Wednesday, August 27, 2008

My views on Church Growth

Okay, some of you that know me well may get mad, confused, or you may just "Amen" as I write about this interesting subject of church growth. There is so much pressure on the pastor today to grow the church. As a matter of fact, most search committees want to know how a pastor plans to grow the church. There are tons of books written by pastors who have been successful in growing the mega church. Unfortunately we see pastors who use churches as stepping stones to reach the next "better and bigger" church where he will make more money and end up retiring in a mega church at a ripe old age. That is success!! (I hope you know I am being sarcastic in that last line) In this grand land where we live, we are measured by success and why shouldnt it be the same in the church.

Church Growth now means physical growth. We are very unconcerned with the spiritual growth of churches. I mentioned Sunday in my sermon on Romans 1:16-17 that someone sent me a forwarded email about how wonderful Paul Harvey and how he was standing up for Christianity against the tolerance of all things in our nation. Do you know how many Christians were listed on that forwarded message? They don't have time to stand up, they just have time to forward. We have forgotten what it is like to live out our faith..........that is success in God's eyes....that the RIGHTEOUS would live by FAITH. We are saved by grace through FAITH. How strong is our faith...really?

I still believe that spiritual growth is the key to success as a pastor and church. We should ask ourselves each year: In what ways are we helping people to grow spiritually? I never want to worry about physical growth or gauge myself by it with success. A church member said last week that "Since Bro. Brian has been here our church has grown" meaning our attendance has increased. I would much rather be encouraged about the spiritual growth in Sunday School, sermons preached, worship, Bible study, personal quiet time, or any way someone has grown because of their faith in Christ Jesus.

Church growth has become such a passion of the church, the church has lost its impact in the community and in believers lives. Churches are dying today due to the lack of spiritual growth. We are all about show and being sensitive to everyone's feelings instead of delivering God's truth about how to be a true servant of God. I hope and pray that my focus will remain the same and my passion to teach and preach God's Word will never dim. I counted 4 times a week that I have the honor to teach or preach the Bible. Boy, am I blessed!!! Where do you stand on the matter of church growth?

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Taking our Relationship with God for Granted

House church leader Hua Huiqi hoped to attend service with President Bush.
DUBLIN, August 11 (Compass Direct News) – Security agents yesterday seized Christian activist and house church pastor Hua Huiqi on his way to a service at the government-approved Kuanjie Protestant Church in Beijing, where U.S. President George Bush was scheduled to appear. Bush later attended the service before meeting with Chinese President Hu Jintao to discuss human rights concerns, including religious freedom.
“I told him not to go because it’s during the Olympic Games, and this period is sensitive,” Hua’s brother Hua Huilin told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. AP reporters said the line was disconnected three times during the conversation, suggesting that authorities were monitoring the phone call. When Hua insisted on going, however, his brother agreed to travel with him.
As the men cycled towards the church, two black cars approached them. Police seized both men and took them away in separate cars, detaining them in the courtyard of the Hong Kong New World Development Ltd. Co., according to the China Aid Association (CAA). But around noon, police guards relaxed for a moment and activist Hua managed to escape. Police released his brother later that afternoon.
According to the AP report, authorities have arrested and beaten Hua several times in recent years because of his religious activities. Hua also gained a reputation as an activist when he fought against a development project that led to the demolition of his home in 2001. Hua was baptized at the Kuanjie church 10 years ago but has since been a member of a Beijing house church.
In recent months, as part of a “clean-up” operation in Beijing, authorities forced him to attend services at the Kuanjie church instead. The church is registered with China’s Three Self Patriotic Movement, a government body assigned to oversee Protestant churches throughout the country. Since registration places strict controls on the appointment of clergy, sermon content and evangelism, many Chinese believers – such as Hua – prefer to worship in unregistered house churches.
As the Games drew closer and Bush was scheduled to attend a service at the Kuanjie church, authorities banned Hua and his family from attending. According to CAA, most people present at the church on Sunday were “security people, political workers and people trained … to pose as believers.” One church member who spoke to CAA complained, “No one is allowed to enter the church.”

This reminds me straight from the book of Acts: house churches that were meeting despite the opposition (from Rome and harassment from the Jews). They really knew what a Spirit filled life was all about based upon their salvation by grace through faith. Except from this article, these people still continue to meet amidst the persecution and government controlled churches. They filled the church with so called bodies who were told to be there to make it look good? Oh man!!! How many of us pose as believers today? Do we look like we have relationship with the Lord, but we are pretending on the outside? Sometimes these pretenders are called Sunday only believers who come to church to look good or to pretend to believe.
Boy do we have alot to be thankful for. And, we take our relationship with God FOR GRANTED!! Hua is my hero!! (Leave your comments to chime in)