On the other hand, groups that have quality teaching seem to grow almost automatically. Jesus attracted huge crowds. This was, in part, because he was such a masterful teacher. Mark 12:37 (NLT) records, “The large crowd listened to him with delight.” Good outreach can accelerate the growth even further, but we must have the basis of good teaching in order to grow a group. Notice that I’m saying “good teaching”—it does not have to be sensational.
If you want a church to grow, somebody had better be saying something helpful every week. Nothing can replace good content. Would you be attracted to a church that had great programs, nice music, but lousy sermons? People may stay in a church like that if they have a strong network of friends. They will stay reluctantly, however. Few new people will join.
The same is true of small groups. You may have all the invitations, parties, and games you need to gather a crowd. But if someone is not saying something helpful to the group, people will not come back. In the long run, good advertising will never cover for a bad product. The label is important, but it’s what is in the bottle that counts. They may judge a book by the cover. They may even buy it because of the cover. They will not read it unless the author has something to say.
This article on growing quality disciples is adapted from “You Can Double Your Class in Two Years or Less” by Josh Hunt
