Healthy Church Growth - Pt. 2

Sunday Service

Ephesians 4:11-16

It is important that the growth of the church does not come at the expense of the spiritual growth of its members. The main objective of the church should be for its members to become more like Christ. In this passage, Paul explained God’s strategy for church growth by detailing NINE MARKS of a strong, healthy, spiritually mature church.

1. GIFTED LEADERS (v. 11)
The original leaders of the church were the 12 apostles, who were the disciples chosen by Christ (Acts 1:21-22; 2 Corinthians 12:12; Hebrews 2:4). The roles of the apostles were Pastors, Teachers, Prophets, and Evangelists. The tasks they performed within these roles formed the foundation of the early church. Other members were commissioned to take on roles and carry out tasks that enabled the apostles to remain focused on their pointed tasks - primarily to pray and teach.

2. EQUIPPED MEMBERS (v. 12)
The members of a church become equipped through the teaching of God’s Word (2 Tim 3:16). Church leaders also pray for the flock, that they may be equipped (Hebrews 13:20). It is much like a coach instructing and teaching his or her team how to win. The goal of a preacher is to make the body successful in the service of Christ.

3. DOCTRINAL UNITY (v. 13a)
This means the body keeping to the faith that was once and for all delivered as doctrinal truth to the apostles by the Holy Spirit. Unity of faith is comprised of the essential elements of the Christian faith. True unity is achieved when the body becomes unified on the basis of doctrinal conviction. This a a mark of a healthy church.

4. CONFORMITY TO CHRIST (v. 13b)
This should be our common destination. This is the knowledge of the Son of God. This is not just factual knowledge, but experiential knowledge, or knowledge gained through experience. Knowing Christ in an intimate, personal way (Phil 3:9). This means growing spiritually, over time, through God’s grace, to become more like Christ. Jesus Christ should be our standard and our goal should be to become as much like Him as possible before we die.

5. SPIRITUAL DISCERNMENT (v. 14)
As we mature spiritually, become more unified in faith as a body, and become increasingly conformed to Christ’s image, we become less susceptible to deceit by false teachers and more capable of identifying and resisting false doctrine. It is thus important for churches to teach sound doctrine.

6. AUTHENTICITY (v. 15 a)
We should be speaking the truth in love. In other words, we should be ‘truthing’ each other. Our lives must be marked by truthfulness and integrity. This means being real, sincere, and honest with each other and requires both honesty and humility (Proverbs 28:23).

7. SUBMISSION TO CHRIST’S AUTHORITY (v. 15b)
Christ is the head of the church, therefore, (Ephesians 5:23, Colossians 1:18) He has absolute power and authority over the church. He has authorized certain men to administer His authority within the church body. The church leadership thus serve as representatives of Christ. Because of this, it is essential to achieve unanimity through much prayer, thought and counsel for important decisions that concern the church body. This is submission to Christ and His authority.

8. SPIRIT OF COOPERATION (v. 16a)
Just as the various parts of the human body must each perform properly for good health, all of the parts of a church body must function in their roles to ensure that the body as a whole remains healthy and grows (Colossians 2:19). As each member of the body grows, so grows the body.

9. LOVE (v. 16b)
Speaking truth to other members in the body must be done with love. In an analogous way, love is the circulatory system of the church body (Romans 12:10, John 13:34-35). Grow Groups facilitate the effective spread of love among the members of the body.

Thank God for being faithful to grow and mature LBC since its birth 15 years ago. Ask Him to continue to cause it to grow strong and healthy and be and do all that He wants it to be and do.