Lesson 12: Growing a Church
A.Introduction
1.My background: home and foreign missions; church in Austin (18 years): 681 average attendance in main church, 750 good attendance, 956 active church roll, 1500 constituents
2.Daughter works 16; section 30 to 53 works in 7 years; district 160 to 242 works in 7 years
3.Limitations in learning from non-Apostolics
4.Limitations in comparing with others
5.Example: Charismatics and trinitarian Pentecostals have a low percentage of members who receive the Holy Ghost, now estimated at 5-35%.
B.Principles
1.Prayer
2.Persistence; New Life Holy Ghost 1st 10 years: 1, 12, 23, 25, 36, 38, 57, 82, 126, 147
3.Planning
a.Plan for growth
b.Depend upon God’s plan and God’s timing
c.Flexibility of plans
4.Preaching and Teaching of the Word
a.We get what we preach. Example: At New Life, over 90% of regular attendees age 10 and older have received the Holy Ghost
b.Positive, encouraging, faith-building, visitor-oriented preaching
c.Systematic teaching of doctrine
d.Systematic teaching of Christian lifestyle
5.Power of the Spirit
a.Faith
b.Worship
c.Sensitivity to move of God
6.Personal Care
a.Love
b.Respect: for visitors, members, leaders, everyone
c.Contacts, visitors, regulars
d.Follow up visitors, immediately and over time
Call, letter, visit, mail-outs, follow-up calls
e.New convert care
7.Personal Involvement
a.Involve everyone in service and eventually spiritual ministry
b.Ministry-based groups
c.Age-based groups
d.Area-based groups (care groups)
e.Delegation: responsibility, authority, accountability
http://launchyourministry.com/12
