your church to any and all newcomers who have recently moved into your city.  Reach out to the hospitals, nursing homes, weddings, funerals and anything else you can think of to get your congregation moving again.

• 1.)  Call the congregation together so that you all can brain storm with each other as to what programs would help Church growth.  When the people get involved then they will be more willing to HELP the church grow.  The dream of the Pastor will then become their dream as well.
• 2.)Become as sinsitive as possible to the needs of the community at large and you will find that your church has become vibrant and alive again.  Change is good!
• 3.)  Find out about other churches like your self who desire church growth and ask them what they have done to achieve success.  Seek out Larger churches and ask them the same question.  
• 4.)  Brainstorm with the congregation to find out what Bible Studies could be offered in order to meet the needs of the community like Alcoholics who are in recovery.  Let your church be available to meet their needs.
• 5.)  Become involved with the local jail.  May a soul is ready to accept Jesus as their Lord when they are hurting in jail.  Reach out to the lost and the lost will reach out to you.  Remember that not everyone in jail is a murder or rapist.  Most of the people in jails are there because of plan messing up their lives.  Lead them down the right pathway!

     Today people need fellowship more than ever.  Allow them time to fellowship with each other before and after the services.  Encourage the body to minister and pray with each other.  Watch this though to make sure people continue reaching out to the lost.  Gossip is highly frowned upon in these situations reminding the people to visit with each other as Christ would have it.  Leave sin out the door and that includes gossip.  

     Find out what the top priority is with each person and then strive to meet their needs.  Once having done so tell them it's time to reach out to new comers in as much love as possible.  It all boils down to this........outreach, outreach and more outreach.  Get that into everyone's mentality.   People may initially be attracted to a church because of the Pastor but.........they will stay because of the congregation.  Again I ask you what needs to be done or said to the congregation in order that they are fully motivated.  Once figuring that out, you will be well on the road to victory.  This means.......OUTREACH MENTALITY starts from the pulpit on down to the congregation.  It all starts with the Pastor and his or her vision.

     How is your church doing with following up visitors?  What about people who have left the congregation, is there anyway to restore them back to the church  body again? If your church seems too crowded, then go to two services.  Maybe even an evening Service as well.  If your church can only sit 40 people and there is already 30 it's time to consider a second service.  Lack of physical comfort can hinder church growth too.  A church that has a dynamic on fire outreach program is the church that will grow.  

    Try having a Friendship day!  Set this special day aside to  honor visitors with a Pot Blessing.  Encourage fellowship like this once a month.  Call your Pot blessing days: "Friendship Day" Remind the people in the congregation that Friendship Day is coming and to invite someone to it.  Make sure you recognize and honor those who brought a friend in.  Everyone loves a pat on the back publicly from the Pastor.  Be generous with your praise and the rewards will be a happy church body.  THEY WILL KNOW WE ARE CHRISTIANS BY OUR LOVE!

    Now we should look at another way to build up a church.  After and only after a year should a pastor consider bringing in outside evangelistic help.  The congregation needs time to know their pastor first.  They need time to become bonded and in turn they will become loyal.  At this point they are ready to have guest speakers come for a visit without hurting the church.  

• 1.)  Set up time for heavy revival prayers.  Storm the gates of Heaven as a solid group asking, seeking, pleading for revival, then see it having already happened through spiritual eyesight.
• 2.) Set one service aside to concentrate upon repentance of sins.  Get your house clean inside as well as outside.  Pray for the government, the nation, the church ect as you pray for each other.
• 3.)  Seek a moving of the Holy Spirit within the body.  (Don't be surprised if some of the souls begin to see the manifestations of angels)  These types of prayers usher in the Glory of the Lord and everyone there will soon be feeling His presence.)
• 4. ) Invite guest speakers like Evangelists to come speak.  Evangelists are fire starters who concentrate on new souls won into the Kingdom of Heaven.  Spiritual growth within the body can take place with the right Guest speaker.  I believe in wholeness healing for the whole body not just the physical outside but also Inner Emotional Healing as well.   As an Evangelist when I go out I concentrate on the whole person and that is what you need for your church too.

Finally let's consider some other ways to help your church to grow:

• 1.) Utilize the radio stations giving taped sermon telecasts.  
• 2.)  Get on T.V. if you possibly can. Check out the  public cable channel that does programs for nonprofit organizations like churches.
• 3.)  Have a Bowling for Souls fellowship night.
• 4.) Church car washes are a great way to invite people to come to your church.
• 5.)  Set up a craft table for your church.
• 6.)  Get yourself involved with the city fair and sign up to be included in the parades.
• 7.)  Place adds in the local newspaper.  Don't forget the surrounding town.
• 8.)  Start up a telephoning invitation campaign.
• 9.)  Knock on doors and invite people to come to your church.
• 10.)  Make up small invitational cards to be handed out by everyone in the congregation.
• 11.)  Start up a baseball team and get everyone involved in picnic fellowships.

Your Sister in Christ,
Email
Reverend Diana Gray - Evangelist

   YOU ARE LOVED OF THE LORD, FAR MORE THAN YOU WILL 
EVER REALIZE! GIVE YOUR FAITH A CHANCE TO SPIRITUALLY GROW.

KJV Bible

Here is a teaching to help deepen spiritual faith further:
http://dianagrayministries.net/bible/positive.html

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