I am “for” Church growth. I am speaking of the growth of the universal Church.
I am “for” church growth via these particular methods: church plants, numerical growth of individual local churches, satellite churches, video venues, itinerant ministries, para church organizations, mid-sized connection groups, attractional philosophies, missional philosophies, the underground church movement, Mega churches, Micro churches (I made that one up), and anything else you can come up with in order to grow the Church. I will never be against a particular method of honest Church growth. Unfortunately there are Christians who invest a lot of time in bashing another church’s Church growth strategy because its not the method that works for them or because it is not their conviction. When I hear that, I feel like the lawyer in this situation.
I am “for” Church Growth — by any means.
Rock on.
Could you elaborate on what you mean by the universal Church? Is this an organization? If so, who leads it?
Are two churches that have very different philosophies/theology still a part of the universal church? Or is one left out? Who makes the call to determine who is and who isn’t a part of the universal church?
What if one church’s honest method involves techniques that draw people from other churches? Is this church growth? Is it bad, or wrong? Is it good? What if that same church’s techniques never draw anyone who does not have a connection with Christ, instead only drawing people who already do? Is that good, bad, or indifferent?
Furthermore, and more importantly, why are you for church growth? I’ve heard a lot of people give a lot of reasons why they are for church growth, and very rarely do any two people have the same reasons. Are all these people ultimately on different missions? If so, which mission am I supposed to be on? Who should I line up with?
I desperately want to agree with you, but I need more information to find out if I’m actually agreeing, or just appearing to agree with what I think you are saying.
lol…I LOVE those Coke Zero commercials. They are SOOOOO hysterical!
That’s Church with a capital “C”. My definition…the body of believers…
It’s not a matter of raising numbers in a particular building’s Sunday service…it’s bringing people into the Body of Christ.
Correct me if I’m not on the same track as you, Adam.
For the first time I read about the growth of the universal Church.
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