Acts 16:5 And so were the churches established in the faith, and increased in number daily.

                                                                                                                      

The Church of Christ is ordained for continuous and unending growth and the reason if she is not growing is because of lack of faith. A church that has her faith strengthened will grow in numbers. How did the early church do it?

1. PROBLEMS WERE RESOLVED QUICKLY. There was a doctrinal issue regarding circumcision. The Jewish brethren insisted their Gentile brethren ought to be circumcised. This doctrine was settled in Jerusalem by the apostles (Acts 15). Paul and Silas went around delivering the decree ordained by the apostles (Acts 16:4). The Jews accepted the apostles’ decree and the result was unity among the Jews and Gentiles.

A doctrinal issue or any human issue is like a thorn in the flesh if it is not addressed quickly. If it is allowed to fester, it will cause divisions. The result is the faith of the members will be affected. This affect the work of the church and everything comes to a standstill. We see that when the apostles knew about the doctrinal division between the Jews and the Gentiles, they came together immediately and settled the issue and issued the decree (Acts 15:6-31). The result was unity among the Jewish and Gentile brethren.

The apostles provide the pattern for us to follow if we desire faith: there must be unity in doctrine. Any doctrinal problem is a big problem. Let us study the word of God diligently that we may discern the truth (2 Timothy 2:15).

2.  PREACHING THE GOSPEL. The EFFECT of this faith is that they increased in number daily. How so? Because a living faith will produce work: “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone” (James 2:17).

We cannot have growth until we start to preach the gospel and tell someone about Jesus. This is a truth that some brethren will never learn. The present condition of some churches should cause us to know this to be true. Why are they dwindling in numbers? It is because they have confined their preaching to within the four walls of their buildings. They need to go out and preach outside their building: “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation” (Mark 16:15, ESV).

When the church gets busy with evangelism, there will be growth? How did the early churches grow? “Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word” (Acts 8:4). They went everywhere preaching the word.

For the church to grow, every member needs to get busy telling someone about Christ. When was the last time you had a bible study with a friend? When members are excited about their faith and start telling the people they meet on the streets about the gospel, there will be growth.

Denominations are forming study groups in schools, university campuses and workplaces; are we doing that? Why are our students not keen on study groups in their campuses? If you have Christians who are working around the same location, why not form a bible study group during lunch break and invite your colleagues to the study?

Faith will manifest in her works (James 2:22). The reason we are not doing is because of a lack of faith. That faith needs to be strengthened. Churches that are strengthened in their faith will increase in number daily; it worked then, it will work today. Be ye strong in the faith. 

Jimmy Lau