GOD'S BLESSING AND THE NONGROWING CHURCH
Johnny V. Miller
October 1, 1988
There's a pastor I know across town. His church is not growing, so he envies me. I know that because he told me.
I know this man well, and I'd say he's more godly than I am. He prays more, studies harder, and preaches more enthusiastically. He visits more, counsels more, and even makes evangelistic cold calls. Yet I make three times as much money, get invited to speak at other churches, and enjoy the highest ecclesiastical accolade of this age: "He pastors a growing church."
Please don't give me the managerial platitudes that say I must work smarter while he works harder. Honestly, in every way that counts before God, I believe he's a better man than I.
So I would like to propose a toast-er, a blessing: "God bless the pastor of the nongrowing church." He may be much more like the Lord Jesus than I am.
Some folks may not like that statement. They'll argue that it's God's will for each church to grow, and I agree. They'll argue that growth should be numerical, the fruit of evangelism, and I agree.
Yet that is not the way it was much of the time in our Lord's ministry. He wasn't always (maybe not even usually) "the pastor of a growing church." When the crowds did flock to him, it was sometimes (maybe usually) for the wrong reasons (for example, in John 6:26, where it was for food). And when he got down to real business, they were quick to disappear John 6:66). An attendance chart of Christ's ministry might have revealed statistical decline over time.
Was he discouraged? Possibly. Did he quit? Not until death. Was he a failure? Absolutely not!
Nor was Paul a failure when all abandoned him and his churches shrank while cults and false apostles mushroomed. The total fruit of Paul's ministry may not have equaled the numbers in my medium-sized ...
Like the preview? To read this complete article
and 18,013 more in the archive—JOIN NOW!
Easily find high-quality, well-researched materials that provide a Christian perspective on topics ranging from headlines to history.
Start using this invaluable tool TODAY for preparing your Bible studies, presentations, class lectures, sermons, meetings, and more.
|
It's easy and quick to join:
Brought to You by Christianity Today Int'l |  |
|
| 
Find similar articles
E-mail this page
