Do you really know how to grow churches?
 

I have observed many churches in the past decade and I know for a fact that not many people know how to grow a church, mentor leadership, and empower the people into taking pride in their church through exercising their gifts. I see so much potential but not enough people willing to give up control enough to let God move? What is this about? How do you think churches should be grown? How do you grow your church?

Blessings, Rhoni

There's a hint in these few words that will tell us the reason that some churches are NOT growing...*smile*
YES, I AM being bad....

Paul planted, Apollos watered but it was God who gave the increase. I think that is the best model for church growth.

BINGO!!!! One of the first things is to remember its not YOUR church in the first place...

And ohhhhhhh shall I count the ways!!!!

DO NOT go do a fancy fancy decor job and all the goodies on a building if your a small church.... start out small but nice. Yes a church can be nice without going overboard... in a couple of years then go thru and redecorate and make it look better but dont spend tons of money you dont have and then get in financial messes...

I know this wasnt the kind of things Rhoni was asking for but thats the one that rings loudest in my mind right this moment...

The rest I will keep to myself for now... (yall so dont want into this brain of mine LOL)

Yes, you are intuitive...what I was thinking was built on the word: CONTROL

The John Maxwell series on leadership was an excellent example of how to grow churches...it is to grow LEADERS.

Momentum is lost if you have to go through more than one supervisor to get anything accomplished. When you structure the church so that no person has any authority to utilize their gifts/talents withouth going to one leader, who has to go to another leader, who has to go to another leaders, who has to go to one more leader to get permission to accomplish something that could have happened in 5 minutes with the right person.

Another thing: A 6-7 level leader cannot have any leaders above them who are 8-10 leaders. 6-7 level leaders need people working under them that look to leadership as a God and can't move without asking persmission, and who pat the leader on the back constantly,; whereas, a 10 leader will not have CONTROL issues, will not want to be indisposable but will mentor leaders and trust them to do what they are gifted to do with little to no supervision.

Good leaders mentor leaders who will eventually replace them. Good leaders want to be replaced. It reminds me of a Missions class I took at JCM, The Indigenous Church. I practiced this when I went to my first church post Bible College...I grew them a deaf ministry that would continue in my abscence. I grew gifted and talented leaders to take my place so that when I left they still had an active Deaf Ministry.

With this said, many church leaders feel and handicap people into dependence so that if they leave people cannot continue on...this is sad. We should get ego out of the way, relinguish control issues, and mentor leaders that take our place in the future or leave and grow their own leaders...

Blessings, Rhoni

This is so so true.... The church we worked at in La... this was the case and horribly so. The pastor was mentoring the men... he was growing up leaders he thought... my husband always felt so bound there though because he just didnt seem to want them to be able to go outside of those 4 walls... to the point of when my husband would get calls to come preach out he would be very very hesitant to tell him of the calls... as he was with all of the young men...

When we were there this last time...for a visit I was informed that they had no services the week prior to us coming and when I asked the pastors wife why she said oh we had to go to Dallas on business...

Rhoni.... as she told me this he had 5 young preachers 2 newly licensed sitting on his platform..... but he keeps them so much under lock and key and such a control freak that they didnt feel they could conduct services on their own with him away?!?!?!

These people need to be mentored and it needs to be done in a way that these things will carry on when the one mentoring in whatever area leaves... but not just that... they need to be used before that person is gone so that they have that confidence in their ability....

Just as I noticed and I was so glad to see that when you spoke to your sign class yesterday you spoke it with much confidence that you were leaving..... in charge of the interpreting while you were gone for your sons wedding... A ministry you can leave in the hands of someone else for long or short tterm with confidence is a ministry well built and founded!!!!

I'd love to be turned loose in a church that really wants to grow...*sigh*

If a lay minister is spiritual enough for you to use him to go to prisons and nursing homes, why isn't he spiritual enough to handle a Weds. night Bible Class while pastor is out of town??

Our church dismisses when Pastor and/ or Assistant (his son) is out of town. We have no less than 5-6 'lay' ministers in our congregation...I don't get it...

Thank-you! Notice I left her in charge and gave her resources if she needed them;)! I will not go back and bug her about it either...she'll do fine...I trust her to do the best job she can do. Another might do it better but with less enthusiasm and have to be begged;)!

Blessings, Rhoni

Other opnions welcome

You know what else I noticed? Her smile changed a lot when you did that also... she had a walk and attitude of sheer confidence... and when she was signing she looked at me once when she messed up and kind of shrugged and all I did was wink at her and she kept on and as we were leaving she said she was glad to have me and then paused and said... thanks... it was a given... I didnt have to say thanks for what.... I didnt have to say a word... All I said is you will do wonderful and she smiled and walked on....

She is the right one! I agree with begging the other one.. It will not be worth it.. and I also noticed that Victor seems to be responding more... he smiles now when you are signing and he seems to be more alert of his surroundings.. one time when she seemed to lose track he helped her and had a huge smile after doing so.... this is a good thing and something I have to say you are doing much better then has ever been done there and with much more grace and I am not saying that just because you are my friend.. I am saying this because I have been a part of that church since I was 4 yrs old and I have seen these things come and go and none done with quiet the manner and dignity that it is now being handled. :highfive

*pass the tissues*..Now I'll never get anything accomplished tonight...stop that!

sniff sniff.... I will try.... its the truth!!!!

You can really grow a church with love, compassion, and passion!

:highfive I will have to add...the passion has to have the right direction;)!

Blessings, Rhoni

Misdirected or misguided passion will not grow a church!
If you're not going the right direction repentance is in order..........


Love for all mankind.
Compassion for the sick, wounded, and hurting.
Passion for His kingdom

Rhoni,
The comments I made in the other thread. Are actually inline with your observations. I think your views come from a solid foundation and much experience.

Sincerely,

Nathan Eckstadt

:ty

Blessings, Rhoni

Community outreach is reaching out to the community with help for the homeless, those without food, clothing, and shelter...when you do things for such as these you have done it unto Christ.

Blessings, Rhoni

God grows churches by sovereign moves of His Spirit - and He works within and particular to the framework of time, place, and situation. We must use every available means to win people. There's no excuse for doing nothing or sitting back on our haunches waiting for a move of God. We have to work while it's day but at the same time I've seen in every church we've been in God just moved by His Spirit sovereignly ushering in a whole wave of new people.

"Cast your bread upon the waters" is a scripture I always think about in regard to reaching people with the message of salvation. God will honour our sincere attempts at evangelism within our communities but I do think sometimes a lot of energy goes into some programs that yield little if any result.

We need to be wise and be led by the Spirit in regard to how we go about reaching out to people. Not every method will work in every community or for every church. God works with us as individuals and in our individual situations.

Just a few thots....... :)

Esther,

This is exactly what John Maxwell says. A level 6-7 Pastor will not use a 10 leader related to the intimidation factor. It is their own issue of insecurity and not that of the 10 person/leader wanting to be used. This is sad for all those truly gifted who have desire to be used.

Blessings, Rhoni

:ty Great thoughts and you are right...churches have individual needs and personalities just as people do. What works for one isn't necessarily what will work for the other!

Blessings, Rhoni

ATTENTION!!

We need someone to oversee two kitchens - one is a large commercial type kitchen in our Family Life Center. It's beautiful and has just about everything a person could wish for.

The other is a more typical Church kitchen in the lower level of the sanctuary - again fully stocked with everything you can think of.

This will be a "volunteer" type of job/position. All interested parties please PM either I or TB. ;)

There will be certain perks -- one being the opportunity to live in one of the most beautiful places in the world. Another the opportunity to serve in other areas as well and to sit under some good preaching. Ability to work in the altar would be an asset!

Hehe. :)

TB & Felicity,

I am not so good in the kitchen, but if you need a staff counselor, Adult Bible teacher, and an altar worker...I may apply for the job!:ty

Blessings, Rhoni

Do you really know how to grow churches?
 

And good thoughts, Sis. Felicity,:highfive

A triple AMEN to the being wise (if lacking, ask of God, who gives

liberally), and being led by the Spirit of God! If there is a

feeling of not being able to be led by the Holy Ghost (Spirit),

we must check the plug in and make sure our connection hasn't

been broken. Sometimes my computer doesn't seem to be doing

right. My expert tech sons tell me, "Mom, why don't you just turn

it off and re-boot. That may clear up your problem". Sometimes

we just need to turn everything off, make sure there is no inter-

ference between us and the MAIN SOURCE of POWER!!! Then

RE-CONNECT, Make sure we have a good connection with Him

and then allow (let, or permit) the FLOW to come FROM HIM

through us (conduit) to others. I do not want to be battery-

operated but be connected to the MAIN SOURCE of POWER, the

HOLY GHOST. The Spirit of Almighty God!!

Just thinking out loud!!

Blessings,

Falla39

:highfive AWESOME

Do you think you could work with the pastor's wife? LOL. ;) :)

She would be a joy...we would get along famously! I have a burden to be Pastor's wife's armour bearer...nobody would get to her without going through me and the blood of Jesus!:drawguns

Blessings, Rhoni:praying

Do you really know how to grow churches?
 

Thank you, Sis. Rhoni,

Blessings,

Falla39

Thanks for this Sis. Excellent! :highfive

Do you really know how to grow churches
 

:bliss Thank you, Sis. Felicity,

Your thoughts made me think!!!:bliss :bliss

You are being effective when you are able to

provoke others to think!! :bliss :bliss

Blessings,

Falla39

And to good works!

Hbr 10:24 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:

:)

The Bible says, He who winneth souls is wise......you have to be wise to grow churches...it is more than being a good Christian and hanging a shingle.

Blessings, Rhoni

Do you really know how to grow churches?
 

Amen!! That's the word I thought of when

I started to send that last post! Perhaps we

are all PROVOKING one another unto love and

good works on this forum!!! If it is received in

love and in the spirit is is given, it will!!!! !:bliss :bliss

Blessings,

Falla39

Bottom line might be right here .........

Psa 127:1 Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it:

Do you really know how to grow churches?
 

Sis. Felicity,

I believe you hit the nail right on the head!! Also

"except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh

but in vain". Nothing like the good Word of God, is there!!

Blessings,

Falla39

Churches can do nothing less than grow when good seed is sown into receptive hearts.

Thanks for completing the scripture for me sis. :highfive

Do you really know how to grow churches?
 

Bro. Charlie Brown,

That is SO true! Good ground (hearts) and good seed (Word of God)

will produce results every time!

Blessings,

Falla39