Prayer
List
Charles
Counts is home, having gout and a rash. He will see his Cardiologist
next week to see if ablation is needed.
Ruby
Slone
is receiving
shots for back pain -
1 more to go.
Florene
Griffin had surgery Jan. 30. Will have about 4 months of rehab.
Monty
Randallph is taking radiation and chemo treatments.
Angel
Johnson’s surgery is scheduled for Feb. 20.
Cathy
Painter (Wolfe City) will get a kidney transplant Feb 7.
Robert
Courtney is home; he has been diagnosed with lung,liver and brain
cancer. He is waiting on results of biopsy to determine course of
action.
Kathy
Hill had a port installed and is taking chemo treatments.
Robert
Fields had a stroke and was fired from his job.
Don
Hickerson, Don and Dannie Baker, James, Florene and Tabitha Griffin,
Billie Phillips, Billie Bradford, Leona Brown, Betty Clark, Les
Hamel, Gary Hickerson, Dorothy Hodges, Bobbi King, and Beryl Miller.
Serving
in the military: Cody Blomstedt, Tyler Davies, Josh Van Duren,
Kirklynn Hance and Kirk Johnson. All are in the U.S. at this time.
Men’s
Business Meeting will be held next week Feb 10 after evening Worship.
All men are invited and encouraged to attend.
Confess
your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be
healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth
much.
James
5:16 (KJV)
Pantry
Item: canned
corn or any other non-perishable item
Men
Serving Next Week February
10,
2019
Morning
Prayers Robert Embry, Walter McMillen
Evening
Prayers Kerry King, Jerry Harris
Scripture Don
Harrington
What About Church Growth?
By
Mike
Riley
Almost
every religious journal carries an article about church growth.
Seminars are conducted about it. Experts on church growth have become
as numerous as fleas on a dog. There are many misconceptions about
church growth as well as mistakes as to what real growth is. Many err
in regard to what it takes for a congregation to grow.
The
Amount Of Contribution
The
general consensus seems to be that if the contribution is above
average or exceeding the budget, it is an indication of church
growth. While it is true that if a church is to grow properly each
member must give liberally and cheerfully -
2
Corinthians 8:2-KJV
How
that in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy and
their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality.
2
Corinthians 9:7-KJV
Every
man according as he purposeth in his heart, so
let him give;
not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.
a
big contribution is not the determining factor in church growth. Some
“big givers” in the church are such because the preacher doesn’t
“step on their toes”. Should he begin to “crack down” on
their sins, they cut down on their contribution. A church is not
growing much if an above average contribution depends on sanctioning
sin.
The
Incorrect Assessment Of Numbers
Another
false measurement of church growth is an incorrect assessment of
numbers. A mere shift of members from one place to another is no
growth at all. The Lord’s instruction is “Go make disciples”
Matthew
28:19–
ESV
Go
therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the
name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
rather
than “compete for what you already have”. New carpet, air
conditioning, comfortable pews, or size and beauty of a building do
not determine growth. Millions of dollars have been spent on the
concept that such are indications of church growth.
Indications
Of Real Growth
What
then are indications of real growth? Let’s ask ourselves, how God
conscious are the members? Do they put Him first in their lives?
Matthew
6:33-KJV
But
seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all
these things shall be added unto you.
Are
they seeking to present His image in daily conduct?
2
Corinthians 3:18-KJV
But
we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord,
are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the
Spirit of the Lord.
James
1:23-KJV
For
if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man
beholding his natural face in a glass:
How
do the members treat one another? Do they “rejoice with them that
do rejoice and weep with them that weep”?
Romans
12:15-KJV
Rejoice
with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep.
What
about indications of concern for the needy?
James
2:14-18-KJV
14
What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath
faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
15
If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food,
16
And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed
and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are
needful to the body; what doth it profit?
17
Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.
18
Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me
thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my
works.
1
John 3:17-18-KJV
17
But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have
need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth
the love of God in him?
18
My little children, let us not love in word, neither in
tongue; but in deed and in truth.
Is
there an earnest desire that the lost hear the gospel? If members are
faithful in true evangelism
and
real benevolence as they should be, church growth will take care of
itself, all the church growth seminars being conducted not
withstanding.
Conclusion
Most
members say they want the church to grow. But church growth is a lot
like the weather – everybody talks about it, but no one does much
about it. Ask yourself, how long has it been since I invited a
non-Christian to attend a service and hear the gospel preached? It
might be surprising how many people in your city or community have
never been personally invited to attend the services of the Lord’s
church. What are you (and I) doing
to
help the church grow?
Trivia
Question
What
much-loved and much-quoted prophet was active in the reigns of
Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, and according to tradition, was
executed by Manasseh?
Answer
and scripture reference next week.