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A Newsletter of Biblically Balanced Ministries, Inc.
What’s Keeping Us from Growing?
By Gary R. Becker
Rick Warren the pastor at Saddleback Church and author of the
book The Purpose Driven Church states, “The wrong question: What
will make our church grow?
The right question: What is keeping our church from growing?”
The second question has been foundational to the consulting
ministry of BBM. 
Results have demonstrated that the same things keeping
churches from growing are keeping believers from growing. The
observation is a natural one because we understand the church is
the body of believers. Thus, if believers are growing the church
will grow.
The list of things keeping us from growing could be endless.
Approaches to this question could come from the sin issues or
direct commands of Scripture. Such issues cannot be ignored in
the overall exploration. However, what will be shared in this
article is taken more from the practical approach based on my
observations and the consulting ministry.
My intent in this article is to give an overview rather than a
detailed examination of each point. Actually, each point will be
explored more in-depth with a series of articles on our website.
UNBIBLICAL PRINCIPLES and PRACTICES are the first areas
of our churches and lives that must be examined. When we
discover such unbiblical patterns, the first priority must be to
correct the foundation based on the absolute authority of
Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16-17).
UNWILLINGNESS TO CHANGE is one of the most common
things discovered in the evaluation process with churches. The
apostle Paul understood the importance of being willing to
change in order to reach people with the gospel. He said, “I
have become all things to all men, that I might by all means
save some. Now this I do for the gospel’s sake” (1 Corinthians
9:22-23).
It is also one of the obstacles for believers in their
spiritual growth process. We need to be reminded, “even though
the outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being
renewed day by day” (2 Corinthians 4:16). Individually, God is
in the process of “renewing” or changing us each day. When we
become unwilling to change we are actually hindering the work of
the Holy Spirit. The caution in this area is to remember
it is not the message or the truth that changes. What needs to
change is methods and how we present the truth.
UNCOMMITTED BELIEVERS demonstrate the effect of our
culture. Our culture has lost the sense of loyalty. Christians
just a few decades back were noted for loyalty to their church
body. Today the lack of loyalty characterizes far more in our
churches. The consumer mentality has become evident in our
churches. “Seeker Driven” churches draw people from one church
to another.
The same lack of commitment is seen in the individual’s
commitment to personal spiritual growth. Many will attend
services with good music and dynamic communicators but few are
committed to prayer meetings or in-depth Bible studies.
UNAVAILABLE FOR MINISTRY is a characteristic of life
style choices and priorities. Life is busier, but the reality is
that we do with our time what we want to. Ephesians 5:16 reminds
of our responsibility for time management, “redeeming the time,
because the days are evil.” Churches are finding it increasingly
difficult to find people who “have the time” to serve in
ministries or even attend services other than Sunday worship.
Churches themselves create some of this problem. Many people are
so tied up in meetings that time for ministry is just not
available. Churches need to consider how to reduce the time
given to meetings to discuss ministry and begin to make time
available for ministry.
UNPLACED or MISPLACED PEOPLE are keeping churches from
growing. The scriptures teach a “diversity of gifts . . .
differing ministries.” Often people are either not involved in
ministry or are in the wrong place in ministry. A basic reason
for this situation is they have never understood their own gift
and ability mix. “He gave some . . . as pastors and teachers for
the equipping of the saints . . ..” This process must include
helping people discover where they fit in ministry instead of
just filling slots. The result will have a direct effect on the
spiritual growth of individual believers.
If our goal is to see believers mature in Christ and
for “His Church” to grow, we need to ask, “What is Keeping Us
from Growing?” We have His promise, “I will build My Church.”
What we need to do is identify the obstacles and remove them.
by Gary R. Becker, President
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