Title: How and Why a Church Grows 

Introduction.

Bearing much fruit is a sign of true discipleship

John 15:16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you.

John 15:8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

One of the three signs of a true disciple is the ability to bear much fruit or the ability to convert others to become Christians. It goes beyond simply inviting others to church, handing out flyers or having some fruit. True disciples are characterised by their abundant and impactful contributions to the growth and mission of the church. 

Another sign of true discipleship is a Christ-like love for one another. As highlighted in John 13:35, Jesus taught his disciples that their love for one another would be a defining characteristic that sets them apart. When a church embraces and embodies this selfless and sacrificial love, it creates an environment that grows and attracts others to join the church.

Obedience to Christ’s teachings is also another important facet of true discipleship. Jesus emphasised this in John 8:31, as obedience to Jesus shows a genuine commitment and submission to His authority. 

All in all, while there is an emphasis on baptism, we must also focus on the quantity and quality of the fruit produced. This article is focused in outlining how a church continues to grow and the call of each member to make disciples and to bear much fruit!

God expects us to produce fruit, everyone of us.

Matthew 3:8-10 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

There is an undeniable expectation from God that every believer bears fruit. The crucial question becomes: how do we personally feel about this expectation?

• Do we hate it?
• Do we like it? 
• Do we resent it?
• Are we ready to embrace it as an integral part of our Christian life?

Embracing the Heart for the Lost

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

More than anything, the call to bear fruit is a call for us to imitate God’s heart for the lost. His heart extends beyond our immediate circle of friends and encompasses everyone worldwide, in every nation. This understanding should fuel our commitment to bearing fruit, knowing that our efforts align with God’s ultimate plan for humanity. 

God is on Your Side, Even When It Doesn’t Feel Like It

In our journey of bearing fruit, there may be times when we feel discouraged or overwhelmed. However, we must remember that God is on our side, eagerly desiring us to bear fruit. To grasp the depth of God’s desire for us to bear fruit, we only need to look at the sacrifice He made by sending His Son, Jesus Christ. God’s love for humanity prompted Him to give the most precious gift, ensuring that salvation would be available to all. This sacrificial act demonstrates God’s unwavering commitment to seeing fruitfulness in our lives and the lives of others.

God prepared a mission field just for you in advance, all you need to do is plough the fields and pull in the harvest.

Ephesians 2:10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Throughout history, God has chosen specific individuals to play significant roles in building and advancing His church. From biblical times to the present day, God handpicks individuals to carry out His mission, utilising their unique gifts, talents, and calling to impact the world for His glory.That includes you! God has intentionally chosen and called every believer to be a part of His mission to build up the church. No one is excluded or insignificant in His plan. Each one of us has a role to play in advancing the kingdom of God.

God has already prepared the mission field for us to engage in His work. He has strategically positioned us in our specific contexts, whether it be our neighbourhoods, workplaces, colleges, and even country! Our mission is to go into these mission fields and actively participate in the work that God has set before us.

Ephesians 4:11-13 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Point 1. God makes things grow, He always has.

Genesis 2:9 The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground.

1 Thessalonians 3:12 May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you.

Colossians 1:6 -8 In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace. You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.

God is the giver of life.

From the grandeur of the Big Bang to the humble blades of grass beneath our feet, the entire universe bears witness to the nature of growth designed by God. Just as the natural world was designed and continues to grow according to God’s design, the church is no exception. It is destined to grow, with or without our individual involvement. The growth of the church is not contingent upon any one person or group; rather, it is a testament to the power and faithfulness of God. He is the driving force behind the expansion and advancement of His kingdom on earth. God’s plans and purposes will not be thwarted or hindered by a lack of participation from any one person. He raises up willing hearts and obedient servants who align themselves with His mission, ensuring that His work continues unhindered.

God has prepared open people for us to harvest.

Looking for Open Hearts, Not Forcing Openness:

When we engage in evangelism, our focus should be on finding individuals with open hearts. That means, those whom God has already prepared to receive the message. Our role is not to forcefully open up the hearts of those who are resistant or unresponsive.

John 6:65 He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.”

Attempting to bring unresponsive individuals to God through our own persuasion, apart from God’s Word, only brings bad consequences.

Matthew 15:13 He replied, “Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots.”

It emphasises the importance of allowing God’s divine selection and timing to be at work in the process of salvation. We must trust in His sovereignty and rely on the power of His Word to bring about genuine transformation. God does not desire unrepentant “disciples” in His kingdom. It is not within our power to falsely make His kingdom grow by compromising the message of repentance and faith. Genuine growth in God’s kingdom comes from the hearts of those who have been truly transformed and want to obey.

Some things to ask yourself:

• Are you stopping the Kingdom growing because of your:
  • Laziness? 
  • Worldliness? 
  • Pride? 
  • A lack of love? 
  • Lack of skill?

• Are you someone who stops the Kingdom growing or or someone who makes it grow?

God will constantly discipline you until you learn to bear fruit or cut you off from His Kingdom.

John 15:2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.

Point 2. You Need to be in God’s will to be fruitful.

John 15 3-17 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

“As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other.

We do not have the power to grow or grow God’s Church, only He does!

To experience growth in the church, we must first and foremost connect to God and His power. Our reliance should not be on human strategies or techniques alone, but on the strength that comes from being rooted in God. It is through our intimate relationship with Him that we tap into His divine resources and experience His transformative work in our lives and in the church.

The blueprint for church growth can be found in imitating the life and ministry of Jesus, as well as studying the examples set by the prophets and apostles.

Ephesians 2:19-20 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone.

Ultimately, the solutions for growing the church are found in the Bible as it details Jesus and the apostles striving to grow the church. At the end of the day, while we have a responsibility to act and strain to growth the church it is up to God. The effectiveness of God’s Word is not dependent on human strategies but on the power and faithfulness of God Himself. 

We must ask God to change people through prayer. 

Prayer plays a significant role in the growth of individuals and the church as a whole. How much and what we pray for has a direct influence on the  development of people’s lives. While sharing our own opinions has a time, when aligned with God’s word and petition works wonders in the lives of others. 

There must be biblical love and unity to build up the church. 

For the church to be built up and grow, there must be a foundation of biblical love and unity. As individuals who love God, we are called to model and teach others how to love Him by exemplifying it in our own lives. Through our consistent relationship with God and our call to others to do the same, we create a ripple effect that impacts both Christians and non-Christians.

In order to foster growth in the church, we must first prioritise our own relationship with Him, as we cannot show others what we do not know or do. By nurturing a consistent, vibrant connection with God, we become living examples of the Bible. As we invite others to follow in our footsteps, demonstrating the joy and fulfilment found in a relationship with God, they too will be drawn to pursue a similar experience. Only after this can the church grow!

Point 3. It takes a lot of hard work and skill.

Matthew 9: 37-38 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.

1 Corinthians 3:6-7 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.

The Curse of Hard Work:

The Bible tells us that as a consequence of sin, mankind was cursed with the need for hard work and toil. But despite this, it is still possible to produce a bountiful harvest!

Genesis 3:17-19 To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate fruit from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat from it,’

“Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat the plants of the field. By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.”

While the work may be challenging, God has provided us with the ability and resources to cultivate and nurture growth. Just as a skilled farmer can cultivate a thriving crop, we too can experience a fruitful harvest in the church if we are willing to put in the necessary effort and rely on God’s guidance. Similar to how the harvest of a crop is proportional to the quality of its soil, the effectiveness of the church depends on how well we prepare the soil and tend to the growth. 

Preparing the soil involves consistently working throughout the year to create a fertile environment for growth. This includes activities such as nurturing relationships, providing biblical teaching, and building up the lives of the other Christians. 

As in farming, the harder we work and the more skilled we become, the better the crop we will yield in the church. It is essential to invest time in learning and growing in our understanding of God’s Word, effective ministry strategies, and relevant skills. Continuous learning and improvement are vital to adapt to changing circumstances and to maximise the impact of our work. Our dedication and commitment will be tested, and the quality of our efforts will ultimately be revealed.

1 Corinthians 3:10-14 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward.

How much we sow and plant makes a difference.

Similar to farming, God provides the necessary elements for growth in the spiritual realm. He gives the farmer rain, light, soil, and seed. However, it still requires hard work on the part of the farmer to sow the seeds on the field. In the same way, we have a role to play in the growth of the church. We must diligently engage in the work of sowing and nurturing, trusting that God will make the seed grow.

Jesus demonstrated the importance of planting seeds and nurturing their growth. He focused on investing in a small group of disciples, starting with the twelve and later expanding to the seventy-two. Jesus dedicated three years to teaching, guiding, and watering these seeds of faith. Though one disciple withered, the others grew into a worldwide movement that continues to impact lives today. 

Jesus acknowledged that the harvest is plentiful, indicating that there are many people who are ready to receive the Gospel and be saved. However, the challenge lies in finding individuals who are willing to work diligently in the harvest field. While many may claim to be trying, few engage in daily evangelism or seize every opportunity to proclaim the Word of God. 

Prepared Hearts and Fruitfulness

God has already prepared the hearts of individuals who are ready to receive the Gospel and bear fruit. Recognising this, we should be encouraged to actively participate in the work of salvation. 

John 4:35 Don’t you have a saying, ‘It’s still four months until harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.

The extent to which we sow seeds of faith and engage in the work of evangelism directly affects the growth and impact of the church. 

We must be careful not to become weary through rejection! 

Hebrews 12:3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

The harvest is plentiful, with thousands and tens of thousands of people ready to receive the Gospel. However, the majority of individuals can be hard-hearted, as illustrated in the parable of the banquet found in Matthew 22. 

Matthew 22:1-6 Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants to those who had been invited to the banquet to tell them to come, but they refused to come. “Then he sent some more servants and said, ‘Tell those who have been invited that I have prepared my dinner: My oxen and fattened cattle have been butchered, and everything is ready. Come to the wedding banquet.’ “But they paid no attention and went off—one to his field, another to his business. The rest seized his servants, mistreated them and killed them.

Spreading the gospel seems daunting laden with challenges primarily because Satan actively opposes us.

Acts 26:15-18 “Then I asked, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ “ ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied.  ‘Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me.  I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them  to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’ 

The Pruning Process

God uses the mission to prune individuals within the Church. John 15:2 describes how God cuts off branches that bear no fruit and prunes the fruitful ones to make them even more fruitful. The purpose of pruning is to ensure greater productivity. Just as Jesus had followers who fell away, there will be individuals who fall away from the faith. It is crucial for the Church to avoid unbiblical conversions, such as baptising non-disciples, and instead emphasise the necessity of true repentance and discipleship before baptism.

Engaging in the mission exposes our own flaws, including laziness and selfishness. Sometimes we may be tempted to take shortcuts or avoid the hard work and sacrificial love required for fruitful ministry. 

1 Corinthians 8:1 Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that “We all possess knowledge.” But knowledge puffs up while love builds up.

Good biblical teaching combined with genuine love is what keeps people faithful and motivates them in the long term. Touching souls and investing time and effort in people’s lives requires significant hard work.

John 6:39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day.

John 15:16-17 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other.

Matthew 13:21 But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away.

Title: How and Why a Church Grows. 

Point 1. God makes things grow, He always has.

Point 2. You Need to be in God’s will to be fruitful.

Point 3. It takes a lot of hard work and skill.

In conclusion, if we were to understand how and why a church should grow, we need to look no further to God who allows it to. It is vital that we rely on him, understand his will to be fruitful and work hard so that we too may receive a harvest. Each tree’s fruits ultimately show the health of the tree. A healthy tree produces a lot of fruits. In contrast to that a dying and sickly red does not have any nutrients to produce fruits, let alone keep itself alive. As Christians we need to strive to be fruitful as God calls us to be!

Luke 6:43-44 No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thorn bushes, or grapes from briers