CHURCH GROWTH

Sermon Notes, March 1, 2015

Rev. George Stevenson

            Assistant District Superintendent Rev. George Stevenson spoke to us on Sunday.  He reminded us about the early church, documented in the book of Acts, chapter 2. They started with 120 people in the Upper Room on the Day of Pentecost.  Later that day 3,000 accepted the message of Jesus.  “And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:47)

            We are living in a new day, with new challenges.  Rev. Stevenson said he’s not an expert on church growth, but he’s taken lots of classes, and he learned a lot from his mentor “Grandpa” Grunt. 1. Preach the Word. 2. Preach in strongly. 3. Preach it with love.

            The church began on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2.  The people saw something in the lives of the 120 who had been in the Upper Room.  Acts 16:5 says “So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.”  It is still God’s plan to see a church grow.  Four things are needed:

1.      There must be a divine purpose: to bring people to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

2.      There must be intercessory prayer.  We should call for some special prayer meetings where we pray for the pastor and the church, as well as for our neighbors and our nation.

3.      There must be an exciting program going on.  When people’s lives are being changed, others will come to see what’s happening.

4.      There must be good personal relationships.  Don’t let the devil drive a wedge between you.  Be together.

Rev. Stevenson told us of two churches he pastured that grew.  In Riverdale, it went from 5 to 325 in 13 and-a-half years.  It started when somebody got saved, then told their family, people they worked with, their neighbors.  They all could see the changes in the newly saved person’s life and wanted the same thing.  News traveled by word of mouth.  The same thing happened in Roanoke’s East Gate church.  The building was falling apart, and they had no money to fix it, so they prayed.  And prayed some more.  And God is still adding to their number those who are being saved.  It can happen again in Culpeper.