How To Grow In The Local Church

CHURCH ARTICLE
Todd Thielbar | Blue Springs, Missouri

“Dad, can I help you work?”

This is the question I am asked anytime I sit down with my laptop. The question comes from any of my three boys and I am sure my daughter will soon be asking the same question as she gets older. I admit, sometimes I get annoyed with the question because they cannot really help me with my work. Even as I am writing this article, I have our youngest boy at my side just waiting to hit the “W” on the keyboard because his name begins with a “W”. I sometimes will let them “help,” but other times I just want to get the job done, so I brush them off and distract them with something else. I am not really proud of that, but it happens. Does this sound familiar to you? I am sure you have wanted to accomplish a task and somebody wanted to help, but you knew allowing them to help would slow you down.

Do you want to grow in the local church? Do you want to help in the local church? One of the first things we need to have is a local church which will let you help. We often complain about how only a few do all of the work, then someone comes along wanting to help, yet we do not want to take the time to let them. So, we brush them off and distract them with something else. Sound familiar?

And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works – Hebrews 10:24

Allowing others to help is one of the best ways to promote love and good works. Too many times we consider the work that needs to be done and we lose the opportunity to “consider” one another.

We sing a song called “The Army of Our Lord.” I love this song because the lyrics speak to the need for others to be ready to grow and work. One verse in particular says, “Our elders long in battle years, alas begin to fade, but from the ranks, young men appear, and lead their first crusade.” What a great visual – the passing of the torch. How do we grow in the local church? We first need to have an environment which facilitates growth.

If you know a Christian who is anxious to get involved and excited about working in the church, the last thing you want to do is discourage them. Grab on to them and let them work! Maybe you are that Christian who is anxious to get involved and excited about the work, but you don’t know how to help or what to do, follow the example of others and ask to help.

Let’s examine ourselves to make sure our attitudes are correct. Are we able to work well with others? Work in the local congregation is about unity – submitting to the same authority, working for the same reason, working with like-minded people (Philippians 3:15-16). Paul illustrated the church with the human body when he discussed this very topic in 1 Corinthians 12.

If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? (1 Corinthians 12:15-16)

This illustration makes a lot of sense when we think about the human body, but it should make just as much sense when applied to the local congregation. If you want to work, then you have to be a “fellow worker” of God (1 Corinthians 3:9). Stop and think about that idea – a fellow worker of God! What a great distinction and privilege it is for us to be described as God’s helper. In order for us to work and grow in the local church, we have to be God’s fellow workers. How do we accomplish that?

Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel. (Philippians 1:27)

God wants the environment in the local congregation to allow all maturity levels to thrive. This can only happen if we stand fast in one spirit, striving together with one mind. It is hard to grow and mature in a congregation that lacks unity, has selfish members, does not value cooperation, is full of bitterness, anger, and wrath. Now, this does not mean if your congregation has some, or all of those qualities, you cannot grow. Your absolutely can. You will have to show others the proper attitude in working together. It may be hard and slow, but growth can still occur. Think about the church in Corinth and their many problems, yet they matured some by the time Paul wrote the second letter. It takes members who examine themselves and commit to being more like Christ.

Finally, to grow in the local congregation, we have to do something; we have to work. I cannot tell you exactly what work you need to do because God has blessed each of us with different abilities. We each have something we can do, and can do well. Consider some of your abilities and make the decision that you are going to do something for Christ’s church.

1. Spend more time with other Christians. Specifically, spend more time studying with other Christians. I am part of a men’s Bible study that meets every other week and those men are my brothers. We have a bond unlike anything I have experienced before. I have known many of these men most of my life, but when we started studying together, that bond strengthened immensely.
2. Offer to help in a Bible class. Perhaps you have never taught a Bible class before, or you think you would not be a good teacher. You don’t know unless you try, and there is no better way of trying than to sit-in with an experienced teacher. Be an assistant to another teacher. You don’t have to lead the class. Be prepared, take notes, make a comment or two, and I guarantee you will grow, by learning how to teach from an experieced teacher.
3. Open up your home. Have some Bible studies at your home and have a singing at your home. You may not feel experienced enough to lead either of those things, but you can always ask someone else to do so. Invite others over to just share a meal and visit. Make sure you invite those who you know well, but also those who you may not known well.
4. Accept invitations to other’s homes. This may seem odd to list, but I have seen fellow members become discouraged because they ask several people to come over and spend time together, but everyone is always to busy to accept the invitation. We need to make sure we have time for each other, which means we need to say yes more often than we say no.

This is not an exhaustive list, but I think it serves the purpose. I hope it gets you to start thinking of other ways to grow and do the work of God has given us to do. As you grow, make sure you help others grow. It might take you longer to get the task done, but think of how much you can edify and encourage someone else.

But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen (2 Peter 3:18)

17.07.04 | GROW magazine