What Christian is not thrilled when he reads of the rapid numerical growth of the church in the first century? About three thousand added on the first day (Acts 2:41). This was followed by daily additions to the number (Acts 2:47). Shortly, the number had increased to five thousand men (Acts 4:4). This number did not include the women, so we do not know the total number at this time. Then a little later we are told that “the number of the disciples was multiplied” (Acts 6:1). Then this is capped off by, “And the word of God increased; and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly; and a great company of the priests were obedient to the faith (Acts 6:7).

After the Jerusalem church was dispersed by persecution, the gospel was preached to “in all creation under heaven” by the 60's A.D. (Col. 1:23). Just how many Christians there were by then we do not know. But we do know we would be thrilled to experience such growth in our time and that there is something drastically wrong with any Christian that would not like to see it. When there is no numerical growth it means that souls are not being saved. People are not being added to the church and consequently there are no people to join themselves to local churches (cf. Acts 9:26).

As members of local churches desiring to see the congregation grow the way the Jerusalem church did, we need to examine our motives and methods for growth.

We must not make numerical growth an end within itself. Then numbers become numbers for numbers sake. When this happens people find themselves doing whatever it takes to attract people to them. With numerical growth the prime goal, then whatever “works” to that end becomes the order of the day. Biblical evangelists and evangelism are replaced with high pressure “results oriented” preachers and programs to meet arbitrary growth goals. Efforts are made to bring folks to baptism without first bringing them to repentance. Gimmickery is employed to persuade more people to become members of the congregation. Social and recreational programs and directors are installed to entice the worldly minded into our “church family.” With these “adjustments” the numbers swell and the finances are improved. But is it the kind of growth Jerusalem had and that we should desire?

If our numerical and financial growth is the results of scriptural teaching and methods we have reason to rejoice. It means souls are being saved and that they desire to work and grow with other Christians in a local church setting.

However, we must properly take advantage of such growth. As the numbers grow and the collections increase, it is awfully easy to let these things feed our pride. Our “large congregation” and material wealth is viewed as a “bragging right.” Pretty soon we begin to make plans to tear down our barns and build bigger ones to better reflect our status in the community. It is no longer adequate to have or to acquire a meeting place with the space and facilities adequate to facilitate our assemblies, classes, and work space for preparing for congregational work and worship. As an up and coming congregation, we must have a “plant” that can be favorably compared with those of our religious neighbors of the neighborhood.

Rather than viewing the larger numbers as more workers to equip for service (cf. Eph. 4:12 NASB), they are viewed as a broader base for improvements on our facilities. The larger contributions help our standings with the bank that we plan to use to finance our show place building(s).

I have a novel idea. Why not look upon any increase in numbers as an opportunity to train more workers to seek the lost in the community and look upon the increased contributions, that increased numbers bring, as an opportunity to support more evangelists at home and abroad. If the numbers outgrow the present facilities, then make the needed space adjustments to accommodate the increase – either by building on to the present facilities or acquire adequate space elsewhere. And in doing this do not saddle the congregation with a huge long term building debt that would be extremely difficult to pay should the present rate of growth cease or even a slight loss of members occur. Such a debt may very well cause the church to ignore discipline and soften its stand for truth for fear of losing members upon whom they depend for the contributions to meet their budget.

Let us desire and work for growth, but let it be the right kind of growth for the right reasons.