I attend a small church of Christ which is faced with challenges, such as members leaving to go to other churches, brethren falling away because of their selfish ambitions, and family issues. The reason I bring it up is that we have so much potential to grow as we have a beautiful church building and committed members. We are faced with the challenge of bringing in people, but we are making an effort via different programs in place. I understand that fervent prayer avails much and I am confident God would bless in due time. Is there any advice you can give to help us to be focused and not allow daily situations to deter us from God’s will?<\/p>\n\t
I have worked almost all my life among small congregations. The group here in La Vista has only about fifty in attendance at the moment, so I understand the difficulties that you face. One member once added up all those who were members here and have since moved to other parts of the country and figured we would have had over 500 if everyone had stayed. In the eleven years that I have been here, I know of two men that have gone to other congregations and became elders and four men who became preachers. We could look at the situation and see how little the attendance has grown over the years, but it is more satisfying to look as see the impact that we are making throughout the United States and the world.<\/p>\n
The best advice is the one Paul gave: “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord<\/em>” (I Corinthians 15:58). Growth in numbers is nice, but it is not the essential quality in a church. How faithful is the congregation remaining to the Lord? That is what should demand our focus. Unfortunately, numbers are easier to quantify, so we often let ourselves get distracted.<\/p>\n I met a man from the northern reaches of Vermont. He was converted to true Christianity while he was a sailor in the Navy during the Korean War. When he returned home, he was the only Christian in a 100+ mile area, of which he knew. He first taught his girlfriend who became a Christian and eventually his wife. They then started having Bible studies around their kitchen table. Eventually, they had so many, they had to get a building. The numbers grew to about 30 and then everything collapsed. So they started all over meeting around their kitchen table. Three times the effort collapsed and they had to restart. But the last time it took hold. The congregation, the last I knew, had about 100 members. They made it because no matter the situation, this couple was going to do what needed to be done at the moment.<\/p>\n No matter what happens, stick with it. If the group should ever collapse, start the work again. If it should grow, help each member stay the course. Yes, Satan is operating in the world. Yes, despite our best efforts we are going to lose some of our brothers and sisters to his schemes. But that loss doesn’t mean the work is hopeless. Look at all the people around you who need the gospel. “Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad. Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are well known to God, and I also trust are well known in your consciences<\/em>” (II Corinthians 5:9-11).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Question: I attend a small church of Christ which is faced with challenges, such as members leaving to go to other churches, brethren falling away because of their selfish ambitions, and family issues. The reason I bring it up is that we have so much potential to grow as we have a beautiful church building…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[20],"tags":[448,383],"class_list":["post-5081","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-answer","tag-church","tag-growth"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":25515,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/what-do-we-do-about-a-sister-who-left-after-being-a-christian-for-a-year\/","url_meta":{"origin":5081,"position":0},"title":"What do we do about a sister who left after being a Christian for a year?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"January 11, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I have another question that has been bothering me for a while. A sister in Christ left the church for a reason that I am still confused about. She became a Christian about a year ago and seemed really happy about her decision. She was faithful, committed, and opened\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":54812,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/your-sermon-shed-light-on-an-issue-we-were-facing\/","url_meta":{"origin":5081,"position":1},"title":"Your sermon shed light on an issue we were facing","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 6, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Good day brother Jeffrey, Thank you for helping me clarify some issues which I faced. I read the sermon,\u00a0Who Is Responsible? It shed some light for us here, together with an explanation of the Individual-Group distinction. I thank our God Almighty for your website. It helps so many people\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":25247,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/help-me-understand-more-about-the-flaws-in-the-church-of-the-nazarene\/","url_meta":{"origin":5081,"position":2},"title":"Help me understand more about the flaws in the Church of the Nazarene","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"December 12, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: I am a music minister, called preacher and leader. I currently serve with the church of the Nazarene. I am shocked by the truth you revealed. I have been looking for this, but I really need help to understand it more. I have been feeling deeply uncomfortable with some\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":27445,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/your-article-on-the-silence-of-the-scriptures-helps-me-to-understand-the-issues-better\/","url_meta":{"origin":5081,"position":3},"title":"Your article on the silence of the Scriptures helps me to understand the issues better","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"May 16, 2011","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Hello sir. I was born and raised in the church. Just read your article on\u00a0the silence of the Scriptures\u00a0and really enjoyed it. I have been faced with some of the \"dogmatic\" congregations for the first time in my life, and it really raised some questions in my mind as\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":7311,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/should-the-church-help-a-family-that-is-constantly-in-financial-difficulties\/","url_meta":{"origin":5081,"position":4},"title":"Should the church help a family that is constantly in financial difficulties?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"September 6, 2006","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: Now, one other problem that I sure would appreciate your help with: One family (husband, wife and four children) are new members here and seem to have an ongoing financial problem. A couple of weeks ago they needed money because of an $800 utility bill and were going to\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":33097,"url":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/why-cant-all-the-elders-in-a-city-get-together-to-direct-all-the-churches-in-the-city\/","url_meta":{"origin":5081,"position":5},"title":"Why can’t all the elders in a city get together to direct all the churches in the city?","author":"Jeffrey Hamilton","date":"June 4, 2012","format":false,"excerpt":"Question: First, I would like to say thank you for posting your informative studies. I currently attend a church that has dissolved the eldership and has been operating without elders. After reading Keith Sharp's article on Autonomy I still have a question about elders. Our biblical example is one church\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Answer"","block_context":{"text":"Answer","link":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/category\/answer\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5081","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5081"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5081\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5081"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5081"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lavistachurchofchrist.org\/cms\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5081"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}