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

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