The Church
Growth:
Lessons from the Early Church
By Kola S. Ajibola
Introduction
1)
Growth
is the process of growing physically, mentally or emotionally; increase in
size, amount or degree of something (Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary).
2)
The
word growth in the New Testament occurred in two main ways, namely:
a.
Numerically
- Acts 2:41, 47; 4:4; etc;
b.
Spiritually
- 2 Peter 3:18; Acts 17:11.
3)
From
the very day of church establishment, the Lord's church erupted like a blast of
dynamite in the first century - Acts 2:41; 4:4; 5:14; 8:1, 4.
4)
The
church was dynamic, spiritual militant force that it was referred to as those who
had:
a.
"turned
the world upside down" - Acts 17:6;
b.
they
were "everywhere spoken against" - Acts 28:22.
II. The Growth: - Acts 2:41, 47; 4:4; 5:14; 6:1;
6:7; 12:24; 16:5; 19:20
Within 30 years of its existence, Paul
could say that the gospel had come to all the world - Colossians 1:5-6, 23. The
gospel spread in the following order with respect to the command of Christ to
the Apostles in Acts 1:8:
·
Jerusalem- - - - Acts 2-6
·
Samaria
- - - - Acts 8
·
Caesarea - - - Acts 10
·
Antioch
of Syria - - - Acts 11: 19-21
·
Paphos
and Antioch of Pisidia - Acts 13: 6-49
·
Iconium/Lystra - - - Acts 14: 1-23
·
Philippi - - - -
Acts 16:12-40
·
Thessalonica,
Bereans, Athens - Acts 17: 1-34
·
Corinthians - - - Acts 18: 1-11
III. The Growth is always a
result of:
1.
Spreading (planting- Paul planted, I Corinthians 3:6) the seeds -Luke 8:11
·
to/for
others as commanded
- Mark 16:15; 2 Timothy 4:1-2. Illustration: Acts 5:42 and 8:4.
·
parable
of sower -
Mark 4:1-8. Wayside, stony, thorny, good
ground
·
the
increase comes from God
- I Corinthians 3:6-7; 2 Corinthians 9:10-11.
·
the
power is not in those who preaches BUT in the Word - Romans 1:16; Hebrews 4:12; I
Corinthians 1:21-25.
2. Irrigating
(Follow-up) - "Apollos watered" - I Corinthians 3:6
3. God
giving the increase - I
Corinthians 3:6-7. "So then neither
is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth
the increase ." (KJV)
IV.
Lessons to be Learnt
THE EARLY CHURCH GREW BECAUSE MEMBERS:
a
a) trusted in the one true God - I Timothy 4:1; 6:17. The church did not compromise with false (humanly
originated) religions - Galatians 1:6-12.
b) trusted in the one
true Son of God (Jesus Christ) and
refuse to compromise with pagan
views of saviours - Matthew 24:5, 24. The church preached Christ crucified - I Corinthians 2:2 as the only saviour - Acts 4:12.
c)
did
not observed the worldly methods and gimmicks but they had abiding faith in the power of the gospel - Romans 1:15-17; Hebrews
4:12.
d)
preached
without fear or favour to anyone - Mark 16:15-16; Acts 4:18-20; Colossians
1:23; Acts 5:27-29; Acts 20:25-27; Romans 10:18; Colossians 1:23.
e)
preached the gospel as commanded
by Christ -
Ephesians 4:4-6. They did what Christ instructed them to do without any
deviation. They preached with faithfulness and zeal;
f)
defended the truth with fear and favour;
g)
lived lives of dedication to
Christ with all their being.
They knew their lives had to be
·
"worthy of the gospel of
Christ" -
Philippians 1:27;
·
lights
in the world of darkness - Matthew 5:13-16; Philippians 2:15-17;
·
willing
to sacrifice everything for Christ - Luke 14:26-33; Luke 9:23; Revelation 2:10.
h)
were
disciplined - Acts
5:14. An effort to keep the church pure has tendency to increase its
membership.
i)
have love of the brethren - Acts 2:42-44;
j) j)
respected the word and obeyed it - Jude 3; 2 Timothy 3:16-17;
Galatians 1:8-9; 2 John 9;
k)
respected the divine authority in
worship, work, organization and purity of life - Acts 2:42, 47.
Thousands
were added to the Lord's church soon after it was established -Acts 2:41; Acts
4:4; because its members
V.
The Key to church growth:
The members must be motivated to
reach out by:
- · generating contacts - Luke 14:23; Acts 8:4;
- · cultivating studies - John 4:7-42;
- · convicting studies - Acts 24:25;
- · grounding studies - Matthew 28:18;
- · training themselves to train others - 2 Timothy 2:2.
Conclusion
- Considering the church at Jerusalem, we noticed that it was:
- a worshipping church - Acts 2:42;
- a reverence church - Acts 2:43;`
- an unselfish church - Acts 2:44, 45;
- a happy church - Acts 2:46, 47;
- a sharing church - Acts 2:46, 47.
- The growth experienced by the early church can be experienced the Lord's church today if the church today can follow the pattern established by the early church by following Christ's commands.
- The growth was as a result of planting, watering and God giving the increase. Men must do their part while God has promised to bless the effort of saints.
- How serious are we with the business of preaching the gospel to all?
- Can we say with all honesty that we have done our very best?
- God want us to repent and do His will always.
- Thank you, may God continue to bless His church and children, Amen.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
P. O. Box 35478,
Agodi Gate, Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. +234-805-604-8209,
ksajibola@gmail.com,
www.ksajibola.blogspot.com, www.cocogooluwa.org
