The Gospel according to Isaiah

Church Growth

          I had an interesting experience the other day. I was sitting in Tim Hortons on Guelph Line at New Street, sipping my coffee and reading my book (which happened to be Basic Christianity by John Stott), when I became aware of a conversation at the next table. A gray-haired but youngish pastor seemed to be consulting an older ex-pastor about church growth. The pastor had tried a number of programs already, but unsuccessfully.  The older man represented a group or organization that encouraged conversations with and surveys of, the congregants. He even mentioned Autopsy of a Deceased Church by Thom Rainer, which I had read. In 15-20 minutes of conversation, God was mentioned twice and prayer twice, but never Jesus, never conversion, never salvation.

        This turned my mind to my own thoughts on church growth. I never interrupted, I never found out what church they represented. I don’t know where they expected to draw any new members from. It seems to me that there can be only two sources—either new believers, freshly saved, or old believers, swiped from another fellowship! At Shoreacres, we aren’t interested in the latter. That means we want to see new converts, and that means we have to get the claims of Christ in front of non-believers. How to do that is the big question! Perhaps by word of mouth is best.

        In that regard, another book I’ve enjoyed is 50 People Every Christian Should Know, by Warren Wiersbe. One story that impressed me and has also affected my attitude in prayer is that of Samuel Chadwick (1860-1932). Let me end by quoting from his story:

        “The town drunkard, Robert Hamer, showed up at the meeting. He was known as “Bury Bob”, and there was hardly a sin or crime that he had not been involved in one way or another. People had seen him eat glass, fight rats with his teeth, break furniture, swallow knives, and fight policemen. That night, he asked for a Band of Hope pledge card, signed his X, and vowed he would never drink again. The following Sunday, Bury Bob was converted, and his life and home were so transformed that it led to the salvation of many others.

        “What the congregation did not know was that behind the scene their youthful pastor had been praying that God would stir things up by converting some notorious sinner. Chadwick had been studying John 11 and 12, and had noticed that the resurrection of Lazarus had led to the conversion of many people. “That’s the solution!” he said to himself. “We need a Lazarus!” God answered his prayers; Bury Bob was his Lazarus, raised from the dead and given new life in Jesus Christ. From that time on, in every church he pastored and every evangelistic crusade he conducted, Samuel Chadwick asked God to give him a Lazarus.

        “If God is at work week by week raising men from the dead,” he said, “there will always be people coming to see how it is done. You cannot find an empty church that has conversion for its leading feature. Do you want to know how to fill empty chapels? Here is the answer: Get your Lazarus.”