The Church's Real Problem
1Co 2:14 The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.
This verse should be a wake-up call to all believers. The person without the influence of the Holy Spirit cannot understand the things of God’s mercy and grace shown in Jesus Christ. This may tell us something about our efforts at church growth, evangelism programs, etc.
1Co 3:6 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow.
1Co 3:7 So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.
Somewhere along the way we developed the notion that if we just have the right program our churches will grow. I doubt that Paul or Apollos had any program to follow. Before anything else they were men of prayer. They communed with God. God then prompted them to pray for people. Once they had prayed sufficiently God then dispatched them to do His bidding. They simply told people about Jesus Christ and Him crucified. God, through the influence of His Holy Spirit then caused people to hear and understand His amazing grace and mercy shown in Jesus Christ. They willingly gave themselves over to this great gospel.
It seems that before we talk about new structures, new programs, etc. we need to pray. We need to pray without ceasing. We need to discuss with God (pray) what He wants us to do about the lost people in our communities. He will direct us and we then will beseech Him to soften the peoples’ hearts that they may be open to hear and respond to the good news of Jesus Christ.
1Co 2:2 For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.
Things are then very simple. We go and tell people about Jesus Christ and Him crucified and invite these people into a relationship with Him and us.
Here is the rub, we just hate to go and tell people. Therefore, in the name of church growth we spend all our time developing programs that do not work because we do not want to go and tell people. How sad?
