Church Growth-10 Surefire ways to grow your church

Church Growth-10 Surefire ways to grow your church
By Shane Idleman
[scroll down past #10]
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  1. "And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved."[Acts 2:47].
  2. "And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved."[Acts 2:47].
  3. "And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved."[Acts 2:47].
  4. "And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved."[Acts 2:47].
  5. "And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved."[Acts 2:47].
  6. "And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved."[Acts 2:47].
  7. "And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved."[Acts 2:47].
  8. "And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved."[Acts 2:47].
  9. "And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved."[Acts 2:47].
  10. "And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved."[Acts 2:47].

All too often I hear more about gimmicks than God's Spirit, plans more than prayer, promotions more than repentance; very little is said about the Holy Spirit today. The power of the Holy Spirit is NOT a mystical or personal force; it's God's power working in and through us. The power of the Holy Spirit is like dynamite that ignites a hunger for God so intense that every aspect of life is changed-we become bold, not passive; stable, not fanatical; and committed, not wavering. In the early years of American history, during the First Great Awakening, Pastor Jonathan Edwards said that a true work of the Holy Spirit would be evident: it would elevate the truth, exalt Christ, oppose Satan, point people to the Scriptures, and result in love for God and others.
Unfortunately, many confuse a Spirit-filled life with sheer emotionalism. Emotions aren't necessarily a reflection of a changed heart, but a changed heart should be reflected in our emotions. When truth penetrates the heart, excitement and enthusiasm often follow; these emotions can be good and God-given. I'm not suggesting that extreme fanaticism and weird behavior are marks of someone filled with the Spirit-as D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones said: Never interpret Scripture in the light of your experiences, but rather, interpret your experiences in the penetrating light of Scripture.
As Christians, we are given the Holy Spirit [the third Person in the Godhead], but what we do with Him is largely up to us-we can quench and grieve Him, thus causing Him to withdraw, or we can truly surrender our life to His influence. (Read I Thessalonians 5:19 and Ephesians 4:30.) Often, the only thing standing between the work of the Holy Spirit and us is our will. The Holy Spirit will not empower you to do what you want to do; He will only empower you to do what God wants you to do. Pray for the Spirit's influence, desire it above all else, and continually live a life that glorifies Christ-the Holy Spirit is given to those who obey God (Acts 5:32).
Spiritual maturity is not a prerequisite for the filling of the Spirit. You can be filled when you submit your life to His power. "We are leaky vessels, and have to be kept right under the fountain all the time in order to keep full" (D.L. Moody). Stay under the fountain.
Without a shadow of doubt, the difference between "saying" that we belong to a church and actually living a life empowered by the Holy Spirit, is as different as night and day. The Christian life can be exciting and full of passion when the Holy Spirit reigns in the believer, but boring and dull when He does not. The reason why so many lack peace, joy, and contentment is often because they are not listening to the inner promptings of the Holy Spirit. These promptings confront wrong attitudes, destructive habits, and certain tendencies that damper our spiritual life. The Scriptures make it clear that God's power will not flow until sin is dealt with-obedience empowers!
When I think of the power of the Holy Spirit, I sometimes think of the time when I worked as a heavy equipment operator. On one particular day, I forgot the key. There I sat behind the wheel with all this potential power, but this enormous machine was powerless without the key. In the same way, the Holy Spirit is the key that unlocks and releases spiritual power within our lives. As a matter of fact, many go from relationship to relationship, drug to drug, or religion to religion searching for someone or something to fill a need. As a result, their lives are often filled with depression, anxiety, and fear simply because they fail to embrace the work of the Holy Spirit. I wish that more time could be spent on this topic because I sincerely believe that the power of the Holy Spirit is a wonderful gift from God, don't take it for granted. God wants you to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
This excerpt was taken from What Works for Young Adults-Solid Choices In Unstable Times, © 2007 by El Paseo Publications (www.elpaseopublications.com); Shaneidleman@roadrunner.com.

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