Sanctified Excuses For Non-Growth (Part 1)

March 23, 2010

Over the last few years I have had the privilege of traveling around the United States, meeting all kinds of leaders and working with many different churches. I have enjoyed the opportunity to meet with churches of all kinds and sizes. Yet, one thing seems to be a constant among many (not all), plateaued/declining churches, they all have what I call “Sanctified excuses” for their lack of growth and kingdom mindedness. Many of these sanctified excuses are couched in scripture in order to give justified reason for avoiding the call to the Great Commission. What even becomes more disturbing is how many churches in this situation wear their situation as a badge of honor. It’s almost as if the lack of growth is a sign of true faithfulness to God’s word. What are these “sanctified excuses”? Well, to start with, the blog would be too long to handle them all at once so I will share them over a four-part blog.

Excuse #1 – The truth of God’s word is offensive to the unbeliever. So, if we really preach the truth, many will be offended and leave or not come at all. A few scriptures used to defend this excuses; Matt 7:13, John 6:60-66, John 15:18-21.

While it is true that many turned away from Jesus when he preached hard things to the people, it is also true that Jesus attracted large crowds when he spoke these hard truths. Truth is what turned the Woman at the Well around to become a follower. Truth is what caused Paul to become a follower. The truth of the sayings of Jesus is what drew people to him. He wasn’t afraid the share the truth in way that people understood. Truth drove many away, but it also transformed many.

Think about this: If smallness, decline or plateauness (New word J) is a hallmark of true spirituality and faithfulness to God all churches would be empty as proof of our faithfulness. Sounds silly I know, but among many, anti-church growth advocates, that is the ultimate conclusion. Today, among many leading the Organic Church movement, growth is viewed with suspicion and contempt.

The question remains; How do you deal with the explosive growth of the Church in the first decade, century, or millennium after Pentecost? What do you do with the Great Commission? How do you explain the thousands of people who came to Christ when the Holy Spirit showed up on the scene? How do you explain the fact that Jesus never told people not to come and hear him in such big crowds or that he never denounces, nor prescribes the proper size of a church in the N.T.

Let me leave you with this one haunting thought: Rev 3:1-2 “I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God.”  God offers no insight into what “reputation of being alive” means. Could it be that many of our churches have fallen asleep believing that they are alive? After all, they have a building, they sing hymns and listen to a pastor preach every Sunday. They hold prayer meetings, bible studies and give to foreign missions. Non-growth is not a sign of faithfulness to God. Rather, it is disobedience to our calling to grow HIS Kingdom.

Posted 3/23/2010 in Stephen Gray | 1 Comment - Add Comment

Comments:

     Preach preacher. sounds like my post from this AM...