This researcher wishes to acknowledge the following persons who in one way or another helped much in making this thesis possible:

 To her brothers: Mr. Edgar B. Santos who is working in California, USA,  the sponsor of this study program. His financial assistance helped much in the realization of her pursuit of education and  Dr. Joel B. Santos, Board of Director and Missionary of Philippine Missionary Fellowship, Inc. for the technical assistance and suggestions;
To Rev. Samuel C. Pascua,  Executive Director of Philippine Missionary Fellowship, Inc. for allowing this writer to study the church growth of the local churches of  Philippine Missionary Fellowship, Inc.;
 To Dr. Dee Nance of Evangel Christian University of America for the encouragement and kindness;
To Dr. Iluminada G. Remo, Director of Occidental Mindoro National College Labangan Campus,  English critic and adviser, for the patience in reading the manuscript, direction and moral support extended;
To Rev. Isaias Sarmiento, PMF Area Coordinator- Occidental Mindoro and Rev. Teody Suarez of Sambahang Kristiyano ng Ligaya for  their kind assistance during the validation of questionnaire; 
Special acknowledgement goes to Rev. & Mrs. Marcelo & MyrnaTobias , Ms. Florie Mazo, Mrs. Etta & Sarah Mazo of Sambahang Kristiyano ng San Jose, Pastor and Mrs. Rey and Grace Flores of Bethany Evangelical Missionary Church and  Pastor Roberto Paulmanal of Church of Christ Worldwide for lending this writer books and other reference materials;

To all members of Sambahang Kristiyano ng San Jose, Occidental Mindoro; to my   officemates, loved ones and friends for prayers, moral support and encouragement;

To my husband Noli and sons Von Raymond and Von Kenneth for the affection, patience and understanding  while doing this research; and to my parents, brothers and sisters for the prayers and encouragement; 

To all those whose names may not be mentioned, their good deeds are always remembered and treasured. 
 Above all, to our Almighty God for His endless love and guidance that leads her all the way to make this research a success.

     B.R.S.H.

                    Title Page………………………………………………………………  i

Acknowledgements……………………………………………………   ii
Dedication …………………………………………………………….. iv
Table of Contents …………………………………………………….    v
List of Tables …………………………………………………………   vii
Abstract ……………………………………………………………...   viii

Chapter  I   THE PROBLEM 

  Introduction ……………………………………………………….   1
  Statement of the Problem ………………………………………….   8
  Significance of the Study ……………………………………..…… 10
  Assumptions ……………………………………………………… 10
  Scope and Delimitation …………………………………………… 11
  Definition of Terms …………………………………………….…. 11

Chapter II   REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE  AND STUDIES
 

  Scientific Studies on Independent Religious Movement …………. 17 
Religious Independent Movement in Philippine Catholicism …….... 20
  Religious Independent Movements in Philippine Protestantism ….. 23
  Brief History of Protestantism in the Philippines ………………… 28
  Evangelical Christianity in the Philippines ……………………….. 35
  The Rise of Faith-Missions …………………………………….. 37
           Concept of Pastoral Theology 
Purpose of Pastoral Theology  ……………………………………. 39
  Biblical Foundations ………………………………………………40
  Historical Perspective ……………………………………………. 47
  The Shepherd’s Call and Qualifications ………………………….. 55
  Principles, Strategies  and other Researches on Church Growth …. 69
  Five New Testament Principles on Church Growth ……………… 72
  Understanding Church Growth ………………………………….. 74
  Church Growth Principles that are Real, that Work, and are
   Biblical ……………………………………………….......……. 80

Chapter III  METHODOLOGY 

   Description of the Subject ………………………………………. 204
   Description of the Research Instruments ………………………… 204
   Method of Data Gathering ……………………………………….205
   Method of Data Presentation  …………………………………..  205

Chapter IV  PRESENTATION, INTERPRETATION
   AND ANALYSIS OF DATA

   Characteristics of PMF Ministers ……………………………… . 206
   Effectiveness of Church Growth Methods and Strategies ………   209 
Specific Programs and Projects Implemented by the 
   PMF Churches ………………………………………….....…..  214
  Problems, Issues and Needs of the PMF Churches ………………225
  Relationships Between the Minister’s and the Perceived
   Effectiveness of Church Growth Methods and Strategies ….......... 232
  Relationship Between Problems, Issues and Needs of the Church
   And the Effectiveness of Growth Methods and Strategies …..........234
  Interrelationships among Problems, Issues and Needs……………. 235
  Relationship Between PMF Minister’s Profile and the
   Problems, Issues and Needs of the Church ……………….......... 236

Chapter V    SUMMARY, CONLCUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
   Summary ………………………………………………………… 238
   Findings ………………………………………………………….. 240
   Conclusions ……………………………………………………….245
   Recommendations ………………………………………………. . 246
Bibliography …………………………………………………………247

Appendices
  A Constitution and By-Laws of Philippine Missionary
    Fellowship ………………………………............……….. ..255
  B List of PMF Workers …………………………………….. 268
  C PMF Churches as of December 2002 …………………….. 276
  D Churches Established by PMF but are Now Separated …. .. 283
  E Survey Questionnaire ……………………………………....287
  F Certifications ……………………………………………... 300
Curriculum Vitae ……………………………..……………… 304 
 

 HABLO, BABY RUTH S. Evangel Christian University of America, Monroe, Louisiana, U.S.A. September 2003. Church Growth of Philippine Missionary Fellowship, Inc.
 This study was conducted to determine the growth of the Philippine Missionary Fellowship, Inc. The specific objectives were to: 1) describe the profile of PMF Ministers; 2) find out the specific programs and projects implemented in terms of different church growth factors; 3) identify the different problems, issues and needs of the church, and assess their seriousness; 4) find out the different church growth methods and strategies, and assess their effectiveness as perceived by the respondents; 5) determine the relationship between minister’s profile and the problems, issues and needs for church growth; 6) find out the relationship between profile and the perceived effectiveness of church growth methods and strategies; 7) appraise the relationship between problems, issues and needs and the perceived effectiveness of growth methods and strategies; and 8) determine the interrelationships among problems, issues and needs.

 The study used descriptive research, with questionnaire as instrument. The respondents were the 54 PMF Ministers. Statistics such as frequency, rank, means, standard deviation and correlation analyses were used, and the data were processed through the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS).

 Majority of the PMF Ministers reached college level, 44.10 years old and had 9.85 years of work experience. They implemented different programs and projects in terms of the different church growth factors. Problems and issues encountered by the church were moderately serious, and also had needs for the implementation of programs and projects for growth. As perceived by the Ministers, the methods and strategies employed by the church for growth were highly effective.

The Church. It’s  very name inspires different thoughts  in different people. For some, the church is warm and secure, but for others, it is a threatening, demanding master waiting to impose its will on our lives. 
The word “church” is used in two senses in the New Testament. The church means the congregation of disciples which comes together on the first day of the week to break bread and engage in other acts of public worship (Acts 20:7; Romans 16:5; 1 Corinthians 16:19). It also means the general spiritual body over which Jesus is the head and in which every Christian is a member (Matthew 16:18; Colossians 1:18, 24; Ephesians 1:22). 
In the Bible Dictionary, the word church came from the Greek word ekklesia, meaning “called out.” It signifies the entire body of those who are savingly related to Christ; a particular Christian denomination; the aggregate of all the ecclesiastical communions professing faith in Christ. 
The English word church is derived from the Greek word kuriakon which was used by ancient authors for the place of worship. In the New Testament, it is the translation of the Greek word ecclesia, which is synonymous with the Hebrew kahal  of the Old Testament, both words meaning simply an assembly, the character of which can be known only from the connection in which the word is found. 
According to the New Testament definition, the church is the mystical body of Christ of which He is the head (Ephesians 1:22, 23). 
 The church is our spiritual home. In every village and town the sky line is marked by the slender spire or the square tower of the church. In Europe and America the Church has been the greatest force in shaping the world in which we live. Universities, schools and colleges, hospitals and asylums, better prisons, kinder laws, the ending of slavery and dueling, and the attempt to end war and bring in the brotherhood of man, all these have been in large measure the work of the Church. 
 The Church is something like a tree limbs branch off: some small, some large; some straight, some twisted; and whose leaves in the fall may be still mostly green, with patches here and there of gold and flame. Even so, the Church has many branches and leaves differing as to form of the building, the dress of the clergy, the services and beliefs. Some spires are tipped with crosses and some with weather vanes. Some churches give the altar a central position in front, and some the pulpit. In some, the minister wears robes of many colors; in others, only a plain suit. The Quakers have no altars and no pulpit and no minister. Yet all strive to serve one Master. 
A familiar nursery rhyme asks, “Mary, Mary quite contrary, how does your garden grow?” Jesus answers a similar question about how the kingdom grows in the parable of the sower in Mark 4.  His response is, “The earth produces by itself.” If we were to say “automatically,” we would reflect the actual Greek work automate, translated as “by itself, of its own accord.” 
 The Lord intends His church to grow. He designed it that way. It began with a “big bang,” some 3000 in one day. And it grew daily, in Judea, Samaria, all around the Mediterranean, to Rome, and the world.
Some 13 years ago, churches of Christ were number one among U.S. churches in church growth. Now we are 13th!  It’s good to know that many are helping to look at ourselves in the attempt to find out what is wrong.
 Church growth has been and still is a chief concern of numerous organized groups: our Christian schools, which themselves are growing; specialized workshops and training efforts, which are more prolific than ever; and, of course, every truly Christian congregation with its leaders are concerned with their own growth – or lack of it.
 Some are optimistic. Shubert quotes the pollster George Gallup about their present opportunity for church growth “that might not come again for another 100 years, if ever.”  Normal Bales of Cedar Rapids is optimistic, not because of what the statistics show, but brought faith in God and His church against which “the gates of hell shall not prevail.”  He is tired of pessimists, particularly those who cite endless statistics and plot them out to show that the church will be extinct in so many years.
 Michael Harper, an Anglican and author of “Let My People Grow: Ministry and Leadership in the Church”, warns that “church leaders have appeared to be blind or impervious to such shocking statistics.”  He refers particularly to 1978 when nearly two million adult professing Christians in Europe abandoned the Christian faith to become agnostics, atheists, or adherents of non-Christian religious or cults. Harper speaks of the “lukewarm West,” lulled into a false sense of security. A Christian writes that we, like the Israelites of old who stopped fighting and became well-fed farmers of God’s promised land that flowed with milk and honey, have crossed the tracks and now are settled down with our successes and blessings and have become fat. 
 David Edwards, the dean of Norwich in Great Britain, writes “the Church of England… is largely dead.” Main line Protestantism is dying, particularly those led by theological liberal leaders who have denounced the very fundamentals of Christian belief such as the godhead, the incarnation, the resurrection, and biblical authority. 
 And, undeniably, church of Christ membership as a whole is declining. The Church is dying. It is as if an infectious disease was sapping the spiritual strength of Christ’s Body.  His church. The church needs leadership, a leadership capable of diagnosing the disease; then a leadership courageous and capable of administering the cure. 
 But what is   the diagnosis?
 What is the cure?
 One more thing for sure: our doctors will disagree.
 No two will make the same diagnosis. No two will prescribe the same cure. One extreme will recommend a mild sedative. The other will insist that radical surgery alone can save.
 Seriously, local church leadership – elderships particularly – they are responsible. God will hold them accountable  for their congregations’ health.
 Thom S. Rainer told a story of Paul and Melissa who joined their church with great enthusiasm. They became friends with another young couple in their Sunday School class. They could not say enough good things about their church. Yet after nine months they stopped attending, they received notice that they had joined another Baptist church in that area. He said, 
“ I must admit that I am hurt each time we lose a member to inactivity or another church. I feel like the shepherd who has seen his sheep stray, perhaps never to be found again. In the case of Paul and Melissa, I am grateful that they are active in another church. Most drop-outs leave all church activity for years, perhaps forever. What could we have done differently? Was there anything we could have done to keep them?” 

 Consultant Pat Keifert reveals some amazing study results. 
“Every year for more than a decade, he said, my research associates and I have run a very simple test in thirteen different congregations around the country. We send in twelve visitors who are not known to each particular congregation. We ask the congregations to identify the visitors that is, to tell who their visitors were. We have found that in no instance since we started this exercise has any congregation been able to identify more than six of the twelve.” 

 This is even more amazing when you consider that every church will tell you that their number one strength is that they are warm and friendly. However, the data suggests that about 50 percent of their visitors get ignored. Now we all know that it’s not intentional, but the vast majority of congregation are not trained and prepared to reach out to their guests.
 A minister, who is an avid student of outreach and one who has worked with his congregation in their area, related an email he received from a guest. He said,
 “I visited your church and went to class. Everyone seemed to enjoy each other and were very friendly toward one another. I stayed around after class and no one spoke to me. I mean, no one even said hello. Your church seems very close, but I am looking for a friend because I am so lonely. I guess church is not the place to find someone to talk to. I’ll just stay home and watch the TV evangelists. I might as well, for all the good it does to go to church. I hope the next person who comes to your church looking for a friend will be treated better. So long.” 

 The story should break the heart of anyone with the mind of Christ. Jesus sacrificed his life that none should perish. He came to seek and save the lost. And churches are not prepared to respond when God sends his lost sheep right into their midst.
 John W. Ellas presented the story about the outstanding growth at the Calgary Church of Christ in Alberta, Canada. Here is a church that managed what 85% of churches of Christ never  accomplish. They grew from a small church-broke through the 200 barrier-and became a large church. This accomplishment, in addition, was without a Bible Belt community to sustain transfer growth. The following article tells their exciting story.
 For the past six years Bob has served as Calgary’s pulpit minister, and has devoted himself to helping the congregation apply church growth insights and methods. Over the five-year period that I have known Bob, he continues to impress me, not only with his commitment for growth, but also with his understanding of the complex issues. 
No individual staff person, elder, or member alone can generate positive change. With genuine teamwork between staff, elders, and members, Calgary Church of Christ has become a wonderful example – even a classic example – of how a congregation can grow. By this, we mean, how a group of dedicated Christians can effectively plant and water so that God can give the increase (I Corinthians 3:6). We are partners with God by His own design, and must be concerned about using productive rather than non-productive methods. God has given the increase to Calgary, and they are now the largest church of Christ in Canada.
 From reviewing a case study of growth such as Calgary’s, the first questions that might arise from an observer are, “Why do some churches grow while others decline?” “Why are some congregations able to motivate members to evangelize while others can’t even get their members to invite friends to the Sunday assembly?” Asking questions, especially the right questions, is a healthy start.
 Philippine Missionary Fellowship (PMF) started  from scratch, except their strong desire and vision to evangelize the rural places of the country, the places neglected by major Protestant denominations. This was an offshoot of a ministry of Far Eastern Gospel Crusade (FEGC), in the campus of Far Eastern Bible Institute Seminary (FEBIAS) in which the main vision was to pioneer Gospel ministry and to plant local churches to the rural places in the Philippines. It started as a prayer fellowship in 1952, started  its operation in 1954, and was incorporated with the Stock and Exchange Commission (SEC) on July 14, 1956. 
The PMF missionaries opened Philippine Missionary Institute (PMI) in 1961 at Biga, Silang, Cavite and have become the training center of many Christian pastors and workers in the Philippines. The vision of this school is to train competent pastors, missionaries and Christian leaders who know how to start a ministry, establish it, and ensure its growth and expansion. 
 It is along this view that this researcher would want to investigate the different church growth methods observed in the different churches of Philippine Missionary Fellowship, Inc. Since from these methods, we  hope to determine the status of the churches of PMF in terms of church growth. 
What is the church becoming? Where are we going? Where should we be going? What changes do we need to make  effective ministers in our communities and contexts? Today? Tomorrow? In the next decade? What do the world, our communities, our churches, our members need? These are the questions, important questions. Each  is a different question, with a different focus and with different answer. 
 On this foundation, the writer submits that the principal subject and object of this study is focused on the church leaders’ efforts to enhance spiritual welfare of its congregation with the church growth methods as the means.
Statement of the Problem
The problem of this study is to identify and analyze the different church growth methods observed in the churches of Philippine Missionary Fellowship. On this perspective, the study sought to answer the following questions:
1. What is the profile of PMF Ministers in terms of:
a. educational qualifications
b. age
c. experience
2. What are the church growth methods and strategies observed in  PMF churches?
How do the PMF Ministers rate the effectiveness of the church growth methods and strategies?
3. What  are the specific programs and projects implemented by the church in terms of the following growth  factors:
a. vision;
b. evangelism;
c. maturation;
d. worship;
e. preaching;
f. leadership;
g. giving;
h. missions;
i. birthing; and
j. action?
4. What are the problems, issues and needs of the Philippine Missionary Fellowship churches? How are these problems, issues and needs managed by the church?
5. Is there any significant  relationship between the minister’s profile and the effectiveness of the church?
6. Is there any significant relationship between the seriousness of the problems and the effectiveness of the church growth methods?
7. Is there any significant relationship between the needs of the church and the effectiveness of the church growth methods?
8. Are there significant interrelationship among problems, issues and needs of the church?

Significance of the Study
This research will attempt to establish a tangible framework of church growth methods in Philippine Missionary Fellowship churches. To exhort and encourage those churches that are attempting to maintain a strong evangelical testimony. Our burden is for churches that are trying to stay true to the Lord and have experienced little or no growth through the years as a result of their stand for the truth.  This study will also suggest some of the techniques of the dynamic church growth model which will give greater impact to PMF churches.
  Results of the study will provide helpful information  in so far as the church growth methods are concerned as well as serve as a starting point for further studies on its implementation.
 It could help PMF and its pastors and missionaries  in choosing the methods that can be  applied best in their respective churches.

Assumptions
 This study assumes that the churches under the Philippine Missionary Fellowship have an existing church growth methods that will help assess its growth or its  decline.  It  also assumes that this study will help PMF in  evaluating their churches and come out with a more comprehensive church growth methods.
Scope and Delimitation
 This study is focused on the church growth methods observed in the  churches of Philippine Missionary Fellowship. The Respondents are the ministers  and staff of PMF organization. The main concern of this study is to establish a tangible framework of church growth methods in the churches of Philippine Missionary Fellowship.

Definition of Terms
      For better understanding of the study, some terms have been defined as follows:
Biblical Principle. The term refers to “truths revealed in Scripture, founded on revelation, and believed as bedrock to the faith.” 
Christian Nationals Evangelism Commission (CNEC). Christian Nationals Evangelism Commission was first organized as “China Native Evangelistic Crusade” in 1943 at Shanghai, China dedicated to the winning, training and sending of national leaders to serve the Lord among their own people. In 1961, when it extended its ministries beyond the Chinese to other peoples the name was changed to “Christian Nationals Evangelism Commission”. PMF entered into a partnership with CNEC in 1978 and continues until now. 
Church. In Christianity, has two basic meanings. Church is the term for a community of Christians who share a specific set of beliefs. It also means the building that Christians use for worship and other religious activities. The word church comes from the  Greek kuriakon, which means of the Lord. 
Church Growth. It refers to that careful discipline which investigates the nature, the function, and the health of Christian churches, as they relate to the effective implementation of the Lord’s Commission to make disciples of all people. It is a spiritual conviction, yet it is practical, combining the eternal principles of God’s Word with the practical insights of social and behavioral sciences.  According to Thom Rainer, church growth, “is that discipline which seeks to understand, through biblical, sociological, historical, and behavioral study, why churches grow or decline.” 
Church Growth Principle. It is a worldwide truth which, when properly applied, along with other principles, contributes significantly to the growth of the church. 
Disciple. This term is derived from the Greek word mathethes.  “In the Christian sense, a disciple of Jesus Christ is one who has come to Him for eternal life, has claimed Him as Savior and God, and has embarked upon the life of following Him.” 
Far Eastern Gospel Crusade (FEGC). This was legally incorporated as an interdenominational  missionary agency, loyal to the bible as the inspired and authoritative word of God, and operating on faith principles on April 12, 1947 in St. Paul, Minnesota, USA. Their first major ministry in the Philippines was the establishment of the Far Eastern Bible Institute and Seminary (FEBIAS) in July 1948. It was FEBIAS where the Philippine Missionary Fellowship was born. At the beginning of 1982, SEND International became the official name of the mission. 
Filipino. This refers to all citizens of the Philippine Republic.
Growth.  The term refers to the process of growing; development. 
Independent Church. This term is to be understood “functionally” so that a Filipino “independent”  religious movement administers itself and its resources without the influence of compulsion coming from the other groups, particularly from the foreigners. An independent church chooses its own Board of Directors coming from among themselves and its decisions as a group are final,  without reference to an outside body. 
 Independent Protestant Movement. The movement referred to in this paper is a “social movement” which differ from other kinds of collective behavior in terms of endurance and degree of organization. 
Local Church. A local church may be defined as that ordered body of professing baptized who, on the basis of common experiences of the Lord and convictions of the Word, in the bond of mutual love and understanding, in the interest of common concerns and causes, and for the purposes of mutual spiritual benefits and fellowship, assemble themselves together according to the Word of God, conduct worship services in an organized and orderly manner, observe the Lord’s ordinances, perform such functions as they deem advantageous to themselves and their community according to the Word of God, and discharge such other responsibilities as they judge their duty before God and man. 
Minister. A clergyman serving a church, especially a Protestant church; spiritual guide; pastor. 
Mission.  This refers to an enterprise devoted to proclaiming the good News of Jesus Christ, and to persuading men and women to become His disciples and dependable members of His Church. 
Missionary. A person sent on the work of a religious mission. 
Overseas Missionary Fellowship (OMF). OMF was formerly China Inland Mission (CIM) founded by Judson Taylor in 1865 to reach China with the Gospel of Christ. OMF began its work in the country in 1951 assigning missionaries to assist Chinese churches in Manila and Cebu, to work with FEGC and with Far Eastern Broadcasting Company (FEBC), and to evangelize the primitive Mangyan tribes in Mindoro. The local churches they established became part of the ABCOP. OMF missionaries helped PMF especially in teaching at the Philippine Missionary Institute (PMI). 
Pastor. This is a Latin translation of the Greek word poimen which means literally a “herdsman, a shepherd.” One who flocks the sheep. 
Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches (PCEC).  PCEC started as a fellowship of fundamentalist or conservative churches in 1967 but was only legally incorporated in 1971. It provides cooperative ministries in evangelism, missions and social concern. PCEC joined the World Evangelical Fellowship (WEF) in 1974. PCEC was also established to break the sole Protestant representation to the Philippine government of the National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP). NCCP’s leadership tends to go to theological liberalism. PMF is a founding member and still affiliated with the PCEC. 
Philippine Missionary Institute (PMI). This is the Bible School and seminary of PMF established  in 1961 as a “Tagalog Bible Institute” in order to train PMF Missionaries and pastors. PMI was legally incorporated to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in 1969. It now offers Bachelor of Arts major in theology degree with permit from Commission on Higher Education (CHED). 
PMF. This pertains to Philippine Missionary Fellowship.  Its main vision was to pioneer Gospel ministry and to plant local churches to the rural places in the Philippines. 
Protestantism. This is a Christian religious movement which formally began with Martin Luther, a Roman Catholic priest, in 1517 when he attacked the doctrine of the indulgence of the Roman Catholic Church. 
Theology. The study of God and His Word. 
  World Evangelical Fellowship (WEF).  WEF was formally established in Holland in August 1951 to provide fellowship and to coordinate the works of the “Evangelical Churches” around the world. It was really to counter-act the World Council of Churches’ (WCC) ecumenical liberalism by creating conservative international organization. 

This chapter deals with related studies presented in three parts:  The first part is focused on the Scientific Studies On Independent Religious Movement, Independent Religious Movement in Philippine Roman Catholicism, Religious Independent Movements in Philippine Protestantism, Brief History of Protestantism in the Philippines and Evangelical Christianity in the Philippines. The Second part deals with the Concept of Pastoral  Theology: Biblical Foundations,  Historical Perspective, The Shepherds Call Qualifications and the Pastor and His Work. The third part involves Principles and writings on Church Growth as well as researches similar to the present study. They were reviewed to establish the necessary background which helped this writer in making this research more comprehensive.

I. Scientific Studies on Independent Religious Movement
There are two important pioneering studies concerning the rise of independent religious movements. The  first was by Ernst Troeltsch in his book entitled “The Social Teaching of the Christian Churches,” where he classified religious institutions as belonging to either churches or sects. Troeltsch believed however that as the sect grows  it evolves into a church.  Troeltsch differentiated the “church” from a “sect” in nine ways. First regarding size, the church is large while the sect is small. Second, regarding relationships with other religious groups, the church is tolerant while the sect feels it has the sole truth. Third, the church has an extensive wealth while the sect’s wealth is limited. Fourth, the religious services of the church have limited congregational participation, formal and have an intellectual emphasis, while the sect has extensive congregational participation, spontaneous and with emotional emphasis. Fifth, the church have specialized and professional clergy, while the sect have unspecialized, part-time and little training clergy. Sixth, the church has liberal interpretation of the Bible, emphasizing the this-worldly aspects,  while the sect have literal interpretation of the Bible with emphasis on the other-worldly aspects. Seventh, the church’s membership procedures are by birth or by ritual participation, while the sect is through conversion. Eighth, the church’s members belong mainly to the middle class, while the sect mainly on the lower class. And the last, the church endorses the prevailing culture and social organization, while the sect renounces or opposes the prevailing cultural standards. 
The second study was by Rodney Stark and William Bainbridge in their book “The Future of Religion: Secularization, Revival and Cult Formation.” They reserve the label sect to “those who broke away from an established church and claims to be a cleansed version of the faith from which they split.”  The cults, on the other hand, refers to “”religious institutions without ties to established churches, created entirely new religious beliefs and practices, and rupture their convert’s  ties to conventional institutions including the family.”  Hence, both have something to do with improving their mother’s church where the former do it by being strict to its standing rules and dogmas, while the latter do it by the radical transformation of its rules and dogmas.
The work of Arthur Leonard Tuggy, in his book Iglesia ni Cristo:  A Study in Independent Church Dynamics, he provided a framework for understanding the factors for the rise, successful secession, and growth of independent churches worldwide following the thesis of David Barrett in his research of church independency in thirty-four African nations. Whereas Barret’s thesis is that the church independency is an Africa-wide phenomenon, Tuggy generalized Barrett’s thesis that the independent church is a worldwide phenomenon. Tuggy did his thesis by comparing the “Iglesia ni Cristo”, an independent church in the Philippines, with an independent churches in Africa, Taiwan, Japan, Chile and Brazil. 
For Tuggy, the key factor for the occurrence or rise of independent churches is the idea of “people-consciousness.” This is actually the nationalistic feeling of the people for their own tribe or group or “sakop.” Whenever there are things that give pride or unity for a certain group of people, the occurrence of independency movement is there and might already be on its way. However, “people-consciousness” is not enough for the successful formation of the independent church. This “people-consciousness” must be strong triggered by feelings of grievance toward the parent body and by feelings of solidarity. A leader respected by the group must be there to lead them towards independency as the situation became intolerable for them to join the parent body in their worship and activities. There must also be a fairly large initial exodus of adherents in order for the secession to be successful. The negative responses of the parent religious organization and the neutrality of the government help a lot in the formation of an independent church. 
Independent churches only grow, according to Tuggy, if there are suited historical, sociological, methodological  and religious factors. The historical factors have something to do with the personal and group experiences of the secessionist group before their secession or independency. These experiences include national independence, the continued feelings of nationalism of the people, the democratic political system which resulted to religious pluralism, liberty and competition, and the superior attitudes of foreign missionaries. The significant sociological factors include the presence of an innovative society, great internal migration, charismatic leadership, societal unrest, strict organization, and indigenous leadership, language and lifestyle. The significant methodological factors include centralized leadership and financial system, trained and disciplined ministers, aggressive evangelism, and the use of extensive and intensive methods of propagation. The significant religious factors include the widespread disillusionment of the big churches, the certainty it offered, the appeal to the Bible as authority and demand for committed membership. 

Religious Independent Movement in Philippine Roman Catholicism

 During the Spanish period, there were many uprisings caused by economic and religious discontentment. One of those caused by religious discontentment occurred in October 1841 led by Apolinario dela Cruz at Tayabas. Dela Cruz or “Hernando Pule” formed a secret confraternity of pure-blooded Filipino men and women. Usha Mahajani wrote that “pre-Christian religious beliefs greatly helped cement the bond between its members.”   However, the Spanish policy towards “rebels”, whether political or religious, was uniform” retributive and deterrent punishment. Sonia M. Zaide noted this revolt as the first important religious revolt in the Philippines. “Hernando Pule” founded the Cofradia de San Jose. When Governor General Marcelino Oraa and the Spanish Archbishop declared it a heretic group, Hernando Pule carried on with his movement and fought for religious freedom.  They were all killed and it became clear that no Filipino independent religious movement would be allowed in Roman Catholicism during the Spanish period. 
 Even the Philippine Independent Church (PIC)  or the “Iglesia Filipina Independiente” (IFI) also called as the “Aglipayan Church” had their independence formalized only during the American regime. Sister Mary Dorita Clifford in her study of the “Iglesia Filipina Independiente: The Revolutionary Church” traced its founding and historical developments. The first phase, 1898-1901, was the period of revolution against Spain and the United States. Aguinaldo, after returning from Hongkong on May 19, 1898, appointed Father Gregorio Aglipay as military chaplain to coordinate the efforts of the native clergy, to fill the vacancies of the parishes, and to separate the common people from their allegiance to Spain and draw them to revolution. The defeat of the revolutionary forces, the capture of Aguinaldo, and the subsequent surrender of Aglipay and other insurgents by May 1901, brought about the eventual pacification of the Philippines under the American control and brought the independent church under the control of the Spanish hierarchy in Manila.   This installed the founding of the independent church. 
 The second phase was its founding until 1905 when after Taft’s departure, the Aglipayans lost the support of the American authorities. Its founding had three stages. First on March 1900, Aguinaldo issued a decree affirming Aglipay as the supreme authority of the Catholic Church in the Philippines instead of the Spanish Archbishop. Second, in January 1901, Felipe Buencamino attempted to build an independent Filipino Evangelical Church using his church as a necessary requirement for membership in a political party. This second attempt failed also because the American government never approved using a political party for religious purposes. And finally, Isabelo delos Reyes, who led a campaign for the Filipinization of the clergy before the start of the 1896 Revolution, supported a policy of complete break with Rome and an independent church. He proposed it again in August 3, 1902 which won approval and was formally inaugurated  on October 25-26, 1902. Membership in this church grew by leaps and bounds, with the spirit of nationalism still burning in the hearts of many Filipinos. 
 The third phase started the decline of the Independent church in 1905 until in September 1, 1940, Aglipay died at the age of eighty. The main reason for the decline were the Supreme Court decision returning the church property to the Roman Catholic Church possessed by the Independents on November 24, 1906, and the steadfast adherence by the native priests to their mother church.  The last nationalistic act of Aglipay was on June 1935 when he ran for the presidency of the Commonwealth but lost.  Clifford made a general observation that,
‘the whole movement was motivated by nationalism and the desire for political independence as well as for recognition of the rights of the native clergy. The subsequent attempts to set up an independent church were radical departures in doctrine as well as authority and seem to have been more political in nature than they were spiritual.” 

 The decline of the Aglipay Church, therefore seems due to its secondary emphasis on spiritual doctrine and growth, and its primary emphasis on political reaction to the abuses of the Spanish friars. 

Religious Independent Movements in Philippine Protestantism

Douglas J. Elwood (1969), provided us with the reasons concerning the rise of many independent religious groups in the country. In his Varieties of Christianity in the Philippines, he explained the factors for the growth of independent churches in the country. He wrote that there were five distinct branches of Christianity in the Philippines: 
1. Roman Catholicism;
2. Independent Catholics or the “Iglesia Filipina Independiente”;
3. Ecumenical Protestants or those related with the National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP);
4. Independent Protestants who never favored the ecumenical and liberal doctrines of the NCCP, and those affiliated with the Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches (PCEC); and,
5. Other non-Catholics who identify with neither the “Roman Catholic: nor the “Protestant” tradition.
 

Elwood enumerated the following as the factors facilitating the growth of independent Protestant movements in the Philippines.  The first was the institutional insularity of fragmentation of the traditional churches and their failure to meet the religious needs of the whole Philippines. Since they were heavily concerned with their inner struggles, many Protestant churches neglected doing missions. The second factor was the newly found freedom of religious expression that was guaranteed in the Philippine Bill of 1902, carried over in the 1935 Philippine Constitution. The third is the feeling of nationalism, against which Christianity was sometimes seen to be a Western import on Philippine cultural patterns. The fourth factor was the cultural orientation of the Filipinos which is regionalistic and the consequent development of churches in relative isolation. The fifth factor was the search of many Filipinos for cultural identity. This contributed to the reception of numerous separatist movements from abroad. The seventh factor was the hypersensitivity of many Filipino leaders to the confrontational approach and frankness of the Americans. The eight factor was the widespread Catholic lukewarmness to their faith and vestigial anticlericalism. And the last factor was the expansion, after 1938, of the Independents or “Faith Mission”  movements in the United States stimulated by the Fundamentalist-Modernist controversy of the 1920’s. These Conservative Protestants in the United Stated saw no hindrance in starting missions in the country. 
According to the study of Elwood (1969), prior to World War II, at least twenty different independent Protestant agencies from abroad had begun missionary work in the Philippines. It increased to thirty by 1949 immediately after the war. By 1969 there was an estimated number of 350 different religious bodies in the Philippines including pseudo-Christian groups. More than 150 of them had some foreign ties and the rest were local churches or movements who split from their mother churches and were led and supported by Filipinos. 
On the other hand, Kenton J. Clymer, in his book Protestant Missionaries in the Philippines (1986), made the following historical conclusions about the American Protestant missionaries in the Philippines who were the cause for the rise of Protestant independent movements. First, he said, “all missionaries  virtually disapproved of Filipino resistance against the Americans.”  Second, they looked at the Filipinos as “underdeveloped persons, akin to children”  Clymer ascribed the many schisms within American Protestantism in the Philippines to “the missionaries” failure to give Filipinos more authority in mission affairs.” 
Lastly,  Clymer pointed out that the Baptists “were successful in Filipinizing their churches more effectively than other missions.”  The Baptist’s commitment to Filipino controlled churches “came less from a concession to Filipino nationalism but to their theological emphasis on local autonomy based on the principle of self-supporting and self-propagating native churches.”  Later on, “other denominations followed with concessions with Filipino nationalism in its ecclesiastical form which is the right to govern themselves.”  A pioneer in this move was the United Brethren Church.
The book by Franklin W. Allen, Breaking the Barriers (1990), is about the history of partnership of the Overseas Missionary Fellowship (OMF), Far Eastern Gospel Crusade (FEGC) and the Alliance of Bible Christian Communities of the Philippines (ABCCOP) in the Philippines. This book illustrates that missionary goals of an indigenized Filipino church affected independent religious groups.
Allen noted the strained broken relationships that existed between the American missionaries and the national church due to the issues of colonialism, imperialism, cultural misunderstandings, gunbout diplomacy, and ethnocentricity. This is the picture of Protestantism after World War II, “one of division and fragmentation.”  This fragmentation, according to Allen, was “due to many doctrinal differences between missionaries that came from the United States and from their narrow sectarianism.” 
Meanwhile, a number of American soldiers during World War II returned to the Philippines to do missions under the Far Eastern Gospel Crusade (FEGC). In 1950, the Board of Directors of the FEGC laid down principles that was an attempt to establish a relationship with Filipino local churches basically free from colonialistic overtones as well as faithful to the bible. The following principles were: 

1. “ That every effort put forth by the foreign missionary to counsel and advise the believers in the establishment of a local church as set forth in Paul’s examples to the church as found in the New Testament. This local church must be indigenous and described as being self-supporting, self-governing, and self-propagating.

2.  That local believers form the congregation and the legislative body for the 
      local church.
3. That pastors be appointed by the local congregations with the advise of the missionaries.
4. That no missionary under the appointment by the FEGC be appointed pastor of a local church.

5. That no local churches be established upon FEGC property.

6. That all monies be expended by the local congregations, and all monies given by the churches in the United States for the establishment of churches be channeled through the FEGC for such designated purpose. It is not the purpose of the FEGC to assume responsibility for the maintenance of churches.”
 

These principles seemed to be fine until a number of local churches left the FEGC mission behind and established the “Fellowship of Fundamental Independent Churches of the Philippines” (FIFCOP) due to the lack of fellowship between them and the foreigners and the local church leaders. The Overseas Missionary Fellowship (OMF) who came to the Philippines in 1951 joined the “Worker’s Fellowship” established by FEGC in each geographical area.  Later on, the move went on to “Church Fellowship.” Then, it went further and caused to the establishment of a strong national church. On November 14-18, 1967 at Tagaytay, the Far Eastern Gospel Crusade (FEGC), Overseas Missionary Fellowship (OMF), Philippine Missionary Fellowship (PMF), and the representatives of the “Worker’s Fellowships” and “Church Fellowships,” took the steps for the establishment of a national church. The Philippine Missionary Fellowship did not follow through with an official association, but the rest founded the “Association of Bible Churches of the Philippines” (ABCOP) on November 18, 1972. Allen did not discuss the reasons why PMF did not join the group. However, the main reason was that PMF was already established during that time with around forty (40) missionaries working in the Philippines. 
Brief History of Protestantism in the Philippines

 It is very necessary to review the  history of Protestantism or Biblical Christianity in the Philippines, of which PMF is a part.  The study of Alfredo de Guzman on History of Philippine Missionary Fellowship, Inc.: A Historical Case Study of an Independent Filipino Christian Movement, provides a short history of Protestantism in the Philippines. 
 De Guzman wrote:  “On August 13, 1898, Chaplain W.D. McKinnon conducted for the American soldiers  the first Protestant worship service. Also Frank A. Jackson and Charles A. Glunz of the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) conducted the first open Protestant Worship service in the country on August 14, 1898.  Chaplain George C. Stull, a Methodist minister assigned with the First Montana Volunteers, also conducted a Protestant service in the Philippines on August 28, 1898. during the mid-November of 1898, Rev. Charles A. Owen of the Methodist Episcopal church arrived in the Philippines but was never recognized by Bishop James I. Thoburn who had jurisdiction of the Philippines. Rev. Owen went back to the United States in the summer of 1899. Before his return to the US he wrote: “I have preached more than 40 times, held revival services 18 nights and eight were converted. One was baptized by sprinkling and four by immersion in the Pasig River.” 
 However long before 1898, in 1853, the British and Foreign Bible Society (BFBS) distributed  50 Spanish Bibles and 50 New Testaments in the country. Again in 1870, a German national named Heinrich Hoffenden of the BFBS came to Manila and distributed a total of 1,000 Spanish Bibles. One of those who received and zealously read the Bible was a Dominican friar named Manrique Lallave. When the friars in Manila came to know about it Lallave was excommunicated. With the help of his friends, he was able to go to England where he became an Episcopal minister, before he went back to Spain. At Spain with the help of Eric Lund, a Baptist missionary, and Felipe P. Castells, a convert of Lund, he translated the whole New Testament into Pangasinese, with the exception of Revelation which only translated in 1907. This was the first Bible translation into a Philippine dialect. They reached Manila in 1888 but Lallave died a few days later and Castells, after selling some Bibles, was deported to Spain along with the boxes of Bibles. On September 1898, three weeks after the American forces entered Manila, for the first time in the Philippines, the BFBS sold Bibles openly to the public. Then, on November 1898, Charles B. Randall of the British and Foreign Bible Society (BFBS) accompanied by Jackson and Glunz made a trip to Dagupan, Pangasinan to distribute the New Testament translated by Lallave. 
 The Rev. H. S. Miller, who arrived in Manila in July 1889, was the first agent of the BFBS while Rev. Jay C. Goodrich was the first agent of the American Bible Society when it established a branch in 1899 in Manila. These Bible Societies translated and published the first complete Bibles in the Philippine dialects. BFBS published Bible translations in Bicol (1905), Tagalog (1914) and Pangasinan (1915). The ABS published the Bible translations in Ilokano (1909), Hiligaynon (1912), Pampango (1915), Cebuano (1917) and Samareno (1937). 
 On February 28, 1899, Bishop James I. Thoburn of India came to Manila where he met the Zamora family and others who were in the circle of Protestant believers. He baptized new believers and licensed a fellow Methodist, an American businessman whose name was Arthur Prautch as a local preacher. Then he held a series of evangelistic services attended largely by American servicemen.  However, the first officially appointed missionaries, Mr. And Mrs. James B. Rodgers, arrived in the Philippines on April 21, 1899 under the Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions (US). It was on May 7, 1899 when Rodgers held his first service attended by seven persons of whom four of them were members of one family (Paulino Zamora and his three sons – Nicolas, Ricardo and Jesus). Paulino Zamora was the nephew of Father Jacinto Zamora, one of the three Filipino priest martyrs of 1872. They were later baptized on October 22, 1899, with one woman, and four other believers. 
 It was the initiative of the Presbyterian to create a formal comity agreement among the Protestant missions who came to the Philippines. During their meeting on December 13-19, 1900, the Presbyterian Mission passed the following resolutions: 
1. “That all Protestant Filipino churches be designated “Iglesias Evangelicas” without further distinction that marks their location.

2. That one mission station is sufficient for one town or district of a city.
3. That we shall respect the prior claims of a mission where positive and definite steps have been taken to occupy towns or districts and shall not establishing preaching places in such places.

4. That where people from another district attend our services and wish us to open in their district already occupied by another mission, we refer them to the mission already in their district as being the branch of our church doing work  there.

5. That an effort be made to form an agreement with the other missions doing work in the islands to divide the territory in such a way that our different spheres of labor may not overlap.

6. That a copy of these resolutions be sent to each mission doing work in the islands, requesting their cooperation in carrying out these plan.”
 

On April 24-26, 1901, a conference of all Protestant missionaries in Manila was held at the YMCA Center in response to the Presbyterian comity resolution.  On April 25th  the “The Evangelical Union of the Philippine Islands” was formed, a council of representatives from the various participating missions and Christian agencies. The original groups which composed it were the Presbyterian Mission, the Methodist Mission, the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA), the British and Foreign Bible Society and the American Bible Society. The primary goal of this act was to bring about a spirit of comity, unity and cooperation that would eliminate rivalry and effect harmony among its constituent bodies. A distinctive feature of this Union was the fact that it was a missionary organization and its membership was limited only to the Americans. The comity agreement to formally divide the territory among the various missions was laid down in a number of resolutions dated April 26, 1901, as follows: 
 “WHEREAS, the evangelization of these people will be more speedily
 accomplished by a division of a territory, thus avoiding waste of labor, 
time and money arising from the occupation of the same districts by more 
than one Society, which has marred the work in other and older fields, 
therefore:

BE IT RESOLVED, that each Mission now represented on the field accept
the responsibility for the evangelization of certain well-defined areas, to
be mutually agreed upon, such agreement to be open to revision at the end
of three years by the Evangelical Union at its regular meeting.

BE IT RESOLVED, that in the Island of Luzon the Methodist shall become
responsible for the work in the provinces of Bulacan, Pampanga, Tarlac,
Nueva Ecija, Pangasinan, Bataan and Zambales; the Presbyterians for the
work in the provinces of Morong, Laguna, Cavite, Batangas, Tayabas, North
and South Camarines, and Albay; the United Brethren for the work in the 
Provinces of La Union, Ilocos del Norte and Sur.

BE IT RESOLVED, that no new work be begun in the city or Province of
Manila, except by mutual understanding between the Superintendents of the
Missions whose interests are involved, and in cases of disagreement the decision
to rest with the Executive Committee of the Evangelical Union.

BE IT RESOLVED, that we recommend that the Baptists and Presbyterians 
shall become responsible for the work in the Islands of Panay and Negros, 
they mutually deciding upon the portion of the Islands for which they will be
individually responsible.”
 

In the final scheme of territorial  division which would last until 1950, the Methodists has north Luzon, except for the Ilocano provinces which were given to the Disciples and the United Brethren. The Presbyterians held south Luzon (except certain sectors in Laguna and Tayabas which were given to the Disciples), Palawan and all of eastern Visayas. The Baptists received all of the Ilongo-speaking Visayas including Negros and Romblon. The Congregationalist had Mindanao, except for Sulu, Basilan, southern Zamboanga and certain pockets in Cotabato which were entrusted to the Christian and Missionary Alliance or the Episcopal Mission. 
Dean Jorge Bocobo became the first Filipino president of the Evangelical Union (1901-29) in 1921. In his leadership, the name of the Union was changed twice: National Christian Council (1929-38) and then the Philippine Federation of Evangelical Churches (1938-42). During World War II, Dr. Enrique C. Sobrepena became its president. After the War, the name of the group became the Philippine Federation of Christian Churches (1946-63), its name became National Council of Churches in the Philippines (NCCP) which remains until now.  Through the years of the Protestant union, there was the cry for the indigenization of the Church. Only after ten years of Protestantism in the country, on February 28, 1909, a major event occurred which we will call the formal beginnings of religious independency movements within Protestantism. This event was the founding of the Iglesia Evangelica Metodista en las Islas Pilipinas (IEMELIF) led by Rev. Nicolas Zamora. He was the first Filipino to be ordained a Protestant minister. Many minor and major church divisions occurred after that.  Within the relatively short period of seventy years (1898-1968), there were an estimated number of 350 different religious bodies in the Philippines including pseudo-Christian groups. 
The NCCP during its inception was already composed of seven denominations. They were the Convention of Philippine Baptist Churches (CPBC), Iglesia Evangelica Metodissta en las Islas Filipinas (IEMELIF), Iglesia Evangelica Unida de Cristo (IEUDC), Methodist Church, Philippine Episcopal Church (PEC), Philippine Independent Church (PIC), and the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP). Only the Methodist Church, Philippine Episcopal Church and the Philippine Independent Church had foreign leadership and support, the others  separated from their mother missions and became self-supporting, self-governing and self-propagating. 
 As early as 1965, a new rival “national council” of churches was organized in the Philippines by a number of Protestant independent churches and organizations called the Philippine Council of Fundamental Evangelical Churches (PCFEC). Its charter members were: Conservative Baptist Association of the Philippines (CBAP), Christian Missionary Alliance (CMA), International Foursquare Gospel Church (IFGC), Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship (IVCF), New Tribes Mission (NTM), Far Eastern Gospel Crusade (FEGC), Far East Broadcasting Company (FEBC), Overseas Missionary Fellowship (OMF), Philippine Missionary Fellowship (PMF), and the Fellowship of Indigenous Fundamental Churches of the Philippines (FIFCOP). This was formed because they did not want the NCCP to be the official voice of the Protestantism before the government and become the accrediting body for foreign missionaries.  They were suspicious of the NCCP’s leadership on their theological and social compromise expressed primarily by their ecumenical teachings. When it was legally incorporated in 1971, Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches (PCEC) became its name. 
 The Charismatic Movement that started in the United States in the 1950’s, as an offshoot of Protestantism, became popular in the Philippines in the 1970’s. This movement brought revival to major Protestant groups and caused the establishment of many independent churches in the country. The Charismatic Movement, unlike mainstream Protestantism, encourages believers to seek the gifts (charisma) of the Holy Spirit as a source of personal experience and relationship with God, as well as the Bible as a source of theological doctrine. 
 

Evangelical Christianity in the Philippines
 

Review of Nineteenth Century Spiritual Awakening

 An overview of the progress of worldwide Protestant missions in the nineteenth  century and the role of spiritual revivals may help to enlighten the reader on the analysis of this study. Dr. J. Edwin Orr, the great historian of revivals, has this to say:
 There were four great outpourings of the Holy Spirit in the nineteenth century,
 Resulting in revivals and awakenings and their extension by evangelism and 
social action… which made the nineteenth century the ‘Great Century’ of 
evangelism and Christian action.

The ‘turn of the century’ awakenings sent off pioneer missionaries to the South
Seas, to Latin America, Black, America, India and China. There rose denominational
Missionary societies such as the Baptist Missionary Society, the American Board 
and other national missions in Europe. At the same time, the British and Foreign
Bible Society was founded, followed by the American Bible Society and other
National Bible Societies, as well as societies for promotion of Christian literature! 
 

Evangelical missionary endeavors reached their peak in the nineteenth century. Church historians describe this particular period as the “Great Century of Protestant Missions.”  The evangelical Christians of America and Europe have become acutely aware of their moral and spiritual responsibilities to the rest of mankind. Observe that “of a total of 13,600 Protestant missionaries in 1900, for example, (there were) 5,900 British, and 4,100 Americans… The English-speaking peoples thus provided about three-fourths of the total Protestant effort.”  And this genuine burden for the souls of men, without regard for life and wealth, was one of the lasting fruits of spiritual awakening of revival.
Both continents had experienced a series of spiritual awakenings. These revivals began during the first half of the eighteenth century and lasted until the end of the next century. Even the church of England was not spared: “An evangelical revival moved through the Church of England during the first third of the century under the leadership of such well-known saints as John Newton and William Wilberforce.”  Linked with this mighty outpourings of the Spirit of God were names of some of the great churchmen of the past centuries. England had the brothers John and Charles Wesley and George Whitefield. The great revivals in America were associated with Theodore Frelinghuysen (1726), Jonathan Edwards (1734), Charles Finney (1824), Jeremiah Lanphier (1857), Dwight L. Moody and Ira Sankey (1873-1875). 
Dr. Orr’s voluminous and intensive researches testify to these mighty movings of the Spirit of God creating spiritual momentum, as well as counteracting spiritual declension.  He speaks of the direct correlation between revival and missions:
The Mid-century Awakenings revived all the existing societies and enabled
them to enter other fields. The practical evangelical ecumenism of the Revival
was embodied in the China Inland Mission founded by Hudson Taylor in the
aftermath of the British Awakening… 
 
 

The Rise of Faith-Missions

 Speaking of the relation of revival to Christian missions, A.M. Renwick says: “It has never been adequately realized, however, how much this period owed to the great revival movement which took place.”  Indeed this period of Church History gave birth to mission boards and societies whose faithful constituents had blazed the missionary trail. To name a few of them: Baptist Missionary Society (1792), London Missionary Society (1792), General Methodist Society (1796), Church Missionary Society (1799), American Board of  Commissioners of Foreign Missions (1810), Basel Evangelical Missionary Society (1821), Danish Missionary Society (1821),  Berlin Missionary Society (1824), and Parish Missionary Society (1824). The foreign missions movement continued to expand. 
 The latter half of the nineteenth century saw the rise of so-called “Faith-Missions” for the propagation of the gospel on foreign fields: China Inland Mission (1865), the Regions Beyond Missionary Union (1878), Central America Mission (1878), the Evangelical Alliance Missions (1890), African Inland Mission (1895), Sudan Interior Mission (1901), and many others. “As in the first half of the century,” Orr continues, “practically every missionary invasion was launched by men revived or converted in the Awakenings.”  The revivals provided men and motivation.
The outstanding missionaries of the period were Robert Moffat, David Livingstone, J. Hudson Taylor, Robert Morrison, Alexander Duff, Henry Martyn, Adoniram Judson and William Carey, “the father of modern missions”. 
 Nation after nation, we are told, had been reached with the gospel of Jesus Christ as these zealous and faithful missionaries went to the regions beyond. Indeed, it is remarkable to think that “the great missionary work of the various denominational and interdenominational societies now encircle the globe… The nineteenth century was preeminently the century of missionary expansion.”  Evidently, the foreign missionary enterprise was gaining momentum in the churches of the western world:
 From William Carey down to John R. Mott this movement took quite literally 
the whole of humanity as its responsibility: ‘the evangelization of the world in
our generation’… these thousands of men and women who for four generations
poured out to the ends of the earth to die among strange people of alien tongues,
in order to tell them the good news of what God had done in Christ. 
 

 Thus, the nineteenth century became in itself the century of Christian action, taking the Good News to every quarter of the earth, to every phase of life. Those whose hearts the Spirit had touched became the great initiators of reform and welfare and tuned even the conscience of unregenerate men to a “sense of Divine harmony in society.” A great century indeed and whose effects split over to as far as the Far East and the Philippine Islands! 

II.CONCEPT OF PASTORAL THEOLOGY

For more appreciation of the substance of this study, this writer incorporated the concept of Pastoral Theology. Considering the pastor’s/elder’s significant role as a leadership body in the local churches,  and seriously local church leadership – elderships particularly – they are responsible for church growth. God hold them accountable for their congregations’ health. 
 Thomas C. Den defined “Pastoral Theology” as the branch of Christian theology that deals with the office and functions of the pastor. It seeks to reflect upon the self disclosure of God witnessed to by the Scripture, mediated through tradition, reflected upon by critical reasoning and embodied in personal and social experiences.” 
 Seward Hiltner describe  “Pastoral Theology” as that branch or field of theological knowledge and inquiry that bring the shepherding perspective to bear upon all operations and functions of the church and minister and then draws conclusions of a theological order from reflection of these observations.”
 Paul’s words to Timothy, “Thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ” (I Timothy 4:6) , do not refer to the latter’s preaching but to his practical administration of the affairs of the local church of which he was a pastor.
 The name “pastoral” is a uniquely Christian term that expresses a fundamental concept that is deeply embedded in every biblical portrayal of Christian ministry. The Term refers to a rich scriptural figure that finds its beginning and end in God. He, who is the “Shepherd of Israel” (Psalm 80:1), ultimately demonstrated the meaning of His covenantal love as the Great Shepherd of the sheep by giving His life for them (John 10:11. 
 The figure virtually bursts with significance, far more than didactic statements ever could express. Let us try to capture something of what it meant for David (as a former shepherd) to write:
 “The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want” (Psalm 23: 1), 
for in that great declaration lies all that is meant by “Pastoral Work.” To help to understand this:
 “The Lord is my Pastor; I shall not want” (Psalm 23:1).
 In conclusion, Pastoral Theology is not a comprehensive title for all sorts of practical applications of theology but is restricted discipline that lay at the heart of practical theology and deals with the relationship between doctrine and practice in both the pastoral task specifically and the ministry generally.

PURPOSE Of PASTORAL THEOLOGY
 It is designed to be helpful in the work of the ministry outside of the preaching of the Word. They ought to deport themselves at all times while filling the office of a pastor.
 This is helpful to those who are preparing for this work, but they may also be useful to some who are already in the pastorate.17

WHY IT IS NEEDED
 The Lord Jesus certainly prepared the Apostles for their work. For about three years. He thoroughly and carefully taught them many things pertaining to success in their ministry of the Gospel such as: Seeking first the kingdom of God (Matthew 6:33); Being watchful against false teachers (Matthew 7:15,16) practicing humility  (Matthew 18:1-6); and Disciplining a sinning brother (Matthew 18:15-19). The need for instruction and training has not ceased in the apostle’s period. Three of Paul’s letters are commonly called pastoral epistles (1 and 11 Timothy & Titus). 

BIBLICAL FOUNDATIONS
OLD TESTAMENT
 In Genesis 48:15 Jacob said…”the God who has been my Shepherd all my life to this day.” 
A. Historical Experiences. It was rare for them to speak of God as “their Shepherd
The Psalmist, David  said, “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want.” Psalm 23:1 and Jacob declared on Genesis 49:24, from there is the Shepherd, the Stone of Israel.” 
B. It shed light on their own identity. Psalm 100:3 proclaim, “We are His people, the sheep of His pasture.” 
C. God’s ministry to His own people. The shepherd imagery in no way exhausts the extent of God’s ministry to His own people. To it we must add the picture of God as “Father” which is so touchingly portrayed in Hosea 11:1-11. God lavishes on them the proud and gentle love of a Father.
All subsequent understanding of ministry takes its starting point from the ministry of God to His own people. The human ministry can never be more than a pale and partial reflection of that divine ministry. God the Shepherd defines the relationship and function of the pastor to His flock.
God being the Shepherd speaks of both the patience required of love and of the pain involved, the gentleness required to teach others and God’s judgment that God cannot be trifled with.
However, it equally warns the pastor that the only position from which he can minister to someone else is that of recognizing himself to be on the same level as that person, since he too stands in need of the grace of God and is only fit for the service of God because of that same grace.
The ministry’s responsibility is simply the modest task of “translating the covenant love of God no specific human attitudes and actions that affirm it is one’s life.”
The pastor who puts himself above the fellows and has an over grand conception of his responsibility will spend most of his ministry suffering from fatigue and seeing people as a burden or a problem. 
 

THE LEADERSHIP OF MOSES
In the history of Israel it became apparent that God intended to use people or leaders like Moses, to affect His own ministry to the Israelites. Moses was neither a king nor commander of the army. He directed the worship of the Israelites to God but he neither hand the status of a priest nor did he ever offer sacrifices. In one way he was a prophet, perhaps the greatest of the prophets, Deuteronomy 18:15. 
The attempt to impose some classification on Moses is futile for as Deuteronomy 34:10-12 indicates that there had never been his like before or since.
From the time they were slaves in Egypt, Council of Elders governed Israel. God acknowledged the elders’ place of leadership by sending Moses to them first to announce the people’s deliverance: “Go and gather the elders of Israel together…” (Exodus 3:16). The elders appear as the people’s chief representative leaders (Exodus 4:29, 31) and as Moses’ chief assistants – standing by his side when he confronts Pharaoh (Exodus 3:18) and assisting him as he prepares the people for their first Passover (Exodus 12:21). 
 At God’s command, the elders were Moses’ constant attendants and witnesses to his leadership and actions during the wilderness wanderings. 

THE PASTOR OF ISRAEL
 The nation of Israel was threatened with disintegration because in the absence of leadership, “everyone did as he saw fit” (Judges 17:6; 21:25). Israel eventually sought leadership in monarchy, but in addition to the three other groups were to emerge as the pastors of Israel: priest, prophets and wise men (Jeremiah 18:18).
NEW TESTAMENT
New Testament theology consists of the interweaving of two strands. An explicit strand deals with the nature and constitution of the church and speaks directly about its ministry. The implicit strand does not however stand-alone. It is accompanied by an implicit strand which has been comparatively neglected implicitly the New Testament documents are pastoral documents. They are theology called forth by the pastoral situations of the church and theology shaped to speak to particular pastoral situations. However, it would be absurd to claim that the New Testament is exclusively a pastoral document. Clearly it is not. It has evangelistic, mission logical, apologetic, ethical, socio-political, purely theological and even polemical dimension as well. 

THE SYNOPTIC GOSPEL AND ACTS
Gospel of Matthew
 The gospel of Matthew has pastoral interest and pastoral purpose is self-evident.
1. The gospel of Matthew speaks of Ethics of the Kingdom (on the Sermon on the Mount) which is by nature pastoral (Matthew. Chapters 5-7).
2. The Gospel of Matthew speaks about the “church” (Matthew 16:18; 18:17)
3. The Gospel of Matthew alone speaks openly about church’s responsibility for reconciling an estranged brother (Matthew 18:15-20)
4. The inclusion of blocks of teaching by Jesus in Matthew 5:1-7:29,10:5-42; 13:1-52; 18:1-35 and 23:1-25:46) it shows a very real concern for instruction in the Christian community.
5. Jesus’ miracles are not important for Matthew for their own sakes but primarily for their values as instruments of instructions for the church. Three interrelated themes the need for and nature of faith which can be found on Matthew 8:5-13; 9:18-26; discipleship in Matthew 8:23-27; 14:13-21, 22, 23 and 17:14-21; and the authority and person of Christ found on Matthew 8:16-17, 28-34 and 9:2-7)
6. The need to confess Jesus publicly (Matthew 5:13-16; 10:32-33; 26:69-75)
7. The spirit of leadership is his prominent concern (Matthew 10:24-25; 18:2-9; 20:25-28 and 23:7-12)
8. A final characteristic of the community of disciples in Matthew is that it is a missionary community, Matthew 10:5-15; 28:19-20.

Gospel of Mark
A theologian named William Lane says that the Gospel of Mark is a “Pastoral response” to the critical situation of the Gentile situation of the Gentile Christians in Rome who were facing persecution and martyrdom. 
1. The essence of discipleship is captured by Mark in his account of the appointment of the twelve, Mark 3:13-19.
2. Jesus’ own understanding of the ministry, which is formative for that of his, disciples, is spoken of in, Mark 1:35-39.
3. Jesus spends as much time teaching them about the other side of the ministry. The disciples are called to suffer, Mark 10:35-45)
4. The disciples must reject any notions of status, Mark 9:33-39.
Of reward in this life, Mark 10:28-31.

Gospel of Luke-Book of Acts
 Luke’s writing (Luke and Acts) has a pastoral intent.

There were three possible misconceptions regarding Luke: 
1. To argue that Luke wrote in response to pastoral needs in the church of his day is not to claim that this was his only purpose in writing Luke has other objectives in view.
2. The claim that Luke is writing pastorally should not be taken to mean that he is unreliable as a historian. However there is a good deal of evidence to suggest that Luke succeeded in being historically trustworthy.
3. Thirdly, to argue that Luke wrote pastorally is not to argue that his writing is merely practical and therefore untheological. To be practical is not to be untheological. To be good a pastor demands that the one is both practical and theological.

Pastoral Dimension of Luke and Acts
A. Luke sets out to write an orderly account (Luke 1:3), which demonstrated as how the church is the proper outcome of the ministry of Jesus Christ.
B. Stephen’s attack on the Temple, law and the people (Luke 11:37-54; and Acts 15:1-35) Show how much Christianity is to be distinguished from Judaism.
C. Paul has been commissioned by Jesus Christ to be an apostle to the Gentiles (Acts 9:15).
D. God’s unfolding plan for his church was that it should spread from Galilee to Jerusalem and then through all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the Earth (Acts 1:8).
E. The church is shown to be politically non-subversive (Luke 20:25 and Luke 23:1-5)
F. The coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and the founding of the church have already fulfilled eschatological hopes in part (Luke 4:17-21, 17:21, Acts 2:14-39)
  The Gospels and the Book of Acts are not just historical, theological and evangelistic documents, they are pastoral as well. Behind them lie the needs of the church. 

HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
The Early Centuries
  The development of the pastoral role beyond the New Testament period is complex. In the early centuries, many rich work were brought to birth, which gave an insight into the work of the ministry. 
  The early document which has recognized the value of itinerant teachers and pastors is the Didache. Echoing the pastoral epistles, the Didache says in part: “You must choose for yourselves overseer and assistants who are worthy of the Lord, men who are humble and not eager for money, but sincere and approved, for they are carrying out the ministry.” 
  Clement of Alexandria, wrote in his “The Rich Man’s Salvation.”
  “For this purpose, my wealthy friend, you should set over yourself some man of God as trainer and pilot. Give him your respect and fear. Be at pains to listen to his rebuke . . . Let him spend wakeful nights for you in prayer, let him be your ambassador in God’s presence…” Real development in the pastoral role did not lie, however, in Alexandria but in Carthage Cyprian (200-258). He comes down to history as a theological combatant, but he was in reality, more of a pastor and administrator, and his policies were motivated by genuine concern for the welfare of the church. 
H.T. Mayer has accurately summarized Cyprian’s contribution to our understanding of pastoral care. In one of his letters, Cyprian presents a classically beautiful picture of the bishop working as the shepherd of his flock. The bishop expends his energy without reservation to care for every need of his sheep. He finds their scratches and wounds and pours in oil and wine. He combs their fleece, he beds them down at night, he knows each one by name, he loves each one. It’s moving pastoral picture. 
  Ambrose of Milan (339-397) wrote a work entitled, On the Duties of the Clergy. Ambrose was an understanding preacher and Administrator. His work is not really a textbook in pastoral theology so much as exhortation to ministers to live virtuous lives and to hold fast to perfect duties. 
  The significance of Ambrose lies as much in the effect he had on Augustine of Hippo (354-430). It was through Ambrose’s preaching that Augustine had been converted, and as bishop Augustine looked to Ambrose as his model. In one of his messages he said: 
“To rebuke those who stir strife, to comfort those of little courage, to take the part of the weak; to refute opponents, to be on guard against traps, to teach the ignorant, to shake the indolent awake…
To be preaching, disputing, reproving, edifying, to be on hand for everyone- that is great burden and one which lies heavily on me…”

 Augustine’s pastoral care was exemplary. He was the first to introduce monastic living into a cathedral and his life in the community, which was situated at the heart of the town, was open for all to see. Having renounced luxury as hostile to spiritual growth, he maintained a simple lifestyle. 

The Middle Ages 
Politically the period of the Middle Ages saw the decline of the Roman Empire and, religiously, the papal on the wane.
 It is in this stage when it was hard to maintain a pure view of the Christian ministry against the backdrop of the institutionalized church and the clergy had become inextricably bound up with the affairs of the world. 
 In conclusion, although there may be much gain from some medieval works of devotion, and though there are some notable exceptions, there is little in this period which relates, except by way of warning to the pastoral ministry today.
 Rather, an examination of the futile attempts to reform the ministry during the centuries of the Middle Ages underlines the need there was for a reformation. Nothing less than a radical renewal of the church seemed capable of making any impression on the generations of false shepherds, who rather than feeding their sheep, looked after their own interest while their flock suffered the ravages of the wolves.

The Reformation and its Legacy
 The two great questions of the Reformation, according to Paul Avis, were: “How can I obtain a gracious God? And “where can I find the true church?” These questions call for the pastoral ministry to undergo a fundamental reformation. 

Martin Luther (1483-1546)
 He set out demolishing the medieval view of the papacy and priesthood in 1520. In reconstructing the doctrine of the church a number of basic tenets were soon stated and repeatedly affirmed. The true church was to be found wherever the word of God was preached, “If the word of God is present in its purity and is active, the Church is there.” 
 The ministry then, became a ministry of the word and the pastor is a teacher of the flock, not a dispenser of sacraments. Preaching was their specific responsibility and their ordination was a setting apart to the responsibilities of that office, not to some priestly status.
 Luther himself was much involved in pastoral work, and his numerous writings and letters show. To be a pastor seems to be his nature.

Martin Bucer (1491-1551)
 The supreme accolade of “Pastoral Theologian of the Reformation” must however, without doubt be awarded to Martin Bucer. He was converted to Lutheranism in 1518. 
 Bucer’s major work On the Care of the Souls, written 1538, has never been translated into English. Its twelve chapters, plus a concluding summary, are a comprehensive statement of the church and its ministry and how to care for particular cases within the church, all liberally supported, at each point by reference to Scripture.

John Calvin (1509-1564)
He made a substantial contribution of the revival off the work of pastor. His commentaries are full of pastorally discerning sensitive comments; his letters are always pastorally discerning; his writings on the church give much attention to the question of pastoral care and the growth of the individual in Christ and, in his life, he set a high standard of pasturing for order to follow.

Richard Baxter (1615-1691)
The ripest fruit of the Reformation’s pastoral theology is to be seen in the ministry of Richard Baxter. In his The Reformed Pastor, he gives us a comprehensive insight into his philosophy of ministry. It was written in 1656 for the Worcester Association of Ministers. It reaches the heavens while having its feet firmly planted on the ground. It is immensely spiritual book. It reveals the awesome spiritual dimensions of the pastoral office, the spiritual temptations to which pastors are vulnerable, the spiritual conflicts they have to endure as well as the spiritual resources which are theirs. 
  In conclusion, the Reformation had thus profoundly affected the nature of the ministry. It had received something of the spirit it originally, had in early church and set it on a much surer course for the future. It restored its spiritual character and rejected its compromise with the world.

John Wesley (1703-1791)
He spoke of the Christian ministry in this way:
“This is the great work; not only to being souls to believe in Christ but to build them up in our most holy faith. How grievously are they mistaken who imagine that as soon as the children are born they take no more care of them.” 

Charles Simeon (1759-1836)
He conducted his ministry with a spiritual conscientiousness which was notably lacking in most of his peers. He conducted a system of meetings model on the pattern of John Wesley. He cared for his people and encouraged them to visit others. 
Christianity, was, Simeon, not a doctrinal system to be accepted and memorized but a remedy to be applied. The primary evidence of regeneration was not the mental acceptance of facts but a brokenness of life and self-loathing humility.
Simeon’s contribution to pastoral theology is in his burden in inspiring and training students who felt themselves called to the ministry.

Angel James (1785-1859)
 James wrote An Earnest Ministry the Want of the Times. He saw the ministry are dignified and honorable office since following 2 Corinthian 5:20 it was an embassy on the behalf of God. Its grand object was the salvation of souls, in broad sense, thus involving the primacy of evangelism and commitment to sanctification, comfort, and progress of those who through grace have believed.” 
 

Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892)
 The essence of the ministry of Spurgeon was preaching, and most of his efforts were concentrated in training the gift of preaching in his students. Preaching led to conversion and to grow in Christ, if it was on the right sort.
 Spurgeon saw the ministry as people-centered, the grand object being to serve the spiritual needs of the congregation as a mere steward of the Lord. Ministers are for churches, and not churches for ministers,” he declared. 

20Tth Century Trends
Seward Hiltner
 His concept of the pastoral ministry was contained in his work Preface to Pastoral Theology. He defined pastoral theology “as the theological theory resulting from study of the operations of pastor and church approached from the shepherding perspective.”

Daniel Williams
 He wrote the Minister and the Care of the Souls in which he discussed the relationship between the Christian account of the grace and the psychological account of acceptance.

Eduard Thurneysen
 He wrote A Theology of Pastoral Care which was a major contribution to pastoral theology from an evangelical perspective. He argued that the exclusive ingredient of pastoral care is the word of God through preaching. 
Jay Adams
Adams begins with the strong belief that Christian care and counseling has  sold its birthright of a mess of pottage by subjecting biblical truth to contemporary psychology or even trying to integrate the two. Adams argues that the root cause of all our problem is sin. Hence the task of the pastor is to comfort the person with his sin and with God’s demands and way of effecting change. 

The Shepherd’s Call and Qualifications
What is a call?
Webster New Encyclopedic Dictionary says a  call is a summons to a particular duty, office, or employment. 
It is a personal call; To special religious duty (Matthew 22: 3, 8, 9, 14; 20:16). 
 By a call to pastoral work, we mean the inner conviction we have received a divine commission to the preaching of God’s Word and such other duties that are associated with it. 
 The call goes forth, and is at once followed by the response of obedience. The response of the disciples is an act of obedience. 
 The Scriptures teach the necessity of such call both in the Old Testament and in the New Testament. Prophets, priests, and judges were set apart for their particular office by divine appointment. “And no man taketh his honor unto himself, but he that is called of God as was Aaron (Hebrew 5:4).  The New Testament regards the various orders in the ministry as among the “gifts” which the Holy Spirit has divided among men according to His own will (Ephesians 4:11,12). It has been said that no man should go into pastoral work if he can possible stay out of it, he must be compelled to say “Woe is me, if I preach the gospel!” (1 Corinthians 9:16) 
 In the Introduction of Paul’s letter to Titus  says he is “a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of God’s elect.” Notice the little expression “God’s elect.” The word elect means “to choose,” and Scripture shows quite clearly that God is in the habit of electing, or choosing. Now, whenever we think of God’s elect, we think in terms of a people that God has called, a people He has chosen. 

Significant Reasons
 Pastors receive a call for  significant reasons:
1. It is a spiritual ministry. As a matter of fact it is the only truly spiritual ministry in the world today. Christian used the word “spiritual” with it’s scriptural meaning: namely, to denote the inner, invisible and eternal qualities of a human being, especially in his relation to God. The pastorate or the Christian ministry, is the only calling which is wholly devoted to a service on this level. 
God chose a people for Himself because He wanted to make it clear that He was the sovereign Lord, that He would act as He chose. 
2. It is ministry which links men with God. The great end or aim of pastoral work is to help bring about a spiritual union between men and God, and then help the one thus link with God to live a life that is pleasing to God. It is this conviction that enables a man to go on in the ministry in spite of great difficulties and trials.
God chose a people so that they might live as model in the community in the midst of fragmentation to show what community is all about. 
3. It conserves all true values for a human being. This is not true of other professions such as that of a lawyer or doctor.
God’s people are also to be the means of demonstrating His grace. 
How Does a Pastor Receive his Call?
The apostles received a personal call from the Lord Jesus Christ (Luke 6:13). They have been His disciples or followers, for some time and one day He called them and commissioned them to be apostles.
The apostle Paul received his call in a vision in connection with or immediately after his conversion (Acts 9:5). After this he also received a personal message from Ananias to the same effect (Acts 9:15-117 and Galatians 1:1,16).
Timothy and Titus received their call through the apostle Paul (Acts 16:1-3). But it should be noted that God also wrought in the hearts of these men, especially that of Titus giving him a personal concern for the Corinthian Christians. 
Every Christian should seek God’s guidance and if he keeps his heart and mind open toward God, he will find out whether or not God has called him to the ministry.

Counting the Cost
 Jesus made it clear: If you want to be His disciple, then you must deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow Him (Matthew 16:24). 
When Jesus spoke of ministering discipleship, he warned against failure to count the cost (Luke 14:25-22). It has become far too fashionable for men to move in and out of the ministry at will with (it would seem) little or no consideration for this matter.
There are factors that do no make the pastoral ministry either an easy or inviting life calling. It takes more than the work itself to attract and hold men.
Counting the cost requires a full recognition of the personal  disadvantages (and assets) but it also involves taking stock of the heavy responsibilities involved in pastoral work.
At no other time in American history has popular respect for the church and its leadership dropped to such a low point. On the other hand, perhaps at no previous period have the demands that  make the pastoral ministry either an easy or inviting life calling. It takes more than the work itself to attract and hold men. And when you couple to these consideration the facts of meager pay,  lack of appreciation and an abundance of thoughtless criticism, the sum total of all is an unappealing  picture. 
God has called His Church to follow the footsteps of Jesus Christ. Christ’s footsteps led to the pathway of sufferings (I Peter 2:21). Being a Christian disciple does not  only involve faith in Jesus Christ but also suffering for his sake (Philippians 1:29). 
Truly any man entering the ministry today must sweep aside all idealistic or romantic notions. That necessity, however, can be an advantage. It forces one to face the realities and to count the cost.

The Pastor’s Spiritual Life
 President Woodrow Wilson, speaking to a group of ministers and other Christian workers, stated that his father, who was a Presbyterian minister used to say, “The Christian minister must be something before he can do anything!” 
In giving a charge to a young minister at his ordination, an old Scotch minister 

said: 

“The great purpose for which a minister is settled in a parish is not to cultivate scholarship, or to live among them as a good man, whose mere presence is a demonstration that can not be gainsaid, that there is a life possible on earth which is fed from no earthly source, and that the things spoken of on Sunday in the church are realities.” 

The Pastor’s Intellectual Life
  Education can not take the place of spirituality, but there is nevertheless a close connection between study and spiritual life. The pastor who does not study will be found lacking in fresh spiritual experiences. We do not mean experiences not warranted by the Word of God, but those fresh glimpses of the truth which come from the study of God’s great revelation of Himself. The pastor who does not study will soon become stale in his preaching. He will be in danger of saying the same things in the same way over and over again until they become tiresome to his congregation. Sometimes it does not take long to reach the result. 
  Let be remembered  that the spiritual life comes first. A man may be brilliant scholar but without spiritual power, while another man may lack some of the cultural polish given education but successful in the ministry because of the reliance on God.
But no Christian worker should cease studying after he has become settled in a pastorate or other place of Christian service.
  The Scriptures endorse the view of a disciplined  study. Paul’s  advice to Timothy is familiar to all. “Study to show yourself approved unto God. A workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). The word “study” has been rendered “give diligence,” but study is one form of diligence.

Pastor’s Social Life
  This topic concerns the pastor as he appears before his people of his church and community.  He must spend much of his time in the home. What the pastor do at home will at the same time come out into the open and either help or harm the ministry. He must conduct in relation to one’s wife, must be responsible in the training of the children and entertaining guests. In social gatherings, he must be concerned in the church, in the homes of members and doing public functions. 
  Friendships are essential; Jesus said, “ I have called you friends” (John 15:15) The friend, unlike the servant, has intimate knowledge of what one is doing. This Jesus observed, is an essential and distinguishing characteristics of true friendship: “The servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for (note for the explanatory and definitive nature of what follows) all that I heard from my Father I have made known to you” (v. 15). The true friend “sticks closer than a brother”  (Proverbs 18:24), “loves at all times” (Proverbs 17:17), and “lays down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). 
  The need for such friendship in the ministry is great. There are discouragements, puzzling times; periods of indecision, opportunity (or even doubt) in which one’s friends become all-important. Many pastors today would be more effective ministers if they had only cultivated friendships. 

The Pastor and his Work
The Pastor and Church Music
The idea of singing in worship may have come to the Christians from the Old Testament. The book of Psalms is the greatest hymn book of the Bible. David was a musician and played the harp. He was called the “Sweet Singer of Israel.” The psalms are the lyrics for the singing of the temple choir. They are full of the praise of God. 
 
 

The Pastor and the Sunday School
It is well to remember that the church existed a long time before the Sunday school. Perhaps the Sunday school as we know it today was not necessary in apostolic days and in early centuries of the church. Much of the preaching was teaching. The sermons of the apostles recorded in the New Testament are all of the teaching type. 

Pastor’s Place
It should be remembered that the Sunday School belongs to the  church and not the church to the Sunday School. The Sunday school is very important part of the church, but it is not independent of the church, unless there is no church organization.
The Pastor should always be in the Sunday school regardless of whether he teaches a class or not. Unless he does this, it will appear as if he is lacking in interest, and how can he expect others to be interested.
Further the pastor should understand the organization of the Sunday school. And he is the ideal man to teach the Teacher Training Class. It is appalling to discover how many Sunday school teachers there are who have no training. They do their best with the knowledge they have but undoubtedly they could do much better with adequate training.
The Pastor should have a part on every Sunday school program. Sometimes he is asked to bring a message as brief as possible. If a pastor has no part, he should at least offer a prayer at the beginning or at the end.
 
 

The Pastor and Ordinances
There are just two ordinances performed by the pastors, baptism and the Lord’s Supper. The command “to baptize” is included  in the Great Commission (Matthew 28:18-20). Jesus commanded the apostles to baptize new believers in the name of the triune God. The command to observe the Lord’s Supper was given at the time of its institution. Jesus said concerning it. “Do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19). 
Jesus Christ undertook the rite of baptism on behalf of sinful man that needed purification. Although his baptism or identification with the sinners began from the foundation of the world (Revelation 13:8), it was realized for man when he took the form of a servant and went all the way to the cross. This self-identification, already made in his inward decision (“Lo, I came to do Thy will, O God,” Hebrews 10:7), was objectified at the River Jordan when Jesus was baptized by water. The pleasure of the Father was also objectified when He declared, “You are my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased” (Mark 1:11).  Incidentally, water baptism initiated Jesus into his public ministry.
 On the other hand, Lutherans believe and teach that Holy Baptism, and Lord’s Supper, are the only means of grace which God has given to His church. 

The Pastor and Wedding
This is also one of the services the pastor will have to conduct, sometimes shortly after he becomes a pastor. It should be remembered that the pastor is under no obligation to marry every couple that comes to him with marriage license. No state will force a minister to marry a couple against his will. 
God initiated the divine union of marriage when the man and the woman, two persons with different backgrounds, become one flesh.  “Each married couple is a reproduction of Adam and Eve, and their union is therefore no less indissoluble” 

The Pastor and the Church Discipline
The matter of discipline is a subject that is greatly or totally neglected by a great many churches. It seems there is a desire to keep the membership list as large as  possible no matter how some of the members behave.
In the Old Testament there were strict laws to deal with those who violated the commandments of God. In the New Testament we are not under the law, but this is no reason why inconsistent behavior of a member should not be dealt with. The New Testament teaches church discipline. The Lord Jesus did not found any local church, but he outlined the method or procedure when one brother had transgressed another (Matthew 18:15-19). 
The apostle Paul founded many local churches and in his epistle he gives rules for their government. He is very definite in pointing out in some cases what should be done with certain offenders (I Timothy 6:3-5; 1 Corinthian 5:13).
We believe the church that does not practice any discipline is not an obedient church and can not expect the fullness of the blessing of God. Beside it will get a bad name in a community, if it is known that some people who live evil lives are still church members in good standing.

THE PASTOR AND EVANGELISM AND MISSIONS
Building a New Church
There were many organized churches in the days of the New Testament, but as far as we know there were no separate church buildings. The apostle Paul  usually began work in a new place by preaching in a Jewish synagogue. When he cast out of the synagogue, he sought another place where the work could be continued. In the city of Corinth he went into the house of a man named Justus which was next to the synagogue (Acts 18:7). In Ephesus he secured the use of a lecture hall of a man named Tyrannus (Acts 19:9). In the epistle to Philemon, we discovered that the Colossian church met in his house (Acts 1:2). This seems to have been the general custom. Just when Christians began to build separate church building we do not know for certain. It may not have been before the days of Constantine when Christianity was first recognized as a legal religion. 
Even today churches may begin in a home or in a rented building. In Catholics of Europe we have seen small Protestant groups meet in the missionary’s home.
But if a church functions properly and grows, it will become necessary to find better housing for it. Besides, with the many activities centering in a church a separate building becomes a necessary.
In  book entitled, Making a Missionary Church,  by Stacy R. Warburton, whose combine experience as a foreign missionary, home pastor, and Mission executive specially qualifies him to speak:
If the missionary work of the churches is to be fully successful the leaders of the churches must come to understand the missionary purpose of the church. . . Missions will not take its rightful place in the program of the local churches, and the missionary efforts of the churches and denominations will not achieve their full success, until pastors and the other church leaders understand the primary work of their churches to be missions, of which everything else is a part and for which it is a preparation… Primarily the responsibility rests upon the pastor; his attitude, his ideals, his aims, his intellectual and spiritual horizon, his interpretation of the Gospel of Jesus and of the mission of the church, will inevitably determine the interests and activities and achievements of his church. 

 To look the present missionary situation squarely in the face, it is not a terrible indictment against the great body of professing Christians that, 1900 years after Christ gave to His Church the Great Commission as its marching orders,  fully one-half of the people of the world today still wait  to hear of the only Savior. 
 This also quotes the words of a prominent minister as given in Egbert W. Smith’s The Desire of All Nations: 
The pastor holds the key of the situation; and I do not know of any missionary-hearted pastor whose missionary outlook is always revealing itself in his handling of his ordinary pulpit themes, and whose missionary zeal is always revealing itself in his pulpit intercession, who has not gradually drawn his people into full sympathy with his missionary aim. 

PASTORAL LEADERSHIP
In building a New Testament church the first thing to consider is leadership. The pastor is the leader. He is the one who sets the direction. God works in him much as a helmsman works through the rudder.  The rudder is what steers the ship, but the helmsman turns the rudder and determines the direction of the ship. The Holy Spirit works in our lives, utilizing the Word of God and influencing us as the helmsman influences the rudder. 
Many Christians who believe the Scriptures to be inspired by the Word of God and who are concerned about serving Jesus Christ as fruitful as possible nevertheless seem to have a strange blind spot when it comes to serving Him through Church Administration. Some go as far as to decry planning organization and management as “dependence upon the arm of flesh” while others see it as a wearisome necessity and go plodding along under the sagging weight of a burden that they must carry as “cross that a minister must bear” or “the price he must pay to be able to preach the gospel.” 
Engstorm takes a “professional management” approach in describing the role and the function of leadership. The spirit of his view can be seen in this quote:
Acting in our managerial capacity, all of us – presidents, department heads, foremen, supervisors, pastors, executives – do basically the same thing. We are each and all engaged in part in getting things done with and through people. Each of us, at one time or another, carry out all the duties characteristic of managers. Even a well-run household uses these managerial functions, though in many cases they are used intuitively.
Today’s effective leader gets things done because he utilizes a workable style and has the ability to motivate others highly. He also becomes successful when he is task oriented. This means he must learn the resources available to his organization and study the means to arrive at goals. He must have the ability to define policies and procedures to organize the activities of his people toward the common goal. 
In 1Timothy 3:1-5 proven managerial “ability” is set forth prominently as a crucial qualification for the selection of an overseer. Without this ability, Paul says, a minister cannot properly carry out the “work of an overseer.” From this verses     we can see that the management gifts and skills are necessary for discharging the ministerial duties enjoined by God; that management is a necessary part of such duties; and that the church suffers when such management fails to be forthcoming.
 One of the greatest winning soul pastors in America said, 

“ The difference between the pastor who does not have a soul winning church, despite all his efforts, and the pastor who does have one, is very simple. One man is seeking to grow a great church. The other is seeking to grow a great people.” 
 

 Most of us are not gifted with natural leadership ability; nonetheless, strong leadership ability is absolutely necessary to have a spiritual or soul winning church. God has said that He uses “the weak things of the world to confound the wise”. 
 

III. PRINCIPLES, STRATEGIES AND OTHER RESEARCHES 
                    ON CHURCH GROWTH
  We all desire to have our churches growing, If not, there must be  something wrong. Your call and profession need a review. Growing a church is biblical, and an imperative from the Lord. However, we also need to discover what it means to “grow a church.” Most people consider numerical growth, and for good reasons. Numbers means success most of the time.
We must remember that it’s Jesus who builds His church. He said, “… I will build my church.” He is still in the building business where He finds people who are willing to work with and under Him, using all the wherewithal He’s provided. It’s then the church grows. It must grow, it can do nothing but grow. 
In the New Testament, “growth” refers primarily to the internal development of the body toward maturity. 
In Matthew 28: 18-20, Jesus said, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.”  From these verses we can sense that the emphasis is on spiritual growth, discipleship. When we are reaching all we can, all over  the world, we need to be teaching them, not just corralling, and counting them. 
According to Thom Rainer, church growth “is that discipline which seeks to understand, through biblical, sociological, historical and behavioral study, why churches grow or decline.” 
Dr. Elmer L. Towns, Dean, School of Religion, Liberty, University, likewise defined Church Growth as a science/discipline that investigates both biblical and social data to determine principles why churches grow or decline. 
In the Ten Steps for Church Growth, Donald McGavran and Winfield  Arn, clearly stated church growth as an application of Biblical, theological, anthropological, and sociological principles to congregations and denominations and to their communities in an effort to disciple the greatest number of people for Jesus Christ. Believing that “it is God’s will that His Church grow and His lost children be found,” Church Growth endeavors to devise strategies, develop objectives, and apply proven principles of growth to individual congregations, to denominations, and to the worldwide Body of Christ. 
Wagner said that Church Growth is the science that investigates the planting, multiplication, growth, function and health of Christian churches as they relate specifically to the effective implementation of God’s commission to “make disciples of all peoples” (Matthew 2:19-20). Church Growth strives to combine the eternal theological principles of God’s Word concerning the expansion of the church with the best insights of contemporary social and behavioral sciences, employing as its initial frame of reference, the foundational work done by Donald McGavran.” 
On the one hand, Towns defined Church Growth as, “The science that investigates the planting, multiplication, growth, function, health and death of churches. It strives to apply the biblical and social principles in its gathering, analysis, displaying and defending of the facts involved in implementing  the Great Commission.” 
Robert J. Young of Oklahoma, in his Automatic Church Growth pointed out that the characteristics of quality church life are principle-based. They provide the principle base from which values and behaviors naturally spring. They are universals that go to the lowest  common denominator—principles. These are not behaviors to be imitated, nor values to be adopted. Behaviors and values may be culturally driven and vary from church to church. Principles are foundational. These are the basic building blocks of quality churches. Churches which incorporate all of these to a significant degree grow “automatically.” The results are serendipitous, occurring naturally. 
Rainer makes an important and interesting distinction between “biblical principles” and “church growth principles.” Biblical principles like prayer come directly from the Bible. Church growth principles may be derived from the Bible, or they may be derived from all kinds of extra-biblical resources. These extra-biblical principles are perfectly acceptable as long as they are not clearly forbidden in the Bible. 
FIVE NEW TESTAMENT PRINCIPLES OF CHURCH GROWTH

 On the one hand, Johnny Hester pointed out five New Testament Principles of Church Growth. He said that we are encouraged by the fact that we have, in our Bibles, an example of the very principles needed...grow a great church. He believe the Jerusalem church is the best example of evangelism in the New Testament. It was: A. The first New Testament church...B. Led by men who were personally trained by Jesus. Surely they knew what the business of the church was...C. Made up of devout, steadfast Christians. 

I. What Do We See In The Jerusalem Church?
A. We see the church beginning with 3,000 members ... baptizing people every day ... and then multitudes becoming members...B. In Acts 2:36-41  the water was splashing that day...C. There was excitement, daily… verses 46-47; D. Acts 6:1 tells us about "those days when the number of the disciples was multiplying." Verse 7, "Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith." Paul....joined forces with the other disciples -- Acts 9:31, "Then the churches throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and were edified. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they were multiplied." 
 

II. Five Principles Of Growth From This Great Church: 
Keep in mind, that these same principles may be employed right here....! 
A. Their goal was to take the gospel to every person...! Mark 16:15-16... 
B. They taught every day...! Acts 2:42, "They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer." (NIV) Acts 4. 
C.  They went to every house...! Acts 5:42, "And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ." Paul...Acts 20:20, "I...taught you publicly and from house to house." 
D. They had the "every member" concept of teaching...! Acts 8:4... 2 Timothy 2:24, "And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach..." A rebuke...Hebrews 5:12... 
E. They used every Scriptural means...! 1 Corinthians 9:22, "To the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some." Paul practiced "friendship evangelism." He adjusted his approach...rather than using a "shot-gun" approach... Paul became "user friendly." 
  New Testament evangelism will work in our community if WE will work...! 

UNDERSTANDING CHURCH GROWTH
For better understanding  of this research, a synopsis of Church Growth written by Phil Van Auken in his Principles of Healthy Church Growth was enumerated below: 
• The growth of a local church is the natural byproduct of its spiritual health (intimate relationship to God). 
• The church belongs to Christ, not to us.  He has a unique growth plan & purpose for each local church that makes up His body.  Christ, not man, makes the local church grow. 
• Some churches are redwood trees, others are bushes; some are flowers, others are grass.  But ALL of the plants in God’s forest have strong roots. 
• Christ is interested in Kingdom growth (converted souls), not man-made growth based on the “3 Ms”: materialism, marketing, & management. 
• Christ is interested in the right motives for church growth: love for sinners; a sacrificing lifestyle that is salt & light to the world; dependence on God (humility). 
• Man’s motives for church growth are:  the “3Bs”: (budgets, baptisms, & buildings); empire-building pride (like the Tower of Babel); staff career-climbing; & guilt. 
• Christ vomits man-made growth out of His mouth. (Rev. 3:18) 
• Man-made church growth causes church cancers: congregational politics; materialism; competition between churches; cultural (undiscipled) Christianity; congregational homogeneity;  performance-oriented staff. 
• Growing churches are thus not necessarily healthy churches. 
• Christ calls us to labor in a number of overlooked fertile harvest fields: growth in corporate prayer & patience; growth in heartfelt, genuine worship (instead of routine rituals for God); growth in the percentage of members who do the work of the church; growth in congregational diversity (ethnic diversity, as well as a mixture of new Christians & mature Christians); growth in member discipleship & empowerment; growth in ministry partnerships with other Christian organizations outside your local church. 
Today's Lukewarm, Naked Church
• The comfortable, non-sacrificing church 
• We expect the staff to do the work of the church. "That's what we pay them for, isn't it?" 
 • We expect missionaries to save all the souls.  "That's what God called them to do, isn't it?" 
• Church leaders must stay out of the comfort zone & model sacrificing discipleship to the congregation. 
• The church must be in the world to save those in the world. (John 17: 6-19) 
• Growing, spiritually healthy churches must make room for the non-Christian, the "near-Christian," the immature Christian, & the backslidden Christian.  Legalism & membership conformity cause the church to lose its warmth (salt & light). 
 • The church must tithe its budget & time to go beyond church walls in the local community. 
• Why we don't pray: (1) We're comfortable & don't want anything (2) We don't care enough about others (3) We think small (4) We don't want to get involved (5) We're afraid God will respond & we'll have to interrupt our comfortable routine. 
In the World…
• Church growth does not take place unless a new Christian enters God's Kingdom.  Transferring memberships between churches is "recycled" (man-made) growth. 
• Because our society is breaking down morally, most church growth opportunities today come from crisis ministry: divorce, unwanted pregnancies, alcohol & drug addiction, family abuse, etc.  This is the harvest field that Christ labored in & said was white unto harvest. (John 4:35 & Matthew 9:37-38)  Unfortunately, this is crisis ministry, not comfortable ministry. 
• Middle class America is comfortable and secular, so this is often a barren harvest field to work in.  Unfortunately, many churches want to do all of their work in this harvest field, because middle class church members have money & usually require only a modest amount of the church staff's time & energy.  Crisis ministry church members can be disruptive to church routine & require a lot of time & attention.  Highly legalistic churches don't view the "crop" in crisis harvest fields to be very worthy of harvesting. (Matthew9:1-6) 
• Church growth requires the church to be all things to all people. (I Cor. 10:33) 
 • Because God has a unique purpose & plan for each local church, He is doing special work in each church.  Leaders should find where God's special construction site is for their local church & go to work there.  If we want our church to grow, we should work where God  is already working in our midst! 
 • The more a church grows numerically, the more it must engage in discipleship.  New Christians need "big brother" disciplers.  Church growth is discipleship. 
• The best form of discipleship is "on-the-job" ministry service to the unsaved & to those in crisis.  Disciples of Christ must get beyond the comfortable walls of the local church & go out into the world where people are hurting & searching for forgiveness & a fresh start in life. 
 • The local church cannot grow if it seals itself off from the world for fear of being "tainted" by sin.  We have the whole armor of God to help us be in the world but not be of the world. (Ephesians 6:13) 
• Churches should look for ministry partners to provide growth opportunities:  Prison Fellowship, community Christian service agencies (Salvation Army, etc.), other congregations, etc.  God extends special blessings to unity among the brethren. 
…But Not Of The World
• Christ’s local church is not a business (“First Baptist Incorporated”).  A CEO & board of executives shouldn’t run it.  The job of the church staff & lay leaders is not to perform.  This is Christ’s role.  Church leaders are to be spiritual role models, reflecting the light of the Holy Spirit to the congregation & a dying world. 
 • The local church must not use the devices of the world (entertainment, material wealth & comfort, power, slick marketing, autocratic management, etc.) to run itself & promote its interests. 
 • The church must emphasize outreach (to the unsaved) over inreach (to the comfortable congregation). 
 • Church leaders must encourage & empower members to get away from the church for outreaching ministry activities. 
• Church leaders are to empower members, not control them (which is the proper role of the Holy Spirit).  When staff seek to control people, someone goes out the back door of the church every time a new member arrives through the front door. 
 • The Bible is meant to be applied, not merely studied. 
• Small churches shouldn't envy middle size churches.  Middle-size churches shouldn’t covet to be large churches.  Large churches shouldn’t lust to be “super” churches.  All church growth is Christ’s business.
 • The wrong church growth tools are:  pressure, competition, guilt, & entertainment 
• The right church growth tools are:  prayer, sanctification, discipleship, outreach, sacrifice, discomfort, sorrow, compassion, diversity, Bible-applying 
Encouragement in the Garden of Gethsemane
• God doesn't value you or your church for what you do.  We don't have to earn God's love or blessings. 
 • God has a unique role for you & your church.  Look at your ministry through His eyes, not man's eyes. 
 • Church growth is God's work. 
 • Church growth happens one saved soul at a time. 
 • The grass & bushes in the forest are just as useful & necessary as the tall trees. 
 • Be the Christian God wants you to be & He will sanctify you to help the members of your church become the Christians He wants them to be.  When the members of a church are the Christians God wants them to be, the church will grow & grow! 
 

Church Growth Principles that are Real, that Work, and are Biblical
Church Growth principles have been described as universal truths. That is, they are in a general way acceptable to all Christians. Examination of these missiological principles reveals that some of them are indeed Biblical principles which have been used in Christian churches, including The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod, for many years. Others are new and have their origin in sociology, anthropology, and psychology, but they too have been found to be useful, also by numerous congregations in The Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod. Still other principles have caused some concern in Lutheran circles chiefly because they are perceived as coming into conflict with Scriptural teaching, especially with the doctrine of the means of grace. 
1.The number one reason for church growth is the preaching ability of the pastor. (Luke 3:1-7) .

The Church Growth Movement puts a high premium on the kind of pastoral leadership. As Wagner puts it, “In America the primary catalytic factor for growth in the local churches is the pastor. In every growing  dynamic church I have studied, I have found a key person whom God is using to make it happen.”  The pastor is expected to have the blood of Isaachar in his veins; he must be somebody who understands the times and knows what Israel should do. According to church growth theory, many pastors are ineffective because they do not have a realistic view of their own gifts and abilities, they do not know the people they are serving, and they do  not understand how the community they are attempting to reach looks at life. Successful leaders are men of vision, who not only know how to read the polls. They are spark-plugs who know how to motivate others, who know how to involve others in ministry, who are willing to be ranchers (some would seriously say “cheerleaders”), who are confident, decisive and optimistic. The CGM believes and how to follow through with an initiative after it has been adopted. Their experience indicates that one of the greatest hindrances to growth is a copy-cat mentality which does not take the principles and implement them according to one’s own unique circumstances. And this hindrance is followed closely by giving up too soon when there is a setback. 
Bill Patterson, Christian Bible Teacher, in his Church Growth mentioned that seriously, local church leadership – elderships particularly – they are responsible for church growth. God hold them accountable for their congregations’ health. In discharging their responsibility for church growth he suggested to learn all that you can from whatever source. The bible is the final judge and the only divine source. Attend lectureships, workshops, seminars. Read good books, journals, enroll in adult continuing education classes. Be open minded, receptive. Think. Check everything out. Use more than one consultant, one expert. Let the Word of God test all.  Make no changes that effect the Bible pattern or doctrine. 
The pastors/elders are to see that the church is well-fed. They are to pay careful attention to doctrinal purity in the teaching and in ministering of the church. Also, the pastor/elder is to ensure an abundance of teaching and counsel for the fellowship. 
Jay Adams advised pastors to take formal courses of study regularly. There is no better way in which to force oneself to disciplined study and thought of material beyond the scope of one’s narrow interests and limitations. If a pastor takes at least one college or seminary course or it’s equivalent each year, he will quickly discover the values of doing so. A refresher course in Hebrew or Greek may be just what he needs to challenge and encourage him to interpret the Scriptures more faithfully. A course in English literature or the history of ideas or in philosophy may push him to analyze afresh the culture and milieu within which he ministers the Word. 
As Brunner puts it, “where there is true preaching, where, in obedience of faith to the command of the Lord and in the authority of His Spirit the Word is proclaimed, there, in spite of all appearances to the contrary, the most important thing that ever happens upon this earth  takes place. 
Paul’s advice to Timothy is familiar to all. “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 
An atmosphere of good preaching/teaching, warm fellowship, mutual concern, meaningful service opportunities and learning contributes to growth. 
On the other hand, Moorehead suggested “Ten Commandments” for every preacher who desires to preach effectively so the church will grow. 
1. THOU SHALT PREACH PREPARED. There is no substitute for poor or no preparation.
2. THOU SHALT PREACH IN THE VERNACULAR! Jesus preached in terms all could follow. We should do no less.
3. THOU SHALT NOT RIDE THY HOBBY HORSE IN THE PULPIT.  The tendency to get sidetracked onto our favorite subject is ever before us all. Avoid it.
4. THOU SHALT SO PREACH THAT THE AUDIENCE USES THEIR BIBLE. They have brought their Bibles to use, don’t disappoint them.

5. THOU SHALT PREACH WITH EXCITEMENT. Your audience will not become more excited than you are.
6. THOU SHALT NEVER BACK AWAY FROM CONTROVERSIAL SCRIPTURE BECAUSE IT ISN’T POPULAR:  God wants it all preached.
7. THOU SHALT HAVE NO OTHER TASK BEFORE THEE THAN TO PREACH THE WORD IN POWER. You have not been called to entertain, but preach God’s word.
8. THOU SHALT PREACH WITH A SMILE. Seldom does the Holy Spirit use a scowl to lead a soul to Christ.
9. THOU SHALT PREACH FOR DECISIONS. Every sermon should answer the question, “So what?”
10. THOU SHALT PREACH EVERY SERMON AS THOUGH IT WERE YOUR LAST. It’s called preaching with a sense of urgency. There is no place for casual preaching.

Today’s church leaders need both “integrity heart” and skillful hands” (Psalm 78:72) to guide their churches toward health and growth. Critical skills will include leading change, interpreting demographics (internal and external), and organizing for ministry rather than maintenance. 
Kirk Hadaway pointed out that, “Whatever their gifts, personality or style, pastors are catalytic leaders who have vision, understand how to work with and lead people, are interested in developing people, and have a great interest in evangelism. Preaching ability is virtually unrelated to growth.” 
 The emphasis on the importance of the laity to the growth of the church is something for which we can be thankful. When laymen suggest that the solution to every problem is “Pastor, work harder!” we could surely use renewal here. 

Summary
Powerful churches are preaching churches. Most times, preaching does not fail because of logistics, but because the preacher does not know his audience. People need to have their ears turned into eyes so they can see the truth. We must always remember that a person’s mind is not a debating hall, but a picture gallery. If the minister preaches offensively, then the people will respond defensively. 
The pulpit is no greater than the preacher who fills it on a weekly basis. Some pulpits have style without substance while others have substance without style. The need is for substance with style in our preaching today. We must study ourselves to death and pray ourselves back to life again. Leaders are readers. Howard Hendricks (as cited by Krejcir) was correct when he said, “It’s a sin to make the gospel boring.” The Christian and  non-Christian alike are searching for truth in a generation filled with a valueless preoccupation with self, avarice, and greed. Our nation has the “facts” to make us intelligent. The church must give us the “truth” to set us free!

2. The number one reason why people stop coming to your church is conflict and gossip! (James 3:5-6) 

Gerard Ediger, et. al. states that one of the concerns the church must work on is managing healthy conflict in the Church. Many of us seem to fear conflict and dissent. Others of us believe that disagreements can be healthy and should be managed openly and honestly. 
For a church of two hundred in attendance, up to twelve people will simply “walk away.” Something negative usually preceded their leaving. The negative factor may have been a singular event such as a dispute with another church member. Most dropouts, simply became bored with church because they never felt like they were part of the body. 
Because of conflict, in his letter to the Philippians, Paul encouraged Euodias and Syntyche to be of one mind in the Lord (Philippians 4:2). 
The Christians in Galatians turned to a point of become unhappy in themselves and they had almost turned against the Apostle. Their condition was one which so depressed that Paul could even use this kind of language: “My little children of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you.” 
What was the cause of this change in the Christians of Galatia? The answer is perfectly simple, and can be put in one phrase – it was entirely due to false teaching. That was the trouble with the churches in Galatia; all their problems emanated from a certain false teaching which they had believed. Now this is something which is dealt with very frequently in the New Testament  and also true to our churches today.
The Bible makes some amazing demands on Christians – demands that would be totally unreasonable if God himself did not infuse in us His power to change. Paul speaks of the dynamics of release and power when he writes,
You belong to the power which you choose to obey, whether you choose sin, whose reward is death, or God, obedience to whom means the reward of righteousness. Thank God that you, who were at one time the servants of sin, honestly responded to the impact of Christ’s teachings when you came under its influence. Then released from the service of sin, you entered the service of righteousness. 
 

So Christian counseling demands far more than the release of feelings and an accommodation to circumstances.  Christian counseling seeks to free persons to choose that freedom which is ours through obedience to God. Christian counseling  focuses not on emotions, but on the will. 
Trouble-making resulting from a disorderly walk as a Christian. It means the formenting of strife, or it may mean stirring up envy and jealousy. Sometimes it is manifested in greediness and selfishness. There are some who constantly carry tales and gossip about one church member to another. Sometimes the whole church eventually becomes involved if the evil is not nipped in the bud. 
Paul also speaks of those whose doctrine is not according to godliness, who teach contrary to the wholesome words of the Lord Jesus Christ, who engage in disputings with corrupt minds, and he advises Timothy: From such withdraw thyself (I Timothy 6:3-5). 
 Churches in the United States are presented with a unique challenge today. Many people have closed themselves off to the message and ministry of the church. Scandals and apparent hypocrisy have tainted the image of God’s people in the minds of the unchurched in our society. 
 These “opposite” actions—these “deliberate acts of kindness”—are, I believe, a potent form of spiritual warfare that touches the hearts of people and defeats the enemy. Yet as Cincinnati, Ohio, Pastor Steve Sjogren notes, “most Christians  have not recognized kindness as a useful weapon of spiritual warfare.” 
 The CGM understands the importance of integrating new converts into the life of the church. Nobody can please all of the people all the time… and those who come within the CGM would be the first to say that you shouldn’t even try. Each year there will be those who come and those who go, for all kinds of reasons. If people are not comfortable in a given church, in many instances, they would be better off attending somewhere else. But having said this, church growth proponents also recognize that if a church is going to grow it has to “close its back door.” You have to find out ways to keep members involved in the life and ministry of the church. If this is going to happen, people must be encouraged to develop meaningful friendships within the church, they must find out what they can do to contribute to the work, they must understand and share a common vision for the ministry and they must feel that they are growing spiritually as a result of their contact with the church. If these things are not happening, the sheep will be restless and they may look elsewhere for a place where their needs will be met. 
 
 
 
 

Summary

 To overcome this stigma, the church must begin to function in a spirit that is the opposite of that in the world. Instead of falling victim to incorrect stereotypes, God’s people must begin to act in a way that will counteract the materialism and greed so common in our society.
 The more we synergize, the more we can evangelize. Unity is achieved in one of two ways in the local church. We will either be melted together or frozen together. The first produces vitality and the second mortality. The first focus on the future and the second focuses on the past. The philosophy of vibrant churches is: Everybody is a somebody in the body of Christ. 
 This kind of partnership among the people of the church is centered around their purpose, fostered by their passion, exemplified through their personality, and is successful through their pragmatism in worship of God and witness to the lost. There is camaraderie among the pastor and his staff, the Sunday school superintendent and teachers, and the various lay leaders and their assistants. We can accomplish more together in the Kingdom of God than we can by ourselves. 
 

3. The number two reason that people leave a church is poor “people skills” of the pastor and/or leadership, because they do not manage the conflicts and gossip! These poor “people skills” will cause the majority of conflicts between that pastor and the people. (Matthew 5:9) 

 One of the earliest writers on the theory of management , Frederick W. Taylor, is often regarded as the father of scientific management. He would, for example, attempt to build a “science of shoveling.” Pollard describes his method: “The actual movements of shoveling, the use of hands, arms and legs were studied in detail, as were the different types of base on which material could lie, for example, earth, wood, metal, and so on. 
 French executive Henri Fayol developed a “process approach” to management. From his experience and observations, Fayol isolated the five basic functions of a manager, functions we still work with some fifty years later. The functions Fayol defined are: Foresight and planning; organization; direction; coordination; and control. 
The minister should develop expertise in conflict management. Lack of growth fosters scapegoating, and division in the congregation makes a weak church weaker. Rapid turnover of pastors and the loss of members limit the church’s ability to cope with community change. Only when the church practices reconciliation and healing does it have a message for a broken community. 
 Confront sin, evil, and heresy in the church immediately! The leadership must put down conflict quickly, whether it involves political agendas, the color of the carpet, how to say an offertory prayer, what songs to sing, or who is to be in leadership. The church must move in purpose and unity. This is tough, but possible! (Philippians 2:14) 
Paul says, “Mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them” (Romans 16:17). It does happen that church members take up a strange doctrine and still wish to remain in the church. If they left alone, they will seek to subvert others. For this reason they should be dealt with.
The pastor and/or leaders must also cater to people’s comfort level. If people are not comfortable they will leave us. You do not want people to leave for merely immature reasons.
Dr. Charles E. Jefferson, Pastor of Broadway Tabernacle in New York City said that, “Let the preacher be a pastor and the flock will strengthen itself and increase. 
The pastoral worker, cannot escape either the need for a theology of pastoral work (ministry) or the implications of theology in all that he does. If the pastor finds that he fails in his everyday dealings with men and women, he should recognize that the source of his problem may not be lack of experience, strategy or skills; in more instances than he may wish to admit, his failures may stem from shoddy or erroneous biblical understanding or theological thinking. Ineffective and harmful approaches to the members of one’s congregation and to the community may be quite simply the result of faulty conceptions of both men and God. 
In one regard of the principles of the church growth, Peter Wagner typically begins with the commitment of the Pastor and the congregation to the purposes of church   growth (often stated in terms of the Great Commission, Matthew 28: 19-20). Hence there is a significant relationship between membership commitment and growth. Growing congregations  are characterized by four elements: strong worship, diversified programs, effective pastor and enthusiastic members. 
 Rick Warren pointed out that it takes more than dedication to lead a church to grow; it takes skill. Ecclesiastes 10:10 says: “If the ax is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed but skill will bring  success.” 
  Listening, without arguing or defending yourself, is extremely important! This requires prayer and self-discipline. If you cannot do it, you may be in the wrong profession. Have someone do it, just get it done! Your task is not to persuade people to accept your view, but to communicate Biblical precepts and get them to catch it! You are to make them feel heard. When they feel they are listened to, then their defenses will come down and relationships can be built. Then it will be a pleasure to lead them. They will respect and love you more, and will be more likely to be led by your goals. (Romans 8:31; Ephesians 4:25-29; James 3:1-12) 
 The best plans and calls of the Lord will stall out due to conflict! God’s voice is the first one muted. The Holy Spirit cannot work effectively when ill will and ill desires are running the roost. You must drop to your collective knees and pray for revival. That will work! However, church growth, spiritual or numerical, will never work in an atmosphere of conflict! (Philippians 1:6-8) 
 

Summary

 The best way to deal with conflict is to combat it through love. When people know that you love them and will listen to them, it is difficult for them to be mad. Love, indeed, covers a multitude of sins! (Proverbs 10:12 1 Peter 4:8) 
 Take time to learn the skills, you needed in ministry. You’ll save time in the long run and be far more successful. Sharpen you ministry ax by reading books, attending conferences, listening to tapes, and by observing working models. You’re never wasting time when you’re sharpening your ax. Skill brings successes. 

4. The Bible must be taught in such a way that it is real and can be applied to the lives and situations of the people. You are to equip and disciple people, not just in the basics of the faith, but also on how to be Christians in their families, work, and relationships. They must be taught how to be effective Christians, and how to live their lives to His glory! (Psalm 119:9-12) 
 

 According to Dr. Paul Benjamin one reason why some churches grow is that they have what is termed the “equipping ministry” concept. The members do not think of the preacher as the one whose primary function is to minister to the members, but his role is to  teach them how to minister to others. 

The New Testament is very clear that God’s will for every believer is spiritual maturity. He wants us to grow up. Paul said in Ephesians 4:14, “We are not meant to remain as children at the mercy of every chance wind of teaching… But we are meant to speak the truth in love, and to grow up in every way into Christ, the head.” 
The ultimate goal of spiritual growth is to become like Jesus. God’s plan for us since the beginning has been for us to be like His Son. “For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brothers” (Romans 8:29). God wants every believer to develop the character of Christ.
One church goal that is universally recognized is to improve quality of family life in both community and church. The church in the transitional community should focus  on ministry to families. Through demographic studies, education, and training, church leaders should help the church recognize the varied lifestyles of families in the city – not only traditional two-parent families, but also one-parent, stepparent, unwed-parent, empty-nest, and one-person families. 
A quality church provides a context in which individuals continue their spiritual journeys, without undue expectations and pressures, but with encouragement and support. 
Paul tells Timothy to “preach the word.”  In  II Timothy chapter 4,verses 1-2, Paul gives Timothy a strong admonition.
I solemly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom; preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. 

In this principle, Moorehead suggested to apply Bible Preaching. Bible preaching is taking what is usually more than one verse of scripture and drawing from those verses   truths in the present tense with which listeners have no problem identifying. That is a mouthful, but the essence of this type of preaching is simply taking the truth of God’s Word and applying it to life, where people are. It is not expounding a truth or principle, then frantically searching for verses to back it up. In this sense, expository preaching is primarily deductive, i.e., taking the truth of the Word, then deducing from that word its truth for the present. People are drawn to that kind of preaching because in it they not only learn the Word of God over the months and years, they are equipped with God’s principles derived from the word. 
 “People will never be drawn to a diet of hors d’oeuvres and snacks consistently, they will invariable crave meat… preachers must preach the Bible.  Christians visiting will return because perhaps where they’ve gone before, not much of the Bible is preached. Unsaved people will return because the word preached creates a hunger for more of it.

Summary
We are not to be tossed about with every wind of doctrine, or to lay aside the Mandate of the risen Christ, or be forgetful to teach all things that he has commanded us. The church is to walk a straight course, not looking to the left or to the right, for something that might supplant her interest in Christ. She is to behave as a chaste virgin, betrothed to Christ who redeemed her. 
Steadfastness means being in earnest and having a desire to adhere to the Faith, sincerely and without wavering. Such a stance is conducive to growth. 
This principle will be weakened when interpreted to mean that come what may, the church is to stick to her old beliefs. If such beliefs are biblical, most assuredly! But if they cannot be supported biblically, then it does not spell steadfastness when the church persists in them. 
Our aim should be rather to hold fast to the Truth, the undeniable and established truth, and being united in a common cause, fighting our adversary, and not each other.
Commitment to the gospel and all its implications is the essence of Christian discipleship. Fixing our eyes upon Jesus; no turning back. Perseverance is a mark of true discipleship.
5.      Preach holiness, how to worship, how to deal with sin, how to relate to one another, and how to love one another, while modeling it yourself! Evangelism, stewardship, and discipleship come out of these! As people are transformed, they can be taught and motivated. (Jeremiah 33:6; Romans 7:12; Galatians 3) 
 

 The  CGM sees effective evangelism as a crucial priority and this includes the need to plant new churches. “Effective evangelism” is that which produces results which can be counted and which actually brings people into the church as active participants. This being the case, so-called “cold-call” evangelism is out (ie. Door-to-door, street-corner evangelism), as is most “crusade” evangelism, because these methods just do not work. Times has changed. People are biblically illiterate. They are busy and do not appreciate being interrupted at home by religious fanatics. Ours is a consumer society that has been conditioned to respond only if what is being offered meets a perceived need and the gospel, at least in its old form, is completely  irrelevant to most people. These and other “realities of the marketplace,” mean that Christians in a less threatening way. It also calls on evangelicals to rethink what we are doing and why we are doing it. Maybe the gospel would be better served if we changed when we meet to worship. Maybe we should change our traditional ways of worshipping altogether! And if we are not prepared to be that radical, the very least we should do is emphasize the importance of cultivating meaningful relationships with those we are trying to reach because effective evangelism is much more likely to take place if there is an existing personal relationship. 
“EVANGELIZE OR FOSSILIZE! OR GOD’S CHOSEN PEOPLE WILL BECOME GOD’S FROZEN PEOPLE.”
Peter and John were told in Acts to stop preaching in Jesus’ name. They couldn’t. The church today is commanded to preach the gospel and doesn’t. Until we return to that vision, evangelism will continue to be a lost concept.28
In a foreword of Billy Graham said, “Seeking to save the lost in the seemingly godless and God-forsaken districts of Whitechapel and Bethnal Green, they were for the time being unitedly taking part in a special mission, the headquarters of which was a tent erected on a disused burial ground belonging to the Society of Friends.” 

BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES ON EVANGELISM

God Intends His Church to Grow
 He created it to grow, He designed it to grow, He equipped it to grow, He empowered it to grow. And, grow it did.  On the very first day of church’s existence, 3000 people were baptized (Acts 2:41). From 3,000, the church grew to 5,000 (Acts 4:4), then on the “multitudes” (Acts 5:14). It is central to its nature to grow, and rightly so. Its primary task, that of making disciples, necessitates growth. 
Church growth is not a means to an end, but the end to the means of evangelism.. Most evangelical churches today are not growing, but rather marking time. Their “no growth” status is a result of no evangelism. 

The Work of Evangelism is for the Whole Church, not just a few “Professionals”
 Satan’s biggest deception for the church occurred when he convinced most of the church that the task of winning the lost belongs to the trained professionals. One of the fallacies of that deception is that the trained “professionals” represent only one half of 1% of the total membership of any given church. That plan is not of God. Proof of that is found in Acts 8: 
 And on that day a great persecution arose against the church in Jerusalem; and
 they were all scattered throughout the region of Judea and Samaria, EXCEPT
the apostles… Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word 
(Acts 8:111-4)

When the persecution broke out, all the believers scattered, that is all except the apostles. It was those who were scattered who did the preaching and the evangelism. It was the common “laity’ that went everywhere preaching, because they saw it as their task, not the task of the professionals. 

Evangelism is Meant to Take Place “Out There” Instead of 
“In Here”
 Most of the public gatherings on Sunday were for worship, edification, equipping and fellowship, so the saints could go out during the week and let their light shine, and their testimony be given. In other words, there was the gathering and the “scattering.” This balance enabled the church to take time for winning the lost and maturing the saints. Sunday services really should not be for the purpose of evangelizing, but edifying and equipping SO THAT evangelism can take place in the market place, the neighborhood, the play place, and the home through natural relationships. While there is certainly nothing wrong with mass evangelism, our world for the most part will be won by the one-on-one relationships developed by individual believers out there where they work and play. 

People are Lost, Doomed, and Damned Apart from Jesus Christ
 The early church in Acts marched across the world under the banner of the cross with a firm conviction that men are lost outside Jesus Christ. In fact, Peter’s words in Acts 4:12 gives us a clue as to the tone of the preaching in the area: 
 And there is salvation in no-one else, for there is no other name under heaven
 given among men by which we must be saved (Acts 4:12).

 Jesus made it clear what His mission was … to seek and save the lost. Until we acknowledge the blatant fact that apart from Jesus Christ men are doomed, and relegated to a devil’s hell for all eternity, not much will happen in the way of evangelism.
Jesus said in John 14:6,
 “I am the way, and the truth, and the life, no one comes to the Father, but by me.”
 What Jesus said is clear. Salvation can be found in no one else, no way else, nowhere else, except through Him. If we really believed that, it would totally revolutionalize what we do in the way of evangelism from week to week.
 We believe that apart from Jesus Christ, man is eternally lost. 
It is God who Initiates Salvation and Draws People to Him
 We tend to forget that salvation always begins with God. Without attempting to reconcile the sovereignty of God and the free will of men, let the Word speak for itself
 Even as he chose us before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy
 and blameless before him (Ephesians 1:4). 

 Paul states an amazing truth here. Long before God even created the world, he chose us to be saved. Perhaps this is why Jesus said:
 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise
 him up at the last day (John 6:44). 

 In fact, we can also find on John 6, these same words:
 And he said, “this is why I told you, that no one can come to me unless it is granted
 to him by the Father” (John 6:65).

  Before God and man can met in salvation, we who share the gospel must acknowledge the call of God on people’s lives. It is God who initiates our salvation. It is God who made the first move in creating us in the first place. It is God who moved again in the coming of Jesus Christ as the divine provision and remedy for sin. In his letter to the Romans, Paul said:
 “And you also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ “(Romans 1:6). 

God Wills our Salvation
 Not only is His call upon us, it is His sovereign will that we will be saved. Among many things that can labeled God’s will in scripture, the most significant is man’s salvation. Who can forget the most quoted scripture?
 For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him
 should not perish, but have eternal life (John 3:16). 

Jesus made it clear that it’s the world God loves, the whole world, Truly the task of evangelism is cosmic. The great commission is still “all nations.” It transcends cultures, racial barriers, economic strata, and personalities. The cosmic desire of God to see the whole world saved is stressed in II Peter:
The Lord is not slow about His promise as some count slowness, but is
forbearing toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all
should  reach repentance (II Peter 3:9). 

Jesus died for the world. And while we know some will reject salvation, it is the task of the church to make the gospel message known to the world, and in so doing, we are helping fulfill the divine will of God.
Paul made it clear what God’s desire is for worldwide salvation:
This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men
to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth (I Timothy 2:3-4). 

Jesus made clear His mission when He said:
“For  the Son of man came to seek and save the lost.” (Luke 19:10).

His mission was clearly to bring man back to God. This He accomplished by His death on the cross. Therefore the pattern is this. God wills our salvation, Jesus came to do the will of the Father, Jesus accomplished the provision of our salvation by His death on the cross. It is the church’s task now to fulfill God’s will – man’s salvation! 

Effective Evangelism is Done in the Power of God
 Just before His ascension, Jesus gave His disciples the game plan to take their world for Him. It goes like this:
 You are witnesses of these things; And behold I send the promise of my Father
 upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high
 (Luke 24:48-49). 

 This the disciples did. We read basically the same thing when the great commission is given in Acts 1.
 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you
shall be my witnesses, in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and to the
end of the earth (Acts 1:8).

The most practical way we can witness in the power of God today is to depend on the Holy Spirit for divine appointments and for holy boldness, for effective results. 
There is Inherent Power in the Gospel
 In Genesis we are told that God spoke the world into creation. By the same token, there is a resident power in the life-changing message of the cross. Romans 1:16 tells us:
 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to
 salvation to everyone  who has faith. 

 The message that declares the atoning death, burial, and the resurrection of Jesus has a built-in power of its own that is able to blow apart man’s self-sufficiency, his false confidence, and even Stan’s deception. God’s word is effective when spoken. That is the meaning of Isaiah 55:11:
 So shall my word be that  goes forth from my mouth, it shall not return to me
empty, but shall accomplish that which I purpose, and prosper in the thing for 
which I sent it.

Paul preached very rationally and academically in Athens and the converts were few. On the other hand, he preached by the power of God in Corinth, and many responded. In reflecting on that later, Paul reminded the Corinthians:
When I came to you brethren, I did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of
God in lofty words of wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except
Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and much fear
and trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of
wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and power, that your faith might not 
rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God (I Corinthian 2:1-5).
Our western mind-set leaves little room for God to operate with His power in the task of evangelism. Our confidence too many times has been in the setting of what is presented, the suaveness of the presenter, and the rational way in which it is presented. We conclude that an intelligent message, presented in an intelligent way, to an intelligent person, by an intelligent person, should bring an intelligent affirmative results.
It’s not only the power of God working in and on the situation, but the power of message which is shared. 

The Church is Charged with the Responsibility of Equipping the Saints in 
Evangelism
 We learned that if the saints are going to do the work of evangelism, they must be trained in the work of evangelism. That is why it is absolutely essential that there be in every church, regardless of size, an on-going training program to equip saints who are willing in the work of evangelism.  The important thing is that we are seeking to be obedient to the scripture: 
 And his gifts were that some should be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists,
 some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building
 up the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:11-12).
 “… to equip the saints for the work of the ministry…” That’s the key. Every pastor’s task is one equipping, training, coaching, leading. Many pastors have not yet learned that God has called them to equip God’s people for God’s tasks. Theirs is not the job of DOING all the tasks, but equipping others to do them as they come alongside and do with them. Every local church needs an objective, a goal, and a game plan of how to get there always before them in evangelism. Then and only then will your church, and your community, really know you are serious about your existence as a church. 
 Commitment to loving and caring relationships is essential! Loving relationships that are sincere, real, and practical from the work of Christ in your church will be the quintessential factor that will bring people in far better than any evangelism campaign could ever do! People do not want to just hear about Christ as much as they want to see and experience how Christian love really works. They can do this through you! Remember that Christ lived and taught the principle that people respond when we reach out to them. (Mark 12:28-31; John 3:22; 13:35; 1 Corinthians 13) 
 Pastors, who are real, and authentic, lead healthy churches. This builds trust. Real, authentic leaders will never grandstand, make up problems, or blame others, but will take responsibility, and tell their stories honestly. In wisdom, they will disclose truth, tempered with listening. Be open, and encourage the other leaders to do so too. Authentic leaders can be vulnerable and sensitive at the right times in the right places, and yet wise enough not to give out too much so as to be perceived as weak and needy. Real Christians will forgive you for your mistakes when you are honest! (Acts; James 5:16; 1 John 1:8-10) 
 Apostle Paul  along with Titus, had ministered in Crete in an area that was totally ignorant of the truth. They had preached the gospel and invited the Cretans to come into a personal relationship with the living will of Jesus Christ. Then Paul had to move on, but he left Titus there and said, “All right, now take them on from here, Titus.” He also wrote:
 You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine. Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance. Likewise, teach the older men women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good. Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children, to be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God. Similarly, encourage the young men to be self-controlled. In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us. Teach slaves to be subject to their masters in everything, to try to please them, not to talk back to them, and not to steal from them, but show that they can be fully trusted, so that in every way they will make the teaching about God our Savior attractive. (Titus 2: 1-10) 
 

 In growing churches, lay leaders are enabled and motivated to accept responsibility. 
Every church needs to grow warmer  through fellowship, deeper through discipleship, stronger through worship, broader through ministry, and larger through evangelism. 

Summary
This is enunciated well enough in Philippians 1: "Striving together for the faith of the gospel" - thus indicating the importance of a co-operative spirit in the Lord's work. Augustine put it this way: "In necessariis unitas, in non necessariis libertas, in omnibus charitas." 
Such a stand, I think, lies behind our High Priest's intercessory prayer: "That they may be one: as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me." 
The church is entrusted with the "message of this life." Nothing should hinder us from passing it on to the whole world. 
This principle will prove harmful when turned against our own brethren in the Faith, denouncing them as troublers and subverters of the gospel because they don't see eye to eye with us in all things, even in the petty details.
This principle of Sola Scriptura, that brings true unity among believers, needs to be reiterated all the time. We are not pragmatists; we don't act on the impulse of the moment. We must repeat this all the time; it seems one of those principles that Christians generally find difficult to put into practice.
6. The best growing churches in the world have solid Biblical preaching at their core. These churches do not water down the Gospel so much that you cannot see the lifted cross! They do not overemphasize the seeker and ignore discipleship! 

 Church Growth advocates use Law and Gospel, but they often do so in a manner not in keeping with Biblical understanding. Lutheran theology interprets the mission of the church chiefly from the viewpoint of the atoning and justifying work of Jesus Christ on the cross (Luther's "Theology of the Cross"). Many Church Growth leaders, however, tend to view it primarily from the viewpoint of the concept of the kingdom of God and obedience to the Lordship of Christ.  This means for them that, since Christ is the Lord of the church, Christians carry out the mission of the church principally because of Christ's command. The Scriptures indeed compel us to take the great commission seriously, but they also teach that Christians are motivated to witness for Christ not by the Law but by the Gospel. The Law is necessary because it shows us what God's will is. But the Holy Spirit, working through the Gospel of the crucified and risen Christ, is the One who gives Christians the desire and the ability to carry out Christ's command. If Lutherans use Church Growth materials, they should be aware of the dangers of falling into a legalism which depends on external pressures and threats to move Christians to be faithful stewards of the Gospel. 
 Dr. Homer Lindsay, Jr. emphasized that “God has given us His Word and apart from His Word we have nothing in this life except the word of man. Man is not trustworthy. He is not reliable. The Bible declares that all men are liars. Man is born deceitful. He is born evil, he is  born  sinful; therefore, man is not trustworthy. The Bible declares itself to be the Word of God.” 
 Good Biblical teaching and preaching will provide the Holy Spirit with fuel that energizes people and facilitates growth. The biggest growing churches are the ones who preach the Word with power, conviction, and in truth, such as Calvary Chapel (Acts 2:17-39)! 
Preaching is first of all the Word of God.  It is a word, then, that gives life, salvation, grace, reconciliation and truth.  Since the Gospel is an act of God, “Its preaching must therefore be an act, a “function” of the great act. A true sermon is a read deed… The Gospel means something done and not simply declared.  Bartlett says that “… preaching actually brings new qualities of life to those who share in the experience… It does not simply talk about hope or courage or strength or newness of life; it bestows them.” 

The God who acted in the events out of which the church arose acts afresh in the preacher’s word. The preaching of the gospel is itself a part of the gospel… True preaching is itself an event—and an event of a particular kind. In it the revelation of God in Christ is actually recurring. 
Wingren said, “But ‘man before preaching’ is the defeated man, who has not been fully freed, who is still in the jaws of death. Since the task of the Word is to give battle… messengers are sent right into the enemy-occupied world of men, sent ‘as sheep in the midst of wolves’ (Matthew 10:16). It belongs to the nature of the office of preaching that it has its place in the battle between God and the devil… A contrary wind, the noise of battle—such is the preacher’s native element. 
 Moorehead   said: I believe there comes a time when every pastor must say what the twelve said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables” (Acts 6:2b). We need to do what God has called us to do.” 
 As Brunner puts it, “Where there is true preaching, where, in obedience of faith to the command of the Lord and in the authority of His Spirit the Word is proclaimed, there, in spite of all appearances to the contrary, the most important thing that ever happens upon this earth takes place.” 
 When preaching is restored to its proper place in the church again, we’ll begin to see tremendous growth. The Word still stands as a reminder to every would-be preacher:
 … preach the word, be urgent in season and out of season, convince, rebuke and exhort, be unfailing in patience and in teaching (II Timothy 4:2).
 Dr. Paul Benjamin, Director of National Church Growth Research in Washington, D.C. cited that some churches grow because they teach to change lives. Bible facts are the foundation of the teaching from the pulpit and in their classes;  they have a definite doctrinal basis; and they have a clear, distinctive message. Their members know there is something definite to be believed. 
 The CGM has adopted  a phenomenological hermeneutic or a pragmatic principle of interpretation. Although they affirm that the Bible is inspired by God and has power to save and is the final authority when it comes to evaluating the truth claims of all other sources, when it comes to interpreting the Bible, they are directed by something called “growth pragmatism.” This means that those doctrines that received the greatest attention are those which actually work to make the church grow numerically. They believe that theological findings should always be validated by experience, if possible and adjusted to fit experience, if necessary. Their key Scripture in this regard is I Corinthians 9:22b where Paul says, “I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some.” For those in the CGM, this validates the use of sociology, demography and the fruits of marketing research to determine what part of the Bible they should concentrate on in order to have the greatest impact on the people they are trying to reach. 

Summary
This is undoubtedly the foundation factor for proper church growth. The church is the pillar and bulwark of the truth; it exists because of God's self-revelation and it thrives as it continues in the truth. A church that is slack in doctrine, or that prefers to stay on the ABC of truth will not be energetic to conquer new ground and expand.
We must be careful, though, lest we make an idol out of this principle; it is easy to miss the distinction between the gold bar (that must be protected at all costs) and the gold-dust (which is also important, but because we recognize that the church is a growing organism, we are willing to welcome others, receiving them but not for doubtful disputation). Will a church grow if we are turned to policemen over each other, or heresy-hunters as an end in itself?
 The regular preaching and teaching of the Word is taken seriously. Nothing is allowed to subvert its ongoing ministry. Let’s take time to study and gain a better understanding of the Word, and encourage Sunday School teachers to prove themselves to be workmen who need not to be ashamed. 
 The Scripture declares that all scripture is given by inspiration of God. Therefore, the priority of any Pastor’s life must be the Word of God. He has to accept the scriptures as being the authoritative, infallible, inspired Word of God from Genesis through the Revelation. He must set up his own private schedule that will allow him the privilege of studying the Word of God so that he will have opportunity to teach the Word of God to his people. 
 The preaching factor cannot be ignored in the local church if growth is to come. 
 

7.      Real, heartfelt, God exalting adoration must be the focus of the worship service. It must never lift up the leaders or be a performance to entertain. It is God who is the audience and we are the people who are to praise and glorify Him!  We are still to make our services friendly and innovative, as there is noting wrong with plays and contemporary themes as long as the service glories Christ and is not a medium just to entertain the people. Remember, the congregation is the performer, the worship team is the leader, and God is the audience! Don’t mix these up! This is where all of the church growth and spiritual growth principles come to their focal point--the reason for discipleship, and maturity. All that we do in the church--from faith, fellowship, and outreach to facilities--come to this point and reason: TO WORSHIP CHRIST! (Psalm 138:1-4) 
 

 A quality church has an atmosphere in worship of expectancy and anticipation, a sense that God is present as we look upward and seek divine connections and reconnections, and a sense of the worshipping community that looks around in sensitivity and awareness. 

 In the primitive worship, Max Muller (in his essay) says: “That feeling of sonship which distinguishes man from every other creature, and not only exalts him above the brute, but completely secures him against sinking into a purely physical state of being, that original intuition of God, and that consciousness of his being dependent upon a higher power, can only be the result of a primitive revelation in the most literal sense of the word.” 
 1 Corinthians, verse 31, explicitly states that, “Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.”
 On Chapter 6, Paul reiterated  our purpose, “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body. (vv. 19-20)). 
 In the book of Romans, Paul articulates the same purpose for the church. “Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus; that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (15:5-6). 
 Matthew 5: 16 affirms. “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father in heaven.” 
 True worship is best understood in the truth that God dwells and manifests Himself in the midst of a praising people rather than a watching people. That’s why Psalm 22:3 tells us” “Yet thou art holy, enthroned on the praise of Israel.”  The King James version makes it even more graphic when it says the God inhabits the praises of Israel. What a truth, God inhabits in the midst of a praising people. 
It’s no secret today that the church, from what we read in the scriptures, has a four-fold ministry. It is WORSHIP, WORD, WITNESS, and WORK. Though these flow together and overlap, if the real worship isn’t there, both corporately and individually, the rest is quite redundant. Fortunately for the church today, worship, the long missing jewel, is being rediscovered as well as recovered. Somehow, some way, at some point in out history, Satan cleverly stole worship away from the church. Devoid of true worship, the church has basically “gone through the motions.” It has pumped itself up by programs, plans, projects, promotions and a plethora of activities, but the jewel that brings the life had truly been missing. At all costs, we must storm the gates of hell and re-capture this jewel, restoring it to its rightful position. Then and only then will God’s church begin to move again. 
Jesus made it clear at the outset of his ministry that there is a true worship as opposed to the false.
But the hour is coming and now is, when the true worshippers will  worship the 
Father in spirit and in truth, for such the Father seeks to worship Him. God is
Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth (John 4:23-24).

In that scripture, Jesus referred to the “true” worship. That implies that there is a phony, false, counterfeit worship that also happens. There are good examples of that in biblical history.  Nadab and Abihu offered strange fire, making a sacrifice in worship not according to divine plans (Leviticus 10:1,2). Saul disregarded God’s plan that none but priests were to function at the altar and as a result of that plus other things, lost his kingship (I Samuel 13:8-14a).  Of course the scribes and Pharisees in Jesus’ day made void the word of God by their legalistic tradition, thus their worship was hollow and meaningless (Matthew 15:1-9). Much of Israel’s worship had been reduced to only forms. That’s why God said what He said in Isaiah 1:11:
What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? Says the Lord’ “I have enough of
burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of
 bulls, or of lambs, or of he-goats.”

That’s why Jesus said we are to worship Him in spirit and truth. Spirit without the truth is aimless, experimental subjectivism. Truth without the spirit of man is nothing more than cold form and legalism. God wants both spirit and truth.
Real worship is attributing to God in thought, word and deed the glory, honor, the praise and adoration that is due Him.
Ascribe to the Lord, O heavenly beings, ascribe to the Lord the glory of His name;
worship the  Lord in Holy array (Psalm 29:1a, 2).

Our primary purpose for gathering in assembly on Sundays is to ascribe to the  Lord the worship and praise due His name. That is our objective. God is the audience, we, the congregation, are the performers. 
 
 

A BIBLICAL MODEL
Nowhere in scripture will you find a better “model” for worship than Psalm 113. A short Psalm, it somehow captures all the elements about worship and puts the worship of God in a different perspective than the usual. 

A. It Tells us the WHO of Praise: 
  It starts out by saying “Praise the Lord” in verse 1. He is the object of our praise.  As stated earlier, He is the audience, not the people who gather. On the contrary, they are the “performers.” While true worship is subjective in that it is always experiential, it is first objective, in that the object lies beyond us. The Lord is the recipient of our adoration, blessing, thanksgiving, songs and hallelujahs. If we can remember that in planning a worship service, it will color everything we say, sing and do.

B. It Tells us who the PRAISE-GIVERS Are: 
   Again in verse 1, “Praise O SERVANTS of the Lord, praise the name of the Lord.” We are the praise-givers, not the praise receivers. Again, we enter into worship to dispense something, not to receive something. To be sure, we do receive, but the receiving is the normal outcome of the dispensing. It is interesting that David referred to the praise-givers as “servants.” He didn’t call us worshippers, congregation, audience or people, but “servants.” I believe this was deliberate, because it shows the proper relationship between the worshipper and the worshipped.
  Only believers can truly worship God. The direction of worship is from believers to God. We magnify God’s name in worship by expressing our love and commitment to him. Unbelievers simply cannot do this. 

C. It Tells us the TIME FACTOR of Worship: 
  Verse 2 says,  “Blessed be the name of the Lord, FROM THIS TIME FORTH AND FOREVERMORE.” So worship is not just something you do in church on Sunday mornings, and then maybe again on Sunday evenings  or mid-week. It is an on-going attitude of life that should permeate our thinking and our speech. To be sure, there will be times of concentrated worship, special times of personal worship, other times set aside for entering into corporate worship with intensity. But as far as “when” to worship, it’s an on-going, unceasing experience we develop as an attitude of gratitude. Driving the car, mowing the lawn, washing the dishes, taking a shower, or just listening to music can provide excellent setting for worship.

D. It Tells us the GEOGRAPHICAL BOUNDARIES of Worship: 
  Verse 3 says, “From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the Lord is to be praised!” Any way you measure that phrase, it means the whole earth, every nation, tribe, every race, every culture, every level of creation… the whole earth is to praise the Lord.
 
 

E. It Tells us the PERSPECTIVE of Worship:
  “The Lord is high above the nations, and his glory above the heavens!” The exaltation of God makes our worship a cosmic exercise. He is exalted above the earth, above all that is common and mundane, above the heavens, indeed above the highest heavens! When we enter into an intense time of worship. Something big is happening that transcends all human transactions! If you want your perspective stretched, then just worship in Spirit and in truth.
When the missing  ruby of worship is restored, Satan will indeed be routed. He shudders  to think of the power present in the midst of a worshipping people. Churches that are learning to worship God biblically, unrestrained, uninhibited, and not bound and gagged by generations of tradition are indeed growing. People are attracted to people who worship.
“O, sing to the Lord a new song, For He has done marvelous things!”
- Psalm 98:1
 Every church likes to believe its worship style is the most biblical. The truth is, there isn’t a biblical style of worship. Each Sunday true believers around the world give glory to Jesus Christ using a thousand equally valid expressions and styles. Regardless of styles, true worship employs both your right brain and your left brain. It engages both emotion and intellect, your heart and your mind. We must worship in spirit and in truth. 
 The CGM believes that the worship service to be used as a critical evangelistic tool. This is driven by research which indicates that if the “unchurched” are going to enter a church building, they are most likely to attend a Sunday morning service, as opposed to an evening service or a small group like a Sunday School class. They are most likely to do  this because they do not want to be singled out or put on the spot. They do not want to be questioned or asked to commit themselves to anything. They merely want to come and observe what is going on and leave as quietly as possible. The key word is “anonymity”. Because of this the “worship service” must change. Since we are dealing with baby boomers and others who insist on quality, we must make sure that everything we do has “excellence” stamped on it. Furthermore, we need to pay attention to what they want and surveys tell us that they wan: worship services that are informal and relaxed, music that is contemporary and sermons that are not too long but practical, relevant, interesting, simple, positive and even entertaining. They want drama, skits, dance and other more visual ways of expressing the faith. One church growth practitioner even tells us that if we are going to have a “revival,” we need to make it a one-day event because people are just too busy for anything else! 
 Dennis Costella, in his FOUNDATION Magazine, (March-April 1998) wrote, “ After personally covering the Saddleback Community Church “Building a Purpose-Driven Church” seminar held in Southern California this past January, it became clear to me that some of today’s most influential religious leaders misunderstand and misrepresent the true purpose of the church today.  Dr. Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback Community Church and director of the “Building a Purpose-Driven Church” workshops, has influenced thousands of churches during the last decade that are interested in the “Church Growth Movement.” Without doubt, every church in the United States must give, or has already had to give, an answer to the strategies of building a super church. Sadly, many have already jumped on board. The possibility of dynamic growth for struggling churches, especially old-fashioned, Bible-believing, Bible-preaching fundamental churches, is tremendously appealing. However, it is imperative to ask this question: “What actually must be done in order to accomplish dynamic church growth?” 
 It was clearly spelled out  in that seminar that some changes must take place for a local assembly to adopt the growth strategy of the Saddleback model. The following must occur in order to transform a traditionally-styled church of any size into one that can boast dramatic growth:
· A contemporary-styled “Seeker Service” aimed at drawing in the unsaved and the unchurched from the community must replace the traditional Sunday worship service. To do this successfully, the church service must be non-threatening, familiar and comfortable to the seeker” (the unsaved visitor).
· The music must be casual.  Attendees and church staff alike shun any ties, suits and dresses.  “Get comfortable.”
· The music must be contemporary. Not only must the lyrics of the music be more recent, but the style of music should be that which the unsaved hears on a daily basis. The entertainment composite of the Saddleback sound system, band, singers and presentation would rival that of any secular rock concert. Warren stated that one of the first things a church should do is “replace the organ with a band.” But he went on to say that if a band was not feasible, then at least a church could purchase a keyboard that will incorporate midi disks in order to give the sound of a band. Furthermore, the purpose of the church choir should be “backing up the soloist. That’s the 90’s way to use a choir rather than just having them sing.”
· The message must be only positive. We consider this to be the most flagrant flaw. Yes, the saved and unsaved alike can feel better about themselves after a message that often mixes psychology and an uplifting Scripture text. Such topics as dealing with guilt, self-esteem, interpersonal relationships, mood enhancement or motivation for success will encourage the worldly, weary individual. But what is God’s command to the faithful undershepherd of the flock? Far, far different.
· The ministries of the church must be geared to meeting the needs and special interests of the thousands who attend. Support groups for depression, eating disorders, infertility, family and friends of homosexuals, post abortion, and separated men and women were abundant. Many ministries were intended to bring together ones with similar business or professional interest, common recreational interests and so on. We could not find one single ministry listed in Saddleback Community Church’s bulletin that involved the taking the Gospel message out to the lost in the community. In fact, Warren scoffed at the idea of passing out tracts or going door-to-door since Saddleback Sam” is offended by such old-fashion, out-moded forms of evangelism.
· Doctrinal instruction is not given to the church as a whole on the Lord’s Day. Despite the fact that the early church clearly sets forth the example that doctrine is to be taught on Sunday to all the church body, at Saddleback, doctrine is only taught to sub-groups of the congregation apart from the regular church services. Warren emphasized Saddleback’s strategy of moving new members “around the bases” by having interested Christians take special classes to prepare them for service. Although Bible study groups also meet together, our question is this: Why is not the pulpit used to proclaim the :whole counsel of God” to the whole congregation assembled before it on the Lord’s Day (Acts 20:20-31)? Why make serious, systematic Bible instruction an option, heard only by the relatively few in the crowd who desire to “round the next base?” The whole counsel of God is to be proclaimed, to all seated before the pulpit, all the time!
· A spirit of compromise must prevail in the church that is to experience dynamic growth. The embrace of contemporary culture and style will most assuredly set the desired mood that totally opposes the Biblical mandate to earnestly contend for the faith and separate from error. What works, what is least offensive and what is positive and uplifting is what should define the ministry, according to Warren. The church leaders who are interested in dynamic growth must embrace the attitude that says, “Don’t try to tell me the Bible requires holiness and a style for worship and ministry that is different from that of the world.” This “grace-in-face” attitude is so prevalent today because of church elders who are not willing, or not aware of how, to instruct ones to behave in the house of God (I Timothy 3:15).
 This report will identify and analyze the programs suggested by the Saddleback Community Church model and will ascertain whether or not this model is consistent with what the Bible says concerning the nature, purpose and strategy of the church. Although Saddleback Community Church is one of the largest churches in America (comparable to bill Hybels’ Willow Creek Community Church), the believer must not take a pragmatic approach to church growth. While the contemporary strategies of worship and ministry employed by both Warren and Hybels seem to be successful (according to the world’s standards) and do indeed attract thousands of saved and unsaved alike, results do not determine what is acceptable to the Lord—only God’s Word reveals if their methods please Him.

Summary
 It is a natural to worship as it is to live. The feeling and expression of high adoration, reverence, trust, love, loyalty, and dependence upon a higher power, human or divine, is a necessity to man. To these sentiments, to a greater or less degree, in every man, something or somebody, real or imaginary, appeals. And that something secures his worship. “Worship is as old as humanity. It has its root in a necessity of the human soul as native to it as the consciousness of God itself, which impels it to testify by word and act its love and gratitude to the Author of life and the Giver of all good.” 
 There is no set of worship elements or a particular style that characterizes all growing churches. But, a strong relationship exists between music and church growth in churches of all sizes. Growing churches tend to be joyful, expectant, and celebrative. 
 There is no correct “style” of worship. Jesus only gave two requirements for legitimate worship: “God is spirit, and his worshippers must worship in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24). 
 

8.      You must have a well thought out, empowered vision and mission statement with a clearly defined purpose, and strategies on what God has called you to do and be. It must be real and authentic, and you must be willing to act on it. It is one thing to write it out, but another thing to act it out (Hebrews 11:1-2). 

 Rick Warren, of the fast growing Saddleback Community Church in Mission Viejo, California, makes a valid point that every church is driven by some force whether it be tradition, finances, personalities, facilities, etc.  Leaders should decide God’s purpose for their church from the Scriptures and let that be their driving force. As opportunity arise, rather than saying, “We’ve never done it that way before” (tradition, the last seven words of a dying church.) “Do we have enough money?” (finances, “oh holy budget”), “what will brother so and so say?” (personalities), or “Do we have the room?” (facility), we should ask, “Will it fulfill our God-given purpose?” 
 Warren said that at Southwest we have a vision statement: “To be a Christ-focused family committed to living for God, loving each other, and lighting the word.”

 Proverbs 29:18 says, “Where there is no vision the people perish.” 

 Francis Bacon, the English essayist, once said, “Reading makes a broad man, but writing makes an exact man.” When it comes to communicating the purposes of the church, we want to be as precise as we can be. 
The CGM believes that churches must have aggressive “church growth strategy”. It is not enough to pray and wait for people to our service – we must have a plan of action. This is not to deny that God is sovereign, rather it is to assert our God-given responsibility to fulfill the Great Commission by going out into the world and making disciples. Having a plan helps the whole body moves as one, it clarifies what it is we are trying to do and it provides a standard by which to measure whether we are succeeding or failing. Wagner sees a challenging and yet realistic plan as a “practical manifestation of faith.” However if a church develops a plan, it must take steps to put the plan into action, otherwise it’s value is lost. When planning for church growth, a congregation with its leaders should look at ways in which it can make contact with community. How can we raise our profile in the community? What needs can we meet? What events can we organize that will draw in the unchurched? Remembering McGavran’s “homogenous unit principle”, a good plan will focus attention on and direct resources to those who are most like the members of the church, since sociologically they should be the most receptive to their witness. 

EFFECTIVE PURPOSE STATEMENT

It is biblical 
 An effective purpose statement expresses the New Testament doctrine of the church. Remember, we don’t decide the purposes of the church – we discover them. Christ is the head of his church. He established the purposes long ago. Now each generation must affirm them. 
 

It is specific
 Purpose statements need to be simple and clear.  The biggest mistake a church can make when developing a purpose statement is trying to cram too much into it. The temptation is to add in all kinds of good, but unnecessary, phrases because you are afraid of leaving out something important. But the more you add to your statement, the more diffused it becomes, and the more difficult it is to fulfill. 
 A narrow mission is a clear mission.  A specific purpose statement forces you to focus your energy. Don’t be detoured by peripheral issues. Ask the  questions, “What are the very few things that will make the most difference for Jesus’ sake in our world? What can we do that  only the church can do?”

It is transferable
 A purpose statement that is transferable is short enough to be remembered and passed on by everyone in your church. The shorter it is, the better. Although the purpose statement of every biblical church will include the same elements, there is nothing to keep you from saying it in a fresh, creative way. Try to make it memorable. 

It is measurable
 You must be able to look at your purpose statement and evaluate whether your church is doing it or not. You cannot judge the effectiveness of your church unless your missions is measurable. 
 A great purpose statement will provide a specific standard by which you can review, revise, and improve everything your church does. If you can’t evaluate your church by your purpose statement, go back to the drawing board. Make it measurable. Otherwise your purpose statement is just a public relations piece.
 A great Commitment to the great commandment and the great commission will grow a great church.
 Matthew 22: 37-40 states that’ “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.. Love your neighbor as yourself”. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.
 “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28: 19-20)
Thousands of churches struggle from week to week with no vision and no dream for the future. They plod along, RE-acting to what comes instead of ACTing so as to dictate what comes. Unfortunately, many churches of all sizes major in mediocrity and specialize in status-quo due to lack of vision. The Bible says:
And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams… (Joel 2:28).

Peter quoted  this verse on the day of Pentecost when the very first church was born. It’s no wonder it was born in power and dynamism. Historically, God has consistently worked through a visionary people who crossed the Red Sea on dry ground, who marched around Jericho seven times, who went into the promised land and conquered. 
 Robert Young said  that, A quality church knows its mission—within the local body, an individual lives, in its community, in the world (cf. Ephesians). A church must be responsive to God if God give the increase (I Corinthians 3:8). 

The Five Purposes of the Church
1. Love the Lord with all your heart (Matthew 4:10).
2. Love your neighbor as yourself (4:12).
3. Go and make disciples (Matthew 28:19-20).
4. Baptizing them (Matthew 28: 20).
5. Teaching them to obey (Matthew 28: 20).

THE RESULTS OF A VISIONARY CHURCH

Power-Conscious Church
 The church was born in power. The sound of a mighty rushing wind set the stage. It’s no just coincidental that the full pouring out of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the church went hand in hand. It was designed that way. Not only born in power, it grew in power. It conquered in power. It met opposition in power. It was evident that the church of the first century maneuvered its way across Asia with a supernatural force that made Rome sit up and take notice. Without the benefit of a computer, a copy machine, a telephone, a video recorder or a word processor, the church grew because of her reliance on God’s power, poured out through the Holy Spirit. Phrases like this occur all through the book of Acts:
 And  with great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of 
the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all (Acts 4:33).

Their power penetrated paganism, healed the sick, raised the dead, drove out demons, and shook whole cities for the gospel. 

Witnessing Church
Acts 1:8 says, “You shall be my witnesses.”  Witnessing was not an option in the early church;”… now those who are scattered went everywhere preaching the word” (Acts 8:4).
The churches that are thriving, growing, and expanding rapidly are churches that have caught the vision of outreach. God has called us to witness. The church exists to witness, it’s the way God planned for the church to grow and expand. 

Giving Church
To give or not to give… that was never the question in the early church. There was a spontaneity in giving that caused the church to never lack funds to do God’s work. If you want to know what the tone was in this area:
… and no one said that any of the things which he possessed was his own,
but they had everything in common (Acts 4:32).
Also:
 … there was not a needy person among them, for as many as were possessors 
of lands or houses, sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and
laid it at the apostles’  feet (Acts 4:34-35). 

Growing Church
God intended the church to grow. He created it to grow, designed it to grow, equipped it to grow, empowered it to grow, SO IT OUGHT TO GROW… unless we stop it.  The book of Acts clearly recorded: 
So those who received His word were baptized, and there were added that day
about three thousand souls. And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching
and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And fear came upon every
soul; and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles (Acts 2:41-43).

And they arrested them and put them in custody until the morrow, for it was
already evening. But many of those who heard the word believed, and the
number of men came to about five thousand (Acts 4:3-4).

And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly
in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith (Acts 6:7).

So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was
built up; and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy
Spirit it was multiplied (Acts 9:31).

And it became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord (Acts 9:42)
And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number that believed turned
to the Lord (Acts 11:21)

But the word of God grew and multiplied (Acts 12:24).
So the word of the Lord grew and prevailed mightily (Acts 19:20).
If the leadership has no vision for the future, the local church will have no future!
 Jesus said”…I will build my church.” Matthew 16:18
 Paul: “By grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder.” 
 I Corinthians 3:10
 If you want to build a healthy, strong, and growing church you must spend time laying a solid foundation. This is done by clarifying in the minds of everyone involved exactly why the church exists and what it is supposed to do. There is incredible power in having a clearly defined purpose statement.  If it is short enough for everyone to remember, your statement of purpose will yield five wonderful benefits for your church:
A Clear Purpose Builds Morale
 Morale and mission always go together. First Corinthians 1:10 (LB) says, “Let there be real harmony so that there won’t be splits in the church… Be of one mind, united in thought and purpose.” Notice Paul says that the key to harmony in the church is to be united in purpose. If your mission is unclear, your morale will be low. 
 Proverbs 29:18 (KJV) says, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” I believe it is also true that where there is no vision, people leave for another parish!  Many churches are barely surviving because they have no vision. They limp along from Sunday to Sunday because they’ve lost sight of their purpose for continuing. A church without purpose and mission eventually becomes a museum piece of yesterday’s traditions. 
A Clear Purpose Reduces Frustration
 A purpose statement reduces frustration because it allows us to forget about things that don’t really matter. Isaiah 26:3 (TEV) says that God “give(s) perfect peace to those who keep their purpose firm and put their trust in (him) (italics added).” A clear purpose not only defines what we do, it defines what we do not do. 
 Without a purpose statement it is easy to be frustrated by all the distractions around us. Maybe you’ve felt the way Isaiah did: “I have labored to no purpose; I have spent my strength in vain and for nothing” (Isaiah 49:4). Trying to lead a church without a clearly defined purpose is like trying to drive a car in the fog. If you can’t see clearly where you’re headed, you are likely to crash. 
A Clear Purpose Allows Concentration
Focused light has tremendous power. Diffused light has no power at all. For instance, by focusing the power of the sun through a magnifying glass, you can set a leaf on fire. But you can’t set a leaf on fire if the same sunlight is unfocused. When light is concentrated at an even higher level, like a laser beam, it can even cut through a block of steel. 
The principle of concentration works in other areas too. A focused life and a focused church will have far greater impact than unfocused ones. Like the laser beam, the more focused your church becomes, the more impact it will have on society. Paul said, “I am bringing all my energies to bear on this one thing, forgetting what is behind and looking forward to what lies ahead” (Philippians 3:13 LB). 
A Clear Purpose Attracts Cooperation
 People want to join a church that knows where it’s going. When a church clearly communicates its destination, people are eager to get on board. This is because everyone is looking for something that gives meaning, purpose, and direction to life. When Ezra told the people exactly what God expected them to do the people responded, “Tell us how to proceed in setting things straight, and we will fully cooperate” (Ezra 10:4 LB). 
 The apostle Paul was always clear in his purpose. As a result, people wanted to be a part of what he was doing. This was especially true of the church at Philippi. The Philippians were so captivated by Paul’s mission that they gave him ongoing financial support (Philippians 4:15). If you want your members to get excited about the church, actively support it, and generously give to it, you must vividly explain up front exactly where the church is headed. 
A Clear Purpose Assists Evaluation
 Second Corinthians 13:5 says, “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves.” How does a church evaluate itself?  Not by comparing itself to other churches, but by asking, “Are we doing what God intends for us to do?” and “How well are we doing it?” As Peter Drucker says, “What is our business?” and “How’s business?” These are the two most critical questions for evaluating your church. Your church’s purpose statement must become the standard by which you measure your congregation’s health growth. 
Summary
The foundation determines both the size and the strength of a building. You can never build larger than the foundation can handle. The same is true for churches. A church built on an inadequate or faulty foundation will never reach the height that God intends for it to reach. It will topple over once it out-grows its base. 
 The older the church gets, the truer this becomes. Programs and events continue to be added to the agenda without ever cutting anything out. Remember, no program is meant to last forever. A good question to keep in mind when dealing with programs in your church is, “Would we begin this today if we were not delay doing it?” A bloated church calendar diffuses the energy of your church. It is essential to the health of your church that you periodically “clean house” – abandon programs that have outlived their purpose. When the house is dead – dismount!

End of Part 1