And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers — NKJV

The church today, particularly here in America, is going through some very interesting times. Church attendance continues to grow, particularly for many evangelical bodies, while some of the more liberal, liturgical churches appear to be drying up on the vine.

What is fueling the growth of certain churches? Is it in response to the deep spiritual needs of millions of people or is it something else?

One thing that you can be sure of is this: people want to connect. Many churches are terrific social breeding grounds, a perfect way to attract new attendees. Unfortunately, some churches are great at attracting members, but discipling them just isn’t happening.

The Book of the Acts of the Apostles offers tremendous guidance on how a church should build up its members. When I read Acts 2:42 I come away with an entirely different view about church growth, one that has sustained the body of Christ for the past twenty centuries:

1. Believers are to Continue Steadfastly in the Apostles Doctrine — the apostles understood that the risen Jesus was the foundation of the church, the essence of what they believed, and the hope on which their lives rested.
2. In Fellowship – unlike the habit of some today to withdraw from fellowship, the apostles knew that united they stood and divided they fell.
3. With the Breaking of Bread — not just to share the Lord’s Supper, the apostles ate together on a regular basis. Certainly, “do this in remembrance of Me” is important and believers should share the elements representing His body often.
4. In Prayers — we’re to come “…boldly to the throne of grace..” in order to obtain mercy and receive grace. We are to offer thanks to God, with prayers and petitions. The greatest weapon of any Christian is his communion with God. A real pity we don’t use this tremendous tool as much as we should.

I’m not knocking churches that are experiencing tremendous growth and whose members are spiritually nourished and growing in their faith. What disturbs me is when leadership seeks a substitution for Acts 2:42, supposing that Holy Spirit inspired church growth methodology is not sufficient.

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