Actscelerate.com

A simple plan for church growth and how to overcome the obstacle

Friendly Face Posts: 434 **12/12/18 7:53 am**

We agree that our goal is to see many people born again, Spirit filled and sanctified. The end result is naturally church growth with these believers. I do my best to live by faith but objectively deal with the facts and issues rather than see things through rose colored glasses. How many people we know as believers hate their lives in this world, leave church, order his or her time and money with an eternal perspective all week then come back to midweek service, a prayer meeting or the following Sunday excited about what he or she read in the Word or what God did since the last time we saw them?

Jesus gave a simple formula on the way to the Passover meal. John 12:24-26: 24 Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. 25 Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will preserve it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there also will my servant be. The Father will honor whoever serves me.

I believe Discipleship 101 involves sharing the practical application of dying to self and living with an eternal perspective. When Jesus said, "Whoever serves me follows me" He was on the way to giving 100% of Himself to the cross, not a couple of hours a week. I cannot see any option of leading people into reciting the "sinners prayer" and trying to find a way to tie them into regular Sunday church attendance as an option for true salvation.

The answer? My wife and I do our best to be very transparent, preach, teach and lead by example in living with an eternal perspective with our time and money. We are very discerning in choosing leaders who are willing to pay the price in being an example rather than those who have great worldly success and titles (we love those types if the spiritual is there). I must strive against my flesh that likes being popular, successful as a pastor, looked at as one who is imortant, knows and hangs wiht the big boys etc.

Thoughts? What do you see as our obstacles to the Great commission? What are your answers?