In my last post, I came down pretty hard on church people who complain that they are not growing in their church and use that as an excuse for leaving their church.
I realize that the growth of many Christians really does stall. When that happens, their church experience and even their relationship with Christ can become stale.
Changing churches is awfully drastic. It disrupts your life, the church, and often damages the Kingdom of God.
Here are some things you can do to grow at the church you now attend.
Find out whom the pastor is targeting with his messages and pray with him for those people.
Who does he see as the people that your particular church has the best opportunity to reach? Those folks are the primary mission of your church.
Now that doesn’t mean that others are excluded. It means that those folks are the center of the target. There is a biblical precedence for “targeting.” Jesus targeted the “lost house of Israel,” but He also healed the Syro-Phoenician woman, and told His disciples to go to all people. Also, Paul targeted Gentiles, but also reached Jews. Conversely, Peter targeted Jews, but he was the first to baptize a Gentile (Cornelius).
Pray that your pastor’s messages will touch the targeted people at a deep level.
Find out whom the songs target and pray for them.
Also pray for the musicians, that they will be able to keep the message and not the applause their priority. While you’re at it, ask God to help you enjoy the music more. If you don’t like it, or it is too loud, don’t complain to anyone except, perhaps, the music leader him/herself.
Look into the eyes of the people who visit the church and newer members.
Ask God to help you love them even if they are different in generation, socio-economic status or education level. Ask him to use you to be part of winning your neighborhood and the next generation.
Find out what needs to be done and offer to help in anyway you can.
Ask a staff leader where you might fit in and how you can get trained to do it. Tell them you want to be on the team.
Whether not the staff can help you find an “official” job, you can still be part of accomplishing the mission.
You can warmly greet others, especially visitors. You can invite new people to attend your small group, Sunday school class, etc. Even if they never come, they will appreciate a sincere invitation.
