Job Title:                     Church Custodian

Reports To:                 Church Administrator

Position Status:         Full‐Time

Position Summary:

Responsible for the appearance, cleanliness, maintenance and security of the building and grounds of the

Church

Job Responsibilities and Duties:

Keep the building clean, attractive and well‐maintained, inside and out.

Maintain attractive grounds, performing basic functions as cutting grass, care of flowerbeds, shovelling snow, arranging for snow to be removed from the parking lot, and other maintenance duties.

Perform minor repairs, including but not limited to masonry, electrical systems, plumbing and immediate temporary repairs in an emergency.

Attend Building & Grounds Committee meeting and consult with the chair and Church Administrator as needed regarding policies, needed repairs and significant purchases.

Set up and take down the sanctuary and rooms as needed for classes and meetings.

Negotiate on needs assessment, finance and scheduling issues with contractors when maintenance and repair services are needed.

Supervise the part‐time grounds keeper, custodial assistant, and church members who volunteer for maintenance responsibilities.

Perform other tasks and responsibilities as assigned by the Church Administrator.

Job Skills and Requirements:

Knowledge of basic HVAC and mechanical functions of a large non‐residential building.

Good organizational and planning skills and an ability to delegate to other employees and volunteers.

Ability to negotiate knowledgably with contractors and vendors for facility needs.

Regular timely attendance during stated or negotiated hours.

Available and on call on a 24‐hour, seven day a week basis for emergencies.

Ability to communicate with staff and volunteers on facility needs and uses.

Ability to lift a minimum of 40 pounds and to have complete mobility in building and grounds activities.

Evaluation and Compensation:

The Church Custodian works directly under the Church Administrator and receives an annual performance evaluation. Compensation is reviewed annually.

I have read and received a copy of my job description. I understand this overrides anything I have been given or told in the past. I further understand that I’m expected to follow my job as outlined above and that if I have any questions concerning what is expected of me, I will speak with my immediate supervisor identified above.

Employee                                                                                                                    Date

See freechurchforms.com

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In the United States, any legitimate group of religious people can file the appropriate documents with their secretary of state, to incorporate as a nonprofit religious organization. The state will require evidence of the religious nature of the group, articles of incorporation, a corporate constitution and bylaws, and a board of directors (usually with the assistance of an attorney).

The primary reason for this incorporation, is so that a 501(c)(3) tax exempt status from the Internal Revenue Service can be secured that will exempt the church from paying taxes on its offerings and property, and will provide a tax exemption to the organization’s donors. The incorporation also serves to protect private individuals in the church from incurring personal liability in the organization’s behalf. Whenever a church becomes such a corporation, it is required by law to keep detailed records of donations and financial records so to prove the nonprofit intent of the organization and to protect the intended purpose of the donor’s offerings. Violations of related laws can result in revocation of a church’s non profit status.

Section 501 (c) (3) of the IRS code describes what the government considers to be an eligible nonprofit, religious group. “A tax-exempt religious organization is a legal entity or vehicle created and operated exclusively for religious purposes, no part of the net earnings of which insures to the benefit of any private individual, no substantial part of the activities of which is carrying on propaganda, or otherwise attempting to influence legislation, and which does not participate in or interfere in any political campaign on behalf of any candidate for public office.”

Most churches are incorporated as nonprofit organizations, but there is no scriptural edict that requires any such status or any recognition from secular government. Some have contended that if persons regain their donation in the form of deducted taxes, it diminishes the sacrificial value of the original offering (2 Sam. 24:24). However, the tax exemption status has generally been viewed as one of God’s great blessings to the American church, enabling it to direct greater sums to evangelism, benevolence, and foreign mission fields.

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Statistics show that a great percentage of persons who stop going to church, do so because of some type of offense or injury to their feelings. It’s unfortunate that such experiences ever occur. You may not be able to stop offensive things from happening, but by applying God’s principles you can stop them from hurting you. “Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them” (Psalm 119:165 KJV).

The following are several things that people can do to protect themselves from getting hurt in the church:

(1) Avoid developing unreasonable expectations. “My soul, wait silently for God alone, For my expectation is from Him” (Psa. 62:5).

The definition of disappointment is “the failure to attain one’s expectations.” Don’t expect things from the church or the minister that they can’t deliver, or that the Bible doesn’t teach for them to do. Many expectations have to do with preconceived “traditions” which we have come to associate with a church, perhaps from another fellowship we once attended or grew up in, etc. It’s a good idea to meet with the pastor and ask what you can expect of his ministry and the church.

Occasionally people get disappointed when they find out their church can’t supply all their earthly needs. Most churches attempt to help the needy during crisis and emergencies, but some expect the church to meet all their material needs or pay their bills like the early church did. Unfortunately, this just isn’t possible unless everyone agrees to sell all their property and possessions and give them to the church like the early believers (Acts 4:34-35). Most churches would be blessed if everyone merely paid their tithes, however statistics show that only a small percentage of churchgoers give a full tithe regularly.

Neither is it realistic to expect the pastor to spend all his time with you, to attend every social function, or for him to show you constant attention. Learn to place your expectations upon God — He will always be faithful to His promises in His Word.

(2) Don’t place an absolute trust in people. “Thus says the LORD: Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart departs from the LORD” (Jer. 17:5).

Come to terms with the fact that everyone is human and will fail you at sometime or another. Even the pastor will make mistakes. The only one you can trust entirely without fail is God.

Realizing that any human can fall short, the degree of trust we place in people must be limited and will depend on their track record. The more we get to know a person’s character and the history of their behavior, we’ll be able to determine how trustworthy they are. This is one of the reasons why the scriptures tell us to get to know our pastors and spiritual leaders — so from their godly lifestyle, we’ll be able to trust their leadership. “And we urge you, brethren, to recognize those who labor among you, and are over you in the Lord and admonish you.” (1 Thes. 5:12).

There’s a difference between “love” and “trust.” It’s possible to love and forgive someone, without placing an absolute trust in them. To illustrate this, let’s say there’s a school bus driver who has a drinking problem. One day while transporting a load of children he becomes intoxicated, wrecks the bus and kills all the children. As the lone survivor of the crash, he turns to the church to seek God’s forgiveness for this horrible act of irresponsibility. If he repents of his sin, will God forgive him? Absolutely. Should the church love and forgive this person? Of course. And what if he would then like to volunteer to drive the church bus for us? Do we trust him? Absolutely not! It would be unthinkable to put a person in the driver’s seat who has shown such recent negligence. Certainly, we love and forgive him, but because of this man’s poor track record, we could not risk the lives of our passengers. Over a long period of sobriety and safe driving, this person may be able to prove that he is again reliable, capable of being trusted as a bus driver.

Remember that love and forgiveness is granted unconditionally, but trust must be “earned.” Trust is the acquired confidence in a person’s actions. We certainly can, and should trust persons who show trustworthy behavior, but because all men have the potential for failure, we should never put an infallible sense of trust in anyone but God.

(3) Focus on common ground. “Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment” (1 Cor. 1:10).

Avoid becoming highly opinionated. Opinions are the interpretations and ideas of men, which if constantly pressed on other people, can cause division or promote sinful debates and quarrels (Rom. 1:29). Opinionated people are prone to get hurt when others disagree with them.

The Bible teaches for all Christians to “speak the same thing” so that there will be unity in the body of Christ (1 Cor. 1:10). The only way such unity is possible, is for Christians to focus on the common ground of Christ and His Word. That is, we need to “say what the Word says,” to let the Word speak for itself and not try to promote divisive opinions about it. In scripture, we see that Paul instructed Timothy to “Preach the Word,” not his opinions (2 Tim. 4:2). A preacher is intended be a delivery boy of God’s message, not a commentator of the message. That’s the Holy Spirit’s job (1 John 2:27).

Similarly, at one time the news media was required to comply with a very strict code of ethics. They were to report the facts of the news accurately without adding their opinion or commentary. However, as time has passed, news reporting has become less factual and more opinionated — corrupted with rumors and gossip rather than real information. Reporters have evolved into commentators which manipulate what people think about the news. Like reporters, preachers need to stick with the facts.

Naturally every believer has his or her own convictions about a great many things, but if you continually try to push your opinions on others, conflict will eventually emerge. Avoid controversy over scriptures which are vague and foster many interpretations — stand fast upon those common, basic truths — Jesus, His life, death and resurrection — and don’t add to what God’s Word says. “Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. Do not add to His words, lest He reprove you, and you be found a liar” (Prov. 30:5-6).

(4) Don’t expect any church to be perfect. “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) nothing good dwells; for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find. For the good that I will to do, I do not do; but the evil I will not to do, that I practice.” (Rom. 7:18-19)

It is remarkable to consider that the Apostle Paul confessed that he was not perfect — that is, like us, he experienced struggles in his flesh to do the right things. If one of the leading authors of scripture and apostles of the early church admitted to this, it should not seem too strange if we find other brothers and sisters in the church struggling with imperfections too.

Since churches are made up of people like you and me who have imperfections, there will never be such a thing as a perfect church. Unless people understand this, they’ll have an unrealistic view of the church, and will eventually become disillusioned and hurt.

One of the jobs of the church ministry is to help perfect the saints — like a spiritual hospital, where people go to get well. Instead of resenting persons in the church for their flaws, be thankful they’re there trying to grow in Christ to get better. Learn to love and accept people for what they are — they’re not any more perfect than you are.

Just as it has been said of beauty, imperfection is in the eye of the beholder. A person with a negative attitude can find fault wherever they wish. In contrast the person with a positive outlook can always find the good and beauty in things. The well adjusted person in the church should seek out the good and encouraging things as the Bible teaches (Phil. 4:8). Those who dwell on the negative or continually find fault with the church will eventually get hurt.

(5) Don’t seek to promote yourself or your own agenda. “Do not lift up your horn on high; Do not speak with a stiff neck. For exaltation comes neither from the east Nor from the west nor from the south. But God is the Judge: He puts down one, And exalts another” (Psa. 75:5-7).

Have a humble and meek attitude like Christ (Matt. 11:29, Rom. 12:3). Besides being obnoxious, pride and arrogance will set you up for a fall (Prov. 16:18). Don’t promote yourself, campaign or strive to attain an appointed or elected position. God is the one who puts persons in such positions, and unless He does it, stay away from it. Lift up the Lord in all that you say and all you do. Don’t boast or talk about yourself. “He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him” (John 7:18).

Avoid an attitude of competition which creates conflict in unity. A competitive attitude compares self with others, and strives to rise above that comparison (2 Cor. 10:12). The philosophy of Christianity is not to try to outdo one another, but to submit to and lift up one another (Eph. 5:21). We are even told to “prefer” our brother above ourselves. “Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another” (Rom. 12:10). Competition between churches and Christians is divisive and contrary to the faith.

Don’t expect to receive preferential treatment or to get your way about everything. The Bible teaches that favoritism is wrong, and the church will try to make decisions and do things in the best interest of the whole congregation, not just a certain few. “…but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors” (James 2:9). If you do things for the church or give generous offerings, do it to bring glory to God, not to bring attention to yourself or to gain influence (Col. 3:17). The Bible even says that when you give charitable offerings, do it anonymously so to gain God’s approval, not merely man’s (Matt. 6:1).

Avoid the trap of presuming that your opinions are always divinely inspired or are indisputable. Share your suggestions and ideas with church leaders, but don’t press your opinions or personal agenda. Sometimes, persons feel that all their ideas come from God. They may attempt to add clout to their suggestions or complaints by saying “God told me so.” Indeed, God does speak to His children, but you will not be the exclusive source through which God reveals himself in a matter. If your opinions really come from God, the Bible says that others will bear witness with it, especially His pastors and leaders (2 Cor. 13:1, 1 Cor. 14:29). (You won’t even have to invoke God’s name — they’ll be able to tell if your ideas came from Him. Be cautious, lest you find yourself using His name falsely, a very dangerous thing — Ex. 20:7). Pastors are His representatives in His ordained chain of command, and if He wants to get something across to His church, He’ll bear witness with the persons in charge.

(6) Avoid blaming the church for personal problems. “You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You” (Isaiah 26:3).

When you go to church, you should try to dissociate the church from the other personal problems you deal with. The majority of hurt feelings in a church result from wounds and sensitivities people carry in with them. This kind of emotional distress can create “distorted perceptions” which may prevent you from seeing reality the same way others do. Such things as a low self esteem, abuse as a child, marital problems, personal offenses, family conflict, a root of bitterness, health problems or job dissatisfaction can twist your interpretation of words and actions. You may imagine that people don’t like you (paranoia), or misinterpret well-intended words as an offense. Trivial problems will seem like big problems. Blame for unhappiness may be transferred to the church, its leaders or the people. You may lash out against others or be quick to find fault with the church. Remember this: Don’t jump to conclusions over anything, because things are usually not as bad as they seem.

(7) Treat others as you wish to be treated. “Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets” (Matt. 7:12).

Human beings tend to be “reciprocal” creatures. That is, they reflect the way they are treated. This is why Jesus gave us the Golden rule: “Do unto others as you would have them to do unto you.” The way that most people interact with you is as a direct result of how you interact with them. If you have a frown on your face, you won’t get many smiles. If you offer friendliness, it will usually be offered back (Proverbs 18:24). Be gracious, encouraging, and a blessing for others to be around. If you have a negative, critical attitude toward people it will tend to generate their critical attitude toward you. “Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven” (Luke 6:37).

Many hurt feelings can be avoided if we will realize that people usually react to how we deal with them. Take a close examination at the way you say things, or even how much you talk. “…a fool’s voice is known by his many words” (Ec. 5:3). Don’t be rude and impolite. Check your attitude that you’re not overbearing and bossy — people will be turned off and will seek to avoid you.

(8) Have a teachable, cooperative attitude. “Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you” (Heb. 13:17).

The Bible teaches believers to be cooperative and submissive to their spiritual leaders — something that’s not possible unless the believer is committed to a church and accountable to a local pastor. Accountability to a godly shepherd is a part of God’s order for the spiritual growth of every Christian. God’s Word gives the pastor authority to organize and maintain order of the church, and to teach God’s truth, to correct, and to discipline when necessary to hold his flock accountable to biblical principles. In Paul’s encouragement to ministers, he stated, “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching” (2 Tim. 4:2). (See also 2 Tim. 3:16, Tit. 2:15, 1 Tim. 5:20.)

A lack of proper respect toward authority is a common problem today. People don’t want to be told what to do, or be corrected if they are wrong. This is one reason why the modern church is turning out so many immature believers. When some people hear something they don’t like, or are corrected in some way, they simply pack up and go to another church down the street, or church-hop until they find one that says things they like to hear. “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers” (2 Timothy 4:3).

As long as you are a part of any particular church, you must come to accept that the pastor and leaders are in charge there. Regardless of how unqualified you might think they are, God recognizes them as the authority in that body and will hold them accountable to that responsibility. Consequently, God holds you accountable to respect their authority, to pray for them, and to cooperate — not to be defiant and rebellious.

Always be cooperative, willing to humble yourself. If you have a rigid, inflexible attitude in the church you will probably get hurt.

(9) Don’t oppose or hinder the church. “These six things the LORD hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren” (Prov. 6:16-19).

One of the things that God dislikes most are those who sow discord — who create division and strife in the body of Christ. Don’t be a gossip, a complainer, or stir up turmoil. If you’re displeased with the church in some way, offer your help to make improvements, pray for it, or as a last resort, find another church you’re happier with — but never become a source of agitation or hindrance.

Don’t badmouth a man of God — if you do so, you’re asking for problems. One time when Paul was punished for preaching the Gospel, he unknowingly condemned Ananias, the high priest, who had ordered the apostle slapped. However, when Paul realized who he was, he apologized for speaking against Ananias, knowing that it’s forbidden to speak against God’s representative — despite the fact that Ananias’ treatment of Paul was in error (Acts 23:5). It is a serious matter to “touch” God’s anointed — either with our words or our actions. Imperfect as they may sometimes be, they are His representatives. “He permitted no one to do them wrong; Yes, He reproved kings for their sakes, Saying, “Do not touch My anointed ones, And do My prophets no harm” (Psa. 105:14-15).

If a minister has done you wrong in some way, don’t incriminate yourself by responding in an unbiblical manner — don’t lash out against him, retaliate with rumors against him, or run him down behind his back. You should go and confront him privately according to the scriptural fashion described in Matthew 18:15-17. If the first and second attempts do not bring a resolution, take the matter to the spiritual body, such as the church board, or denominational overseers to whom he is accountable — any correction or discipline should be left to them. Keep in mind, an accusation against a minister is a serious matter and will not be accepted unless the matter can be substantiated by other witnesses (1 Tim. 5:19).

When things are not as they should be in the church or with its leadership, there are honorable ways to help promote improvements or resolve inequities. However, it’s unethical to oppose the church or attack its leadership, and persons who do will likely end up hurt, bitter or possibly worse.

(10) Be committed to forthrightness and truth. “Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. “But if he will not hear you, take with you one or two more, that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector” (Matt. 18:15-17).

When someone has wronged you, Jesus says that you are to first go to them and confront them privately between yourselves. Most offenses in the church result from misunderstandings, and many could be quickly resolved if offended parties would just go to the source and find out the facts. Unfortunately, some offended people will just absorb the offense silently, while growing bitter and resentful. It is important to God, and a matter of obedience to His Word, that such issues are confronted so that (1) you will not become bitter and withdraw from the church, (2) that the offender is held accountable to not repeat his offenses which could harm the faith of others, and (3) so that the offender who has perpetrated sin might be reconciled with God. If they are uncooperative with your first private effort, you are to try a second time, taking witnesses with you. Finally, if no success, turn it over to church leadership.

You should never take one side of a story and accept it as fact without verifying it with the other party. There are always two sides to a story. The scriptures address this very problem, that before we believe a rumor, we are to investigate thoroughly, to verify all the facts. “…then you shall inquire, search out, and ask diligently… if it is indeed true and certain that such an abomination was committed among you…” (Deut. 13:14).

Without doubt, it is not possible to have a relationship with a group of people without occasional misunderstandings and offenses. And unless you will commit yourself to confront these issues in the way Jesus described, you will become hurt in the church.

(11) Be devoted to love and forgiveness. “He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him” (1 John 2:10).

Christians will avoid a lot of problems if they will just commit themselves to an unconditional love for their brethren. The practice of loving the brethren — all the brethren, not just the lovable ones — keeps us from stumbling. Never forget that Jesus takes personally how we entreat our Christian brothers and sisters. When we love even the “least” of our brethren, Jesus accepts that love toward Himself (Matt. 25:40). You cannot love the Lord any more than you love the least in the body of Christ. “If someone says, I love God, and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?” (1 John 4:20).

Be quick to forgive and don’t hold grudges. Unforgiveness and bitterness is one of the greatest reasons why people get hurt in the church and probably the greatest cause of apostasy — falling away. Remember that unforgiveness is one of your greatest enemies. If you refuse to forgive, it will prevent God’s forgiveness of your sins and could keep you out of Heaven. “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matt. 6:14-15).

(12) Don’t get caught up in the offenses of others. “Lord, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill? He who walks uprightly, And works righteousness, And speaks the truth in his heart; He who does not backbite with his tongue, Nor does evil to his neighbor, Nor does he take up a reproach against his friend” (Psa. 15:1-3).

One of the great characteristics of the body of Christ is to care about the burdens and sufferings of one another. However, as we seek to console and encourage friends that have been offended, we may be tempted to take up their offense against another. In sympathy, we may tend to take their part against the pastor, the church or whoever they blame for the offense. This is very unwise and an unscriptural thing to do, considering that your friend may be the cause of his own offense. His hurt feelings may be due to a misunderstanding, a difference of opinion, his own rebellious attitude, emotional instability — or he may be childish and immature. There are always two sides to a story, and only an idiot develops an opinion based on one side or without all the facts.

Sometimes offended persons will seek sympathy from naive, listening ears. They go about pleading their case, pouring out their bleeding-heart of injustice to those sincere, tenderhearted persons who will listen. Their goal is to seek out persons who will coddle them, support their opinion and take up their offense against the offending party. You should love and encourage a friend with hurt feelings, but reserve your opinion and avoid taking sides, lest you find yourself a partaker in other men’s sins, or you also become offended and hurt with the church.

(13) Don’t personalize everything that’s preached. Obviously, every pastor preaches with the hope that everyone will take the message personally and apply it to his or her own life. “If the shoe fits, wear it.” However, there are always a few who think the minister is pointing his sermon specifically at them. This is a common misunderstanding which causes persons to get hurt.

This feeling of personal focus from a sermon may occur if persons are (1) under conviction about a particular matter, (2) especially self-conscious, (3) under emotional distress, (4) if they spend a lot of time counseling with the pastor, or (5) if he has previously corrected them or hurt their feelings in some way. Keep in mind, a pulpit preacher doesn’t focus his attention solely upon one person. His concern is for the broad range of people in attendance.

Occasionally persons think their pastor focuses on them, the same way they focus on him. When a pastor stands in front of a congregation week after week, they develop a feeling of close friendship with him — they come to know personal details of his life, his family, and other traits. However, even if the pastor knows each person in his flock, it’s not really possible for him to concentrate on each with the same detail that they do on him. It’s easy for dozens of people to know him well, but not realistic for him to know dozens of people in the same way. Consequently, some develop the illusion that the pastor focuses on them when he preaches — that he remembers their personal details in the same way they remember his. But the pastor has too many other people to consider. He counsels with dozens of people, hears scores of similar problems and details. It’s not likely he will single someone out and preach at them, while trying to minister to the whole congregation. If there’s something specific that the pastor needs to say only to you, he will deliver it to you personally, in private — not in subtle hints from his sermon.

Besides this, it is the job of the Holy Spirit to personalize God’s Word to us — so that we’ll examine ourselves and search our own hearts. When the Lord is dealing with us about His Word, it may seem like the pastor is speaking directly to us. Sometimes the Holy Spirit may even direct the preacher to unwittingly say things that may pertain specifically to us. The best attitude to have is to listen to each message objectively. In every sermon from the Bible, God has something to say to all of us. Be open to whatever the Lord would have to say, willing to accept His correction or guidance. Defensiveness is usually a sign of resistance to conviction.

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Although both Protestants and Roman Catholics share the common ground of being founded upon faith in Jesus Christ, there are significant differences between the two groups. From general observation, one can see contrasts in everything from the way that their clergymen dress, to the way their services are conducted. Unlike most Protestant churches, Catholic masses are conducted in a liturgical fashion, with much emphasis upon symbols, rituals and ceremony.

In Addition, the Catholic church has traditionally regulated the type of Bible translation used in the church. For centuries, the only version authorized for use was the Latin Vulgate, a translation from the original languages by Jerome, in around 400 A.D. This Bible reads very similar to Protestant translations, however with a major exception. The Catholic version contains the Apocrypha, a collection of seven complete books and a few additions to others. These are considered non-inspired writings written between the period of the Old and New Testaments. Only one is actually dated. Two books, Judith and Tobit tell of the Assyrian and Babylonian invasions. Two more, 1st and 2nd Maccabees record the Jewish war of independence of around 165 B.C. Two more, Ecclesiasticus and Wisdom of Solomon, are considered books of wisdom. Another is an addendum to Jeremiah, and there are short additions to Esther and Daniel. The Protestants do not include them because they have never met the criteria for divine inspiration. Further, the writings of Jewish historian Josephus (in 90 A.D.) indicated that the Jews did not accept the books of the Apocrypha as a part of their scriptures, and although Jesus and the Apostles quoted frequently and accurately from almost every other Old Testament book, never once did they quote from the Apocrypha. Even if accepted, it would not alter the message of the New Testament, and it doesn’t appear that much, if any, of the doctrines of the Catholic church had any foundation from the Apocrypha

As we have said, there are many differences worth noting between Protestants and Catholics. However, the main distinction that sets them apart is the authority to which they look for their core beliefs. To help you understand this, let’s first explain some of the detail about their origin in church history.

Catholic comes from the Greek, KATHOLIKOS, which means “throughout the whole, or universal,” and was used as a general reference to the entire Christian church until the reformation period. However, as early as the fourth century, the Catholic church began adopting traditions and beliefs which were never a part of original Christianity as seen in the New Testament. It appears that many of these new ideas first emerged from the era of the Roman Emperor, Constantine who ruled from 313 to 337 A.D.

In contrast to his predecessor, Diocletian, who had vowed to destroy Christianity in 303, Constantine claimed a conversion to Christianity and virtually instituted it as the empire’s religion by his Edict of Milan in 313 A.D. This proclamation of religious freedom brought about many positive changes for the church, and was certainly a much welcomed turnabout from the years of brutal persecution. But instead of converting completely from the old practices of paganism, this and the new Christian religion were somewhat mingled together. Since an Emperor was viewed as a god by pagan standards, and he already held the lifelong position of “Pontifex Maximus,” chief priest of the pagan state religion, Constantine felt it only proper that he should also claim a high position of leadership in the church — he also authorized many of his secular officials as church leaders. This merger of a pagan, Christian and political hierarchy, produced a diluted spiritual leadership for the church, and its beliefs and doctrines thereafter became increasingly infected with a strange combination of traditions and pagan beliefs.

The Christian creed adopted at the Council of Nicaea in 325 (called for and presided over by Constantine) was theologically encouraging, but it was also in this era that the church first accepted such unscriptural ideas as praying for the dead, the veneration of angels and dead saints, the use of images, and the celebration of daily mass. This regression from scripture continued through the Council of Ephesus in 431 A.D., where the worship of Mary became an official doctrine of the church, referring to her as the “Mother of God.” And only nine years later in 440, Leo, bishop of Rome was the first to declare himself the successor of St. Peter and laid claim to the role of Universal Bishop, a forerunner of papal authority. While this was widely disputed, Leo commanded that all should obey him on the false notion that he held the primacy of St. Peter.

Later, Leo’s successor, Gregory I, was given the title of universal “Pope” (Latin “papas” or father) by the wicked emperor Phocas in 604. He refused the title, however his successor, Boniface III, did accept it and became the first in a long line of successors to be recognized as Pope. Under the new papal authority in the seventh century, many more new beliefs were added to the church, such as the unbiblical doctrine of purgatory (593), the required use of Latin in prayer and worship (600), and prayers said to Mary, dead saints and angels (600).

One reason many of these strange ideas gained accepted credibility was because the Bible was not readily available to the common people, either in print or in translation. They had no idea what the Bible really taught. It was restricted only to priests trained to interpret it as it pleased the church hierarchy. Further, the popes claimed the authority to speak under the unique utterance of “Ex Cathedria,” which in effect meant divine inspiration. Their proclamations and decrees carried supreme authority to interpret or overrule Holy Scripture, and to invent whatever doctrines or practices they wished.

The next four hundred years saw many more new beliefs added to the church: The ritual kissing of the Pope’s foot (709), temporal (political) power granted to the Pope (750), worship of the crucifix, images and relics (786), holy water mixed with a pinch of salt and blessed by a priest (850), the worship of St. Joseph (890), the establishment of the college of Cardinals to elect the popes (927), the baptism of bells (965), the canonization of dead saints (995), and prescribed fastings on Fridays and during lent (998).

A break in the church occurred in 1054 over a relatively trivial issue, when the eastern church condemned the western church for the use of unleavened bread in the Eucharist. The dispute resulted in Rome’s attempt to excommunicate Michael Cerulararious, the Patriarch of Constantinople, who in turn, sought to excommunicate Pope Leo IX of Rome. From that time, the western (Roman Catholic) church and the eastern (Greek Orthodox) churches developed separately — each with their distinct traditions. A classic example of a church split.

As the Roman Catholic Church continued with new independence, it added even more remarkable doctrines that were not taken from the Bible. In 1079, Pope Gregory VII declared the shocking decree of celibacy for the priesthood. Peter the Hermit invented the technique of praying with rosary beads in 1090. A few of the other beliefs and practices authorized by the church were: The inquisition of alleged heretics (1184), the sale of indulgences (1190), the doctrine of transubstantiation (1215), auricular confession of sins to a priest instead of to God (1215), adoration of the wafer (1220), the forbidding of Bible reading by laity (1229), the scapular (1251), the forbidding of sharing the communion cup with laity (1414), the establishment of purgatory as an irrefutable dogma (1439), and the composition of the “Ave Maria” (1508).

Up to this point, the somewhat similar Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches were the two main institutions representing Christianity. But in the sixteenth century, events occurred which would bring a worldshaking reformation of Christian thought. A Catholic monk and professor of theology named Martin Luther, became convinced that the Bible was the only true authority in matters of spiritual instruction, and sought to reform the church with this new insight and to expose its errant doctrines.

Born in Eisleben in 1483, Luther first pursued studies in law at Erfurt, but in 1505 he chose instead to join the Augustinian Hermits in Erfurt where he studied theology. After his ordination in 1507, he was sent by his order to the university of Wittenburg to teach moral theology, and in 1512 he became the professor of biblical studies.

Luther’s ambitions of reformation emerged from his lifelong search for spiritual conclusions in his personal life. After many years of studying the scriptures, he came to reject all theology based only on tradition and embraced the idea of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ through faith. He believed that all our actions stem from God and that He chose to forgive the sinner by His sovereign grace — that we are justified not by our deeds, but by faith alone. In 1520, Luther wrote a treatise to Pope Leo X, called “The Freedom of A Christian,” which outlined the conclusions of his study of scripture. In it, he made this famous statement: “The word of God cannot be received and cherished by any works whatever, but only by faith. Therefore it is clear that as the soul needs only the Word of God for its life and righteousness, so it is justified by faith alone and not by works; for if it could be justified by anything else, it would not need the Word and consequently, it would not need faith.”

The move toward reformation began to emerge on the eve of All Saints Day, October 31, 1517, when Martin Luther announced a disputation regarding the indulgences of the church. He stated his argument in 95 theses which he posted on the north door of the Castle Church in Wittenburg — an act not especially unusual as the church doors were often used as a notice board.

The 95 Theses were not originally intended to promote a reformation movement. They were simply the proposal of an earnest university professor to discuss the theology of indulgences in light of the errors and abuses that had grown over the centuries. Although heavily academic in tone, news of them spread rapidly in Europe. All were amazed how one obscure monk from a new and unknown university could stir the whole of Europe.

The sale of indulgences, which Luther opposed, was based upon a common fear of purgatory, supposedly a painful place of temporal “purging” of the soul after death to make the soul pure for entrance into Heaven. The people would pay for the special indulgences of a priest to shorten their term in purgatory. Luther saw that this trade in indulgences was completely unfounded by scripture, reason or tradition. It was, in effect, directing attention away from God and His forgiveness and looking to man for the absolving of sins.

In December of 1517, the archbishop of Mainz complained to Rome about Luther. Confronted with opposition, Luther’s stand became even more determined. He refused to recant his position, and fled town when summoned to Rome. In July 1519, during a disputation at Leipzig with John Eck, his fiercest opponent, Luther denied the supremacy of the Pope and the infallibility of general councils. He burned the papal bull which threatened his excommunication, but nevertheless, the decree came from the Pope in 1520, and he was subsequently outlawed by the Emperor Charles V at Worms in 1521. For his safety, Luther was seized and taken to Wartburg Castle under the protection of Frederick of Saxony. While there, he spent his time translating the New Testament into German so that everyone might have access to the Bible.

Eight months later in 1522, he returned to Wittenburg to begin the reform of worship away from the rigid forms of Rome. Over the next 25 years, Luther published many books in German, written to the common people so that they could judge for themselves, his doctrines and disputes with Rome. As a result, his followers continued to multiply.

In 1529, at the Diet of Speyer, the Emperor Charles V attempted to smother Luther’s movement by force, but some of the German state princes stood up in protest. Thus, because of their protest, the movement began to be known as the “Protestants.” What had originally been intended to bring reform to Catholicism from within, was now an ousted reformation, forced to split from the original body.

In 1530, Luther presented beliefs of the new movement at the Diet of Augsburg, in a peace-seeking, non controversial attempt to explain their views. But as a result, the division between the Catholic and Protestants remained and became more distinct. New churches began to emerge referred to as “Evangelical” or “Protestant.” And from this came three other branches: The Lutherans (in Germany and Scandinavia), the Zwinglian and Calvinists (in Switzerland, France, Holland and Scotland), and the Church of England.

Significant social, political and economic changes followed the reformation, and in some ways helped to shape it further before Luther’s death in 1546. But besides exposing the errant beliefs of Catholicism, the reformation which produced the Protestant church was primarily a rediscovery of the authority of God’s Word and the salvation which is by faith in the savior, our Lord Jesus Christ.

This is a brief explanation of the historical origin of Catholics and Protestants, and as you can see, the disparities are many. But in the simplest of terms, the basic difference between them is the authority they look to for their beliefs. The Protestant Church generally embraces the Bible as its sole source of authority and faith, while the Catholic Church views the post-biblical traditions of the church and its Popes to have more than equal authority with scripture.

References:
Roman Catholicism, Loraine Boettner
Babylon Mystery Religion, Ralph Woodrow
Martin Luther, John Dillenberger

— 20 —

Water Baptism has long been an important aspect of the Christian faith, practiced by virtually every church and denomination in some variation. Many evangelical churches consider it an ordinance — one of two given to the church, the other being the Lord’s Supper.

According to the Bible, water baptism is not optional for the Christian. It is Christ’s command for all those who place their faith in Christ as their Savior and Lord. To the church Jesus said, “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matt. 28:19-20). The matter of baptism was considered so important that even Jesus, himself, was baptized to provide an example for His followers. He said that He allowed himself to be baptized in order “to fulfill all righteousness” (Matt. 3:15). The Apostle Peter also stated that when persons repent of their sins, they are “to be baptized” (Acts 2:38).

The act of being baptized in water, in and by itself, does not wash away sins (1 Pet. 3:21), as is evidenced by the conversion of the thief on the cross (crucified along with Jesus), who had no chance to be baptized (Luke 23:43). Salvation is not based on works, but on a relationship of faith with Christ (Eph. 2:8-9). Water baptism, however, is intended to symbolize the spiritual union (baptism) with Christ which “does” save us (Gal. 3:27), and is the outward expression of an inward experience… “a commitment to a right relationship with God, in which we are forgiven of our sins and have a conscience of fellowship with Him.”

When performed as an act of obedience based upon faith in Christ (Acts 2:38), water baptism augments our faith (James 2:17), and serves as a testimony of our repentance and spiritual union with Christ. As the scripture states… “this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also–not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God.” (1 Pet. 3:21 NIV). Every person who accepts Jesus as his or her Savior should obey the Lord’s command and be baptized in water at the earliest opportunity.

While the ceremonial submersion of a person in water may have seemed strange to the gentiles and foreigners of the first century, water baptism’s symbolism was not new to the early Jewish converts to Christianity. The rite of water baptism was already a well established procedure, performed upon those gentiles who wished to convert to Judaism. These converts, referred to as Proselyte Jews, would also be circumcised and were required to keep all other Jewish laws and observances. According to the Jewish Talmud, their baptism was symbolic of a cleansing of the past and starting over with a new life — in fact they would even be given new names.

Besides this significance, the rite of proselyte baptism may have also appeared similar to the ceremonial washing of the dead. Before burial, corpses were submerged in water and washed prior to the application of burial spices and ointments. In a visit to Israel some years ago, I viewed ancient, rock hewn troughs which archaeologists claimed were used for this purpose — which closely resemble today’s baptismal tanks used in many Christian churches. Consequently, to the Jew, the rite of water baptism likely resembled the washing of a dead person for burial — that is until the person arose out of the water very much alive.

The combined symbolism of these well-known traditions, helped the New Testament people understand the meaning behind the Christian water baptism. It represented death and cleansing from the old life of sin, and a resurrection of new life in Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul wrote, “…buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead” (Col. 2:12).

Keep in mind that Water Baptism was intended to be an open, public confession of our faith in Christ (1 Pet 3:21, Col. 2:12). From the earliest days, it was usually performed in some large body of water, which was generally scarce and always a popular, public place. The Jordan River, for instance, was the main tributary through Israel from the Sea of Galilee in the north to the Dead Sea in the south, and was the main source of water for drinking, washing, or religious purposes. Consequently, people were always found near the river, gathering to socialize, to catch fish or to replenish their daily water supply. Therefore, water baptism performed in an open body of water, such as in the river, became a very public event, openly signifying one’s conversion to Christianity before the curious spectators. This corresponds with Jesus’ teaching, that a public confession of faith in Him is a necessary part of following him — it is not satisfactory to merely be His “secret Agent.” He said, “…whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 10:32-33).

While the method of water baptism has sometimes been a matter of different opinion by various churches and denominations, the New Testament teaches that water baptism was performed only by immersion. The Greek word “BAPTIZO” means “to whelm, to dip, to plunge under, or to submerge.” The scriptural expressions such as “much water” (John 3:23), “down both into the water” (Acts 8:38), and “coming up out of the water” (Mark 1:10) provide proof that Bible baptism was by immersion. The Greek words which are translated “to pour,” or “to sprinkle” are never found in connection with baptism.

In years past, some church denominations adopted a tradition of baptizing converts by sprinkling. Church history suggests that this tradition began when some converts were sick or bedfast and unable to undergo the physical involvement of water baptism, or when a body of water was unavailable or frozen. In an effort to obey the Lord’s command, ministers would bring vessels of water and drench or sprinkle water on the convert. Later in years, for the sake of convenience, this method began to replace immersion in some Christian circles.

Remember that the printing press did not exist in those days, and copies of the scriptures were not abundant. The common people generally only knew what they heard about the Bible or what was passed down to them by the church hierarchy. Consequently, without the availability of doctrinal criticism, errors were more easily transferred into accepted church traditions.

Infant baptism was also a tradition that began without scriptural foundation, as there were no babies baptized in the New Testament. Apparently this tradition began later with the sincere attempt to secure the salvation of children. But the Bible shows that baptism is only to follow repentance, and a child does not qualify for baptism until he matures enough to “repent” of his sins and make Jesus his Savior and Lord. Since Jesus said that children are the very example of the Kingdom of Heaven (Mark 10:14), it seems apparent that God holds children in a state of innocence, without sin to their charge, until they mature to an age of accountability where they recognize right from wrong. In other words, a child that dies in infancy would go to Heaven. This was the apparent view of David when his infant child died. He remarked that the child would not return to him, but he would (someday) go to be with him (2 Sam. 12:22-23).

Another distinction held between some Christian groups has been the verbal “formula” or the wording of the baptism. Jesus stated clearly for his followers to baptize believers “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” (Matt. 28:19). But Peter later said to be baptized “in the name of Jesus” (Acts 2:38). On the basis of this latter passage, one particular denomination contends that persons cannot be saved unless they are baptized in Jesus’ name “only.” This is refuted by most orthodox Christian churches, who generally baptize according to the Lord’s stated terminology, “in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.”

Some churches, in an effort to satisfy both scriptures, baptize using the verbal formula which Jesus described in Matthew, and combine this with Peter’s emphasis on the name of Jesus in Acts. Thus, when the minister baptizes, he says, “I baptize you in the name of God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Ghost.”

— 17 —

Yes. Genuine miracles will occur in response to prayer and faith placed in the promises of God’s Word. God’s power is as potent today as it was in the days of the early apostles. “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13.8). Indeed, God has raised up specific, anointed individuals, who have been used mightily in gifts of miracles and healings (1 Corinthians 12.9-10). However, the miraculous is not confined to a select few, but will follow the sincere prayer of any Christian who will believe the Word, as James wrote, “The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (James 5.16). Any follower of Christ can believe what the Bible says, with the expectation for God to answer prayers and bring miracles in accordance to scripture. “…these signs will follow those who believe…” (Mark 16.17).

For many years of my early ministry, I preached the full Gospel of Jesus Christ, leading many people to Christ, praying for the sick and oppressed and seeing a great many miracles. But I regret to say that miracles have never been commonplace. I had come to accept this as a matter of fact, until the first time that I traveled overseas to minister in a third-world nation. On this missionary journey, I was startled by the spiritual hunger of the people and their eagerness to place their faith in the Gospel that I preached. But most amazing, as I prayed for the sick, nearly every person was healed. There were many other miracles. In a few days, I was teaching the new converts to lay their hands on the sick, and they began to see miracles too.

These events were so remarkable that I was in awe for days. It was as if I was living in the book of Acts! Yet I and my preaching was no different than it had been back in the states. My prayer life was not any more intense, nor did I feel that my faith was any stronger. But I saw abundant results and miracles unlike anything I had ever seen before. At first I could find no explanation for this great contrast. But I later began to realize that there was a difference in the way the people believed. These simple people had a simple faith. They didn’t debate or rationalize, they simply believed what the Bible said.

Many people have a great hunger to see miracles today. But unfortunately, some tend to run after the signs and wonders more than they seek the “Lord” of the miracles. The truth is, the miraculous can happen in any church with any group of believers, if they will seek God’s face and believe on His Word. Jesus said, “And all things, whatever you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive” (Matthew 21.22).

— 10 —

There is no purer motive for a church than to want its pews filled with people who hunger for God. After all, the primary purpose of the church is to reach the masses with the saving message of Christ, “…not desiring any to perish, but all to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3.9).

However, a Biblical mandate for church growth is probably best associated with Jesus’ commission for His church to go and “…make disciples” (Matthew 28.19). Not only does God want persons to be saved, but He wants them to be discipled into spiritually mature believers who will carry on His ministry — and it requires the environment of the church to do this. There, the believer is taught the word, has the guidance and correction of spiritual authority, and through worship and fellowship, will develop spiritual virtues, including a deeper love for God and others. Consequently, the Lord not only wants people to get saved, He wants them joined to a local body of believers, just as they were in the early church. “…the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2.47).

One of the prominent authorities on church growth, Dr. C. Peter Wagner, views this as the strongest motive for a growing congregation. He says “Evangelism is not only reaching people with the Gospel message and bringing them to a decision for Christ, it is making them disciples… To evangelize is to present Christ Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit that men and women shall come to put their trust in God through Him, to accept Him as their Savior, and serve Him as their King in the fellowship of His church. This ties commitment to Christ with commitment to the church. God’s will is clear… He wants men and women everywhere to come to Him and into the church of Jesus Christ.”

A desire for a growing church is one thing — but actually experiencing it is another. Despite the great emphasis of the American church growth movement, with scores of how-to books, tapes and seminars, the majority of churches are still not growing. Perhaps the reason for this lies with misdirected priorities — “getting the cart before the horse.”

To illustrate this, some years ago a pastor described his prolonged struggle to get his church to grow. He tried many of the popular strategies and methods with little success. He finally withdrew from this emphasis, deciding instead to refocus his ministry toward the spiritual discipleship of his small flock. He determined that Christ would be the core of the ministry in every way possible. He personally rededicated his life to Christ’s example of godliness, prayer and the Word — more than ever, Jesus became the center of his preaching — he constantly taught people to follow the love, character and example of Christ. To his surprise, the church began to do what it wouldn’t previously… it started to grow. And as he continued his Christ-centered ministry, the church eventually grew to considerable size. Without realizing, he stumbled across important priorities that relate to church growth.

First, we must remember, Jesus is the one who builds His church, not us. He said, “…I will build My church…” (Matthew 16.18). There are numerous philosophies and methods of church growth being circulated today, but Jesus must always be at the centre. Pastors and leaders need to use caution lest they find themselves trying to substitute man’s wisdom and methodology in the place of the Lord. The Bible says, “Unless the LORD builds the house, They labor in vain who build it…” (Psalms 127.1).

Secondly, the church needs to concentrate on its main objective, to live Jesus and preach Jesus. During His earthly ministry, Christ never had a problem drawing a crowd. Therefore, if Jesus is effectively personified in the church, by being lifted up in our message and lifestyle, His presence will have the same drawing power to bring souls to His church. Growth is not really the primary goal, but is the natural derivative of lifting up Jesus Christ. “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself” (John 12.32).

With Jesus in the center stage of our philosophy, there are many concepts, authored by many outstanding leaders, which may be helpful to the church growth process. Without attempting to list them all, there are three basic issues that every church should take in consideration:

(1) The Profile of a Growing Church — It has been said that when a church begins to absorb and emulate the character of Jesus, it will exhibit the qualities and climate that naturally lend toward growth.

My personal, pastoral philosophy has always been that “the seeds for growth are in the fruit.” In other words, it is a fact of nature that within the fruit of each species (such as apples, peaches or grapes), there are seeds that will yield the offspring of future harvests. Similarly, the character of spiritual fruit in the church bears spiritual seed that contributes toward the harvest of souls. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 5.22-23). Spiritual fruit is the loving, sweet personality of Jesus that warms the heart. Therefore, development of the spiritual character of the church contributes toward church growth.

Below are listed the statistical traits of a growing congregation, each of which can be related to spiritual fruit and a mature relationship with Christ.

(2) The Primary Agent of Church Growth — There is the frequent misconception that church growth comes as a result of the wonderful preaching and warm personality of the pastor, or because of the visitation programs, or by conducting great crusades with well-known speakers. All these things have their value, however statistics show that the reason for increased numbers originates elsewhere. The Institute for American Church Growth interviewed 10,000 church attenders to learn how they came into their church.

It may come as a surprise that the most potent agent of church growth is the person in the pew — and the majority of those who will come into the church consist of their own family or friends. The church begins to grow when Christ’s body identify themselves with His great commission, to “go into their world” and reach out to the persons they already know (Mark 16.15).

(3) The Glue of Church Growth — It’s one thing to get people to come to church, and it’s quite another to get them to stay. The assimilation of individuals into the church is probably the most important element to growth. Generally speaking, the two great reasons why persons stick in a church are (1) relationship bonds, and (2) a task or role of service that provides a sense of purpose. Finding ways to help people develop relationships in the church, and getting them involved in its ministries will help to stop the revolving door tendency, and result in a growing adherence to the church.

It is believed that these two church adhesives are best developed in the environment of a condensed sub group, sometimes referred to as a “cell.” The smaller climate better enables people to get to know each other and develop “relationship bonds,” something that’s not very easy in a larger setting. And in the smaller group, everyone is able to be used in their gift or a special “role of service,” something not always possible when there are many gifted people in a large church. In some churches, Sunday School classes or other specific groups for youth, men or women fulfill the need for such cell groups. Other churches use a concept of home groups, where small gatherings meet for fellowship and ministry. It is a truth that for a church to grow larger, it must also grow smaller at the same time.

� Leading Your Church To Growth, C. Peter Wagner
� Growing the Small Church, C. Wayne Zunkel
� Winning the Backdoor War, Johnathon Gainsbrugh

— 10 —

There is no purer motive for a church than to want its pews filled with people who hunger for God. After all, the primary purpose of the church is to reach the masses with the saving message of Christ, “…not desiring any to perish, but all to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3.9).

However, a Biblical mandate for church growth is probably best associated with Jesus’ commission for His church to go and “…make disciples” (Matthew 28.19). Not only does God want persons to be saved, but He wants them to be discipled into spiritually mature believers who will carry on His ministry — and it requires the environment of the church to do this. There, the believer is taught the word, has the guidance and correction of spiritual authority, and through worship and fellowship, will develop spiritual virtues, including a deeper love for God and others. Consequently, the Lord not only wants people to get saved, He wants them joined to a local body of believers, just as they were in the early church. “…the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2.47).

One of the prominent authorities on church growth, Dr. C. Peter Wagner, views this as the strongest motive for a growing congregation. He says “Evangelism is not only reaching people with the Gospel message and bringing them to a decision for Christ, it is making them disciples… To evangelize is to present Christ Jesus in the power of the Holy Spirit that men and women shall come to put their trust in God through Him, to accept Him as their Savior, and serve Him as their King in the fellowship of His church. This ties commitment to Christ with commitment to the church. God’s will is clear… He wants men and women everywhere to come to Him and into the church of Jesus Christ.”

A desire for a growing church is one thing — but actually experiencing it is another. Despite the great emphasis of the American church growth movement, with scores of how-to books, tapes and seminars, the majority of churches are still not growing. Perhaps the reason for this lies with misdirected priorities — “getting the cart before the horse.”

To illustrate this, some years ago a pastor described his prolonged struggle to get his church to grow. He tried many of the popular strategies and methods with little success. He finally withdrew from this emphasis, deciding instead to refocus his ministry toward the spiritual discipleship of his small flock. He determined that Christ would be the core of the ministry in every way possible. He personally rededicated his life to Christ’s example of godliness, prayer and the Word — more than ever, Jesus became the center of his preaching — he constantly taught people to follow the love, character and example of Christ. To his surprise, the church began to do what it wouldn’t previously… it started to grow. And as he continued his Christ-centered ministry, the church eventually grew to considerable size. Without realizing, he stumbled across important priorities that relate to church growth.

First, we must remember, Jesus is the one who builds His church, not us. He said, “…I will build My church…” (Matthew 16.18). There are numerous philosophies and methods of church growth being circulated today, but Jesus must always be at the centre. Pastors and leaders need to use caution lest they find themselves trying to substitute man’s wisdom and methodology in the place of the Lord. The Bible says, “Unless the LORD builds the house, They labor in vain who build it…” (Psalms 127.1).

Secondly, the church needs to concentrate on its main objective, to live Jesus and preach Jesus. During His earthly ministry, Christ never had a problem drawing a crowd. Therefore, if Jesus is effectively personified in the church, by being lifted up in our message and lifestyle, His presence will have the same drawing power to bring souls to His church. Growth is not really the primary goal, but is the natural derivative of lifting up Jesus Christ. “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself” (John 12.32).

With Jesus in the center stage of our philosophy, there are many concepts, authored by many outstanding leaders, which may be helpful to the church growth process. Without attempting to list them all, there are three basic issues that every church should take in consideration:

(1) The Profile of a Growing Church — It has been said that when a church begins to absorb and emulate the character of Jesus, it will exhibit the qualities and climate that naturally lend toward growth.

My personal, pastoral philosophy has always been that “the seeds for growth are in the fruit.” In other words, it is a fact of nature that within the fruit of each species (such as apples, peaches or grapes), there are seeds that will yield the offspring of future harvests. Similarly, the character of spiritual fruit in the church bears spiritual seed that contributes toward the harvest of souls. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” (Galatians 5.22-23). Spiritual fruit is the loving, sweet personality of Jesus that warms the heart. Therefore, development of the spiritual character of the church contributes toward church growth.

Below are listed the statistical traits of a growing congregation, each of which can be related to spiritual fruit and a mature relationship with Christ.

(2) The Primary Agent of Church Growth — There is the frequent misconception that church growth comes as a result of the wonderful preaching and warm personality of the pastor, or because of the visitation programs, or by conducting great crusades with well-known speakers. All these things have their value, however statistics show that the reason for increased numbers originates elsewhere. The Institute for American Church Growth interviewed 10,000 church attenders to learn how they came into their church.

It may come as a surprise that the most potent agent of church growth is the person in the pew — and the majority of those who will come into the church consist of their own family or friends. The church begins to grow when Christ’s body identify themselves with His great commission, to “go into their world” and reach out to the persons they already know (Mark 16.15).

(3) The Glue of Church Growth — It’s one thing to get people to come to church, and it’s quite another to get them to stay. The assimilation of individuals into the church is probably the most important element to growth. Generally speaking, the two great reasons why persons stick in a church are (1) relationship bonds, and (2) a task or role of service that provides a sense of purpose. Finding ways to help people develop relationships in the church, and getting them involved in its ministries will help to stop the revolving door tendency, and result in a growing adherence to the church.

It is believed that these two church adhesives are best developed in the environment of a condensed sub group, sometimes referred to as a “cell.” The smaller climate better enables people to get to know each other and develop “relationship bonds,” something that’s not very easy in a larger setting. And in the smaller group, everyone is able to be used in their gift or a special “role of service,” something not always possible when there are many gifted people in a large church. In some churches, Sunday School classes or other specific groups for youth, men or women fulfill the need for such cell groups. Other churches use a concept of home groups, where small gatherings meet for fellowship and ministry. It is a truth that for a church to grow larger, it must also grow smaller at the same time.

� Leading Your Church To Growth, C. Peter Wagner
� Growing the Small Church, C. Wayne Zunkel
� Winning the Backdoor War, Johnathon Gainsbrugh

— 9 —

Not necessarily. There are excellent churches which have grown to great size. But there is a danger in using largeness as a standard to measure success. Size does not depend as much on spirituality as it may many other factors. There are many smaller churches which uphold the same truths as faithfully as the larger, but have never experienced the same degree of growth.

Most large churches claim that their size is a result of the ability to satisfactorily “minister” to the needs of a broad range of people. If this is so, then it would necessitate a broad range of gifts, talents, programs, and social factors to be represented in a congregation. Although their preaching, teaching, and spiritual fervor may not be any greater than many other smaller churches, they have been able to “multiply” that ministry by training others to use their gifts, and developing a network of personal interaction and care for one another. Many smaller churches have excellent preachers and ministries but may not have developed all the gifts which lend toward this type of growth. This certainly does not make them inferior.

While it is true that there are more large churches today than there were in the past, they still only make up a tiny percentage of the body of Christ. According to Lyle E. Schaller, one of the foremost authorities on church attendance, 90 percent of American churches have an attendance of somewhere below 200.¹ The majority of churches, 55 percent, have an attendance of somewhere less than 100. According to his research, a church that runs 400 or more is in the upper 3% category, and amazingly, only about 1 percent ever attain attendances of more than 700.² There are only a few dozen of the so-called “mega churches,” which number in the multiple thousands.

Percentile of U.S. Church Attendance²

Percent ……. Attendance 30% —– 0 to 40 25% —– 50 to 100 20% —– 100 to 175 12% —– 175 to 225 10% —– 225 to 400 02% —– 400 to 700 01% —– 700 or more

Keep in mind that if attendance alone were used to measure a church’s effectiveness in its community, it would need to be balanced against the population of the community in which it resides. The church of 200 located in a population area of 10,000 has reached 2% of its citizens, while a church that runs 1,000 in a population of 500,000 has reached only one fifth of 1%. In this case, the smaller church would actually be ten times more effective than the larger.

Large numbers obviously indicate that something is being done that is appealing to people. But there are many other things, not especially based on truth or spirituality, which draw crowds. Churches may attract numbers with marketing and promotional skills, sensational entertainment or attractions, a stimulating social environment, or opportunities for participation. Or they may simply offer an appealing message that people want to hear — providing the “scratch” for those with itching ears. “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers;” (2 Timothy 4.3). Any organization, club or church can grow as long as they “offer something that appeals to people,” and there are many ways to do this that have nothing to do with Jesus Christ or Christianity.

Popularity or growing numbers do not necessarily give credence to any religion or teaching, and in fact, can often be the mark of compromise or deception. Islam, for instance, is considered the fastest growing religion in the world, but is a false religion. The Jehovah’s Witnesses have been called one of the most rapidly growing religious groups in the United States, increasing from 373,430 members in 1950 to more than 4,701,357 in 1994 — but the JW’s are a cult. The Mormons are another church cult which are growing at an overwhelming pace, from 4,936,000 in 1981, to over 9,000,000 in 1995.³ Some sociologists even classify professional football as the largest of America’s religions, drawing the greatest of all Sunday congregations, but the NFL doesn’t seek to lead anyone to Heaven.

We must remember that the Christian message of the cross has traditionally been unpopular, even to those quite willing to accept the other more savoury aspects of the Gospel (Philippians 3.18-19). From the Bible, we may recall the great popularity of Jesus while he was performing miracles and distributing fish and loaves. But later, fearing reprisal for their identification with Christ, there was far less attraction at the most sacred event in history as Jesus gave his life for our sins on the cross.

If crowds alone were used as the criterion of success, then Hell would prove to be far more successful than Heaven. Jesus made it clear that the way which leads to life is not popular and relatively few will find it. “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matthew 7.13-14).

¹ Leadership National Conference, Lyle E. Schaller, August 1991
² The Multiple Staff and the Larger Church, Lyle E. Schaller
³ Christian Research Newsletter, May 1995

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A genuine Christian church is founded on the life, death, resurrection, and Gospel of Jesus Christ. It bases its doctrine and teachings on the Bible.

In the early church, creeds were often used to identify the basic beliefs of Christians. What is known as The Apostles Creed, has been recognized as perhaps the oldest historic statement of the fundamental beliefs of orthodox Christianity. Whether it was actually composed by the Apostles as some have alleged, it can be traced back as far as the late second century where it was used as a baptismal creed in Rome.¹

The Apostles Creed
“I believe in God almighty [the Father almighty]
And in Christ Jesus, his only Son, our Lord
Who was born of the Holy Spirit and of the Virgin Mary
Who was crucified under Pontius Pilate and was buried
And the third day rose from the dead
Who ascended into heaven
And sits on the right hand of the Father
Whence he comes to judge the living and the dead.
And in the Holy Ghost
The holy [universal] church
The remission of sins
The resurrection of the flesh
The life everlasting.”

Creeds of this kind were helpful in giving a short summary of the basic essentials of Christianity, and were brief enough to be easily committed to memory. Today, most all churches have a similar expression, sometimes called a “Statement of Faith,” which summarizes their basic beliefs and theological views.

The following is such a statement, typical of a modern evangelical church. Any legitimate Christian church or ministry will believe and support at least some variation of the following fundamental truths:

(1) That the Bible is the inspired and only infallible, authoritative written Word of God — It is used exclusively as the source for teaching and doctrine, not in conjunction with any other alleged sacred writings or scriptures (2 Timothy 3.15-17, 1 Thessalonians 2.13, 2 Peter 1.21, Galatians 1.8).

(2) That there is one God — who is eternal and exists in three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost (Deuteronomy 6.4, Isaiah 43.10-11, Matthew 28.19, Luke 3.22).

(3) In the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ — that He was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, performed miracles, died a vicarious and atoning death for our sins, rose from the dead on the third day, and was exalted to the right hand of the Father (Matt. 1:23, Luke, 1:31-35, Hebrew 7.26, 1 Peter 2.22, Acts 2.22, 10:38, 1 Corinthians 15.3, 2 Corinthians 5.21, Matthew 28.6, Luke 24.39, 1 Corinthians 15.4, Acts 1.9-11, 2.33, Philippians 2.9-11, Hebrew 1.1-3).

(4) That Jesus will someday personally return — to gather His saints, and will at some future time return to the earth in power and glory to rule for a thousand years (1 Thessalonians 4.16-17, Matthew 24.30-31, Revelations 20.1-6).

(5) That the only means of being saved and cleansed from sin is through repentance and faith in the precious blood of Jesus Christ — Salvation is a gift of God’s grace which cannot be earned by works and comes only through faith in Jesus, the only mediator between God and man. That the Holy Spirit regenerates and indwells the heart of every true believer (Luke 24.47, John 3.3, Romans 10.13-15, Ephesians 2.8-9, Titus 2.11, 3.5-7, 1 Timothy 2.5, Romans 8.9b).

(6) That God hears and answers the prayers of His people — in accordance to His will (Matthew 7.7-11, 1 John 5.14-15).

(7) That there will someday be a resurrection of both the saved and the lost — the one to everlasting life in Heaven, and the other to everlasting damnation in the Lake of Fire (Matthew 25.46, Mark 9.43-48, Revelations 19.20, 20.11-15, 21.8).

(This summary does not dismiss the value of other important Biblical doctrines, taught with varying opinions, but additional teachings are not mandatory to basic Christian faith.)

Such basic beliefs are held in common agreement by thousands of Christian churches, made up of scores of denominations. If a church or minister cannot agree with the above statements, it should be assumed that they are not a Christian church, and very likely fall into the category of a cult. Don’t waste your time arguing with them, but move on and find a good, Christ-centered, Bible believing church.

Because our society is peppered with cults and misguided religions, it goes without saying that persons should always thoroughly research any alleged church before getting involved with it in any way. Besides obtaining a copy of their basic beliefs or other materials (which should be thoroughly studied and compared with the Bible), ask local people in the community what they know about the group. You can seek advice from trusted Christian friends, the local ministerial association, or even a nearby Christian bookstore. And of course, there are many reliable Christian fellowships and denominations that have affiliated churches in most cities.

Many cults refer to themselves as a church, but are really not a Christian church at all. For instance, while the name “Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints” (The Mormons), sounds like a legitimate Christian group, yet it is not. Neither are the Jehovah’s Witnesses, which is another group that appears to have Christian similarities. Both groups are considered cults whose beliefs are not consistent with orthodox Christianity. Most of the time, a false church will publicly promote themselves as just another church, but will usually claim to have an exclusive revelation of truth that others don’t have. Beware of groups who assert that they are the only ones with the right doctrine — that’s a significant danger sign.

The late Dr. Walter Martin, was probably our era’s best authority on the subject of cults. He defined a cult as “any religious group which differs significantly in some or more respects as to belief or practice, from those religious groups which are regarded as the normative expressions of religion in our total culture.”²

Author Bob Larsen says that things cults share in common are: “(1) a centralized authority which tightly structures both philosophy and lifestyle, (2) a ‘we’ versus ‘they’ complex, pitting the supposed superior insights of the group against a hostile outside culture; (3) a commitment for each member to intensively proselyte the unconverted; and (4) an entrenched isolationism that divorces the devotee from the realities of the world at large.”³

Here are a few of the more familiar cults listed in an encyclopedic fashion from Larsen’s Book of Cults: Ananda , Astrology, Astara, Bahaism, Buddhism, Eckankar, Hare Krishna, Hinduism, Islam, Jehovah’s Witness, Mormonism, New Age, Rosicrucianism, Scientology, Spiritism, Taoism, Theosophy, The Way, Transcendental Meditation, Worldwide Church of God (Armstrongism)

¹ Eerdmans Handbook to the History of Christianity
² Kingdom of the Cults, Walter Martin
³ Larsen’s Book of Cults, Bob Larsen