"By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit." John 15:8
Jesus' concern then, and now, was that his disciples be fruitful, not just they stand amazed at his fruitfulness. It appears to me that in the “church growth circles” in which I run there are two kinds of churches - the kind where the church is an audience gathered to share in the personal fruitfulness of the Pastor, and the kind where members are equipped to be fruitful themselves. In the former, the PASTOR wins people to Christ each Sunday from the platform; his speaking is a strong manifestation of the Spirit, and he creates a buzz of excitement that draws people like crazy. He is the “hero” of the church.
In the latter kind, the CHURCH MEMBERS are equipped to see the power of God in and through their lives as they see God's kingdom brought into where they live and work and study. They, not just the pastor, are the “heroes” of the church.
I definitely want that latter kind. Jesus didn’t simply gather observers. Jesus called and trained leaders. He REPLICATED Himself in them. He made disciples.
Furthermore, Jesus wants us to transform the community and the city, not just grow the church audience. Since the community and city lives outside the walls of the church, training up leaders and members to take Jesus to them is the most effective way to really transform the community and city. 39 of the 40 miracles in the book of Acts happened OUTSIDE of the church.
Don't get me wrong, I do want to preach the Word with such anointing that people come Sunday by Sunday to encounter God. I want to be like Solomon, whom another world leader came to hear preach because she had heard about the power of his words. That is a crucial part of the strategy, but it is only PART of the strategy.
I don't want a church that grows with people simply observing and riding on the coattails of, my fruitfulness. That is more like a spiritual circus than a genuine church.
God called me to lead a church, not put on a show. At the end of the day, I will answer to God not for the size of my crowd, but for what I did to make fruitful disciples out of them.
Anything less cannot be called an "Acts" church. The story of the church did not stop in Acts 2 with 5000 being saved under Peter's preaching. It progressed into Acts 6-8, where the members went everywhere into the community and world preaching the word.
Agape, don't be satisfied to simply sit and be awed by the fruitfulness of your leaders. Jesus has more for you. Let Him make you fruitful yourself! And to grow in your personal fruitfulness, make it a point to attend the Evangelism Explosion seminar as part of the OneEOne process this season. Be fruitful!
