The Change Movement – The Fuel For Change (2)
Categories: Sermon Outlines, Topical Sermon OutlinesINTRODUCTION:
A. A third key item that is being used to fuel change in the church is the unfortunate and misplaced emphasis upon church growth and the desire to be relevant
1. It seems there is no end to the lengths that some will go for church growth
2. Many are like those of Samuel’s days who want to be like the nations around them (1 Sam. 8:20) — many are trying to copy the denominations in evangelism
3. It is incredible to think that many, like Israel, have not learned that seeking help outside of God’s word amounts to foolish disloyalty
a. Psalm 146:3
b. Isaiah 31:3
B. Does it really seem possible that God would require numerical growth but then fail to tell us how to accomplish it?
1. Do we really need to pay for a “church growth expert”?
2. Do we really need to glean from denominationalism?
C. Too many times our “progress” amounts to nothing more than the subtle abandonment of biblical truth in exchange for “something new” (Acts 17:21) or the latest popular fads derived from the “latest studies”
1. Under the guise of “growth” and “progress” many are straying from biblical truth
2. 2 John 9
a. The term “onward” or “transgresseth” comes from a word from which we get our word “progress”
b. Such is an apt description of much of the gimmickry being set forth today as “progress”
D. This mindset is completely contrary to the biblical prescription for achieving our God-ordained tasks
1. If we want the church to grow and be insulated from apostasy we must use the Bible as our guide
2. God’s truth alone as the “power” (Rom. 1:16) and the “energy” (Heb. 4:12) to simulate God’s people.
3. Only God’s truth can make people free (Jn. 8:32; 17:17)
4. Isaiah 55:11
E. That is precisely why it is not our burden and responsibility to produce the numbers
1. God gives the increase (1 Cor. 3:6-7)
2. It is our duty to plant and water in God’s way
3. James 1:21
4. So instead of using the latest gimmicks we must “desire the sincere milk of the word, that we may grow thereby” (1 Pet. 2:2)
DISCUSSION:
A. THE ROLE OF A PREACHER
1. For too long, preachers within churches of Christ have been perceived to be largely responsible for the numerical growth (or lack of it) in the local congregation
a. It is thought that if the preacher is doing his job the church will grow
b. It is further thought that his preaching style, personality, and appearance are responsible for his success of failure — many are hiring their preachers mostly based on style and personality
2. But let’s compare this scenario with biblical truth
a. The Bible says a preacher’s function is to preach
1) 2 Timothy 4:2
2) 1 Timothy 4:11, 13
3) Titus 2:15
b. Consequently, it is not his responsibility to bring in the numbers — remember, God gives the increase
3. Many assume that if a preacher is doing his job many will be converted
a. But where does this leave Noah, the preacher of righteousness? (2 Pet. 2:5)
b. Where does this leave Jesus? — John 6:66
4. Paul may have been a penetrating writer, but he apparently was not very commanding in the pulpit in terms of his physical presence — 2 Corinthians 10:10
a. Paul probably would have not fared well in pulpits of today’s thinking
b. Nevertheless, he was the proper model for preacher to emulate today
1) 1 Corinthians 3:6
2) Paul preached — God gives the increase, not the preacher
B. PSEUDO-EVANGELISM
1. Some in the church today seem to major in stressing to the brotherhood its imminent failure to evangelize and grow in numbers as it should
a. The Lord did not command us to “convert the world” or bring big numbers
b. He told us to evangelize the world — Mark 16:15-16
c. Just because a church is not growing does not mean that their evangelism is suspect
1) Matthew 7:13-14
2) Matthew 22:14
2. When we speak of “soul winning” and “making converts,” what do we really mean?
a. Is all “soul winning” sanctioned by God?
b. There is a difference between biblical evangelism and human evangelism?
3. Many are so consumed with programs and methods that they have substituted sociology and psychology for Bible truth
a. The only legitimate appeal in evangelism is truth and love of truth
b. John 17:17; 2 Thessalonians 2:10
4. Notice what Jesus said about some “gung ho” evangelizing methods of His day — Matthew 23:15
a. To what were these people being converted?
b. God is not willing that any should perish (2 Pet. 3:9), but salvation must come on His terms
5. Numerous passages teach pure, unadulterated truth has never been popular nor influential with the majority of it hearers.
a. Jonah was successful in causing sufficient numbers of Ninevites to repent to the extent that God spared the city (Jonah 3:10) — only later to destroy it (Nahum)
b. Elijah was informed that 7,000 were still responsive to the truth (1 Kgs. 19:18), but 7,000 out of a nation of hundreds of thousands is not very many
c. Multitudes followed Jesus, but most of them were out for the food (Jn. 6:10-15) and miracles (Jn. 6:2)
d. Once they heard what Jesus had to say, they developed “cold feet” (Jn. 6:66) — in fact, had Him killed (Mt. 27:20-25)
6. When people are attracted to Christianity and the church in the first century, they were drawn to Jesus by means of His doctrine
a. Not gimmicks
b. Not a watered down doctrine
C. DELICATE ISSUES
1. Many churches are trying to create an atmosphere on non-qualifying acceptance by avoiding anything negative and remaining strictly positive
a. We need to be positive, we cannot dwell constantly on the negative
b. But there is a growing tendency to preach only positive so everyone always feels convertible — big numbers…
2. What is our ultimate goal?
a. To provide the Lord with obedient believers
b. Our goal is not to amass numbers, but save souls
c. If all we do is make people “feel good about themselves,” we might as well abandon our churches and become psychologists
3. We need to encourage, but we must also deal with sin
a. Isaiah 59:1-2
b. Romans 3:23 … we must deal with sin
c. Ephesians 4:15
CONCLUSION: