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Grow Up
by Commissioner Wesley
Harris
OVER decades some Army territories have expended much money
and effort in pursuing various theories about church growth.
No doubt some valuable insights have been gained which is
fine, but overall, results may have been less than were hoped
for.
Although often based on theories followed in mega-churches
numerical replication of comparable development within our own
movement could be hard
to find. Sometimes there may have been more development of
‘church’ (with a small ‘c’) than actual Church growth.
Of course, spiritual growth cannot necessarily be assessed by
counting heads. ( I know of small corps with big influence,
even in sparsely populated districts.)
Generally, a multiplication of believers was expected
in the early Church and in the early Army and we long to see
it in our movement today.
Faith and prayer are obvious prerequisites of spiritual growth
and it may be that failure in these essentials is
a reason for a dearth of soul saving.
But there is something else which may knock on our door
like a wake up call.
I mean, are we
intentional about winning people for Christ?
Despite the name we bear is salvation really our
mission and the all-consuming passion of our hearts?
The remarkable Commissioner Catherine Bramwell-Booth
(grand-daughter of our founders) told me that in the early
days people expected
that if they talked with a Salvationist they would be
challenged about the state of their soul. Is that still the
case? Are we now
so frightened of saying the wrong thing that more often than
not we fail to say the right thing? I must confess to have
been guilty on that charge and not taken every opportunity for
witness.
Real
Church
growth is not likely to be a mass production.
It comes about one person at a time. One loving spirit
sets another heart aflame! It begins in the individual
Christian and goes on from there.
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