There is nothing wrong with wanting one’s church to grow. A community of faith where the gospel is taught and discipleship pursued is essential for our development as children of God and co-laborers in his global renewal project. The desire for people to be drawn into that life is both noble and godly. That said, the question churches should be asking is not “How do we grow our church?” but “How do we grow His kingdom?”

Whether it is gaining members or retaining members, concern over church growth consumes the thoughts of church people, clergy and lay members alike.

Consider the metrics. With the possible exception of “tithes and offerings,” nothing is followed more meticulously than weekly attendance and membership. And nothing can create more angst than when a downturn develops.

What we should be asking

At a church conference I recently attended, a table topic was “How to Grow Church Membership.” During the discussion, one person asked how their church could break the “sieve syndrome” (as when new members entering are offset by those exiting). Another asked how they could tailor their service to “please” both young and old. (Yes, she said “please.”) Others expressed the desire to attract more young people and families.

Before I go further, let me say that there is nothing wrong with wanting one’s church to grow. A community of faith where the gospel is taught and discipleship pursued is essential for our development as children of God and co-laborers in his global renewal project. The desire for people to be drawn into that life is both noble and godly.

That said, the question churches should be asking is not “How do we grow our church?” but “How do we grow His kingdom?” Sadly, those interests are often kingdoms apart. Let me explain.

Growing the church

All too frequently, the desire to grow our church is really a desire for a building, property, facilities, or programs that have a questionable relationship to kingdom goals (youth night with pizza, Coke, and rock music comes to mind). Sometimes it’s the desire to be relieved from the personal responsibility of ministry by hiring professional staff—a full-time pastor, assistant pastor, youth minister, worship leader, and so on. All of which require the increased revenues of a growing church.

In an “evangelism” committee meeting I attended as a new member of a former church, there was lively discussion over what informational materials visitors should be given. Ten minutes in, I suggested that the issue seemed more appropriate for a hospitality committee (not realizing that, in effect, this was the hospitality committee).

When I asked what they were doing to reach out to the community, the chairman replied, “Well, that’ll have to wait until we can get someone on staff.” Heads around the table nodded, and the chairman continued, “Now, about these welcome kits . . .”

Four years later, membership had dropped by 30 percent.

Sowing the church

Another aspect of church growth is church planting. Many denominations and churches have bold and aggressive goals to start new congregations in “underserved” areas.

Again, it’s not that there is anything wrong with church planting. Were it not for the sowing efforts of the Apostles, Christianity would not have outgrown every other belief system, nor become the soil from which the best of Western civilization sprang up and blossomed.

However, with more churches in the U.S. than convenience stores, gas stations, and motels combined, the problem in America is not that we have too few churches, even though some denominations feel underrepresented; it’s not even that we have too few Christians. Our problem is that we have too few disciples.

Despite the fact that the vast majority of Americans self-identify as Christian, only 3 percent, according to the Barna Group, “have surrendered control of their life to God, submitted to His will for their life, and devoted themselves to loving and serving God and other people.” It is a consequence of failing to keep first things first.

As much as we might think otherwise, the “first thing” is not the church, measured by filled pews, membership roles, daughter congregations, and budgets; it is the kingdom, measured by disciples.

In the context of the Great Commission, “disciples” are more than people following Jesus in a life-long process of spiritual formation; they include “nations” that are being redeemed through their cultural, social, and institutional artifacts by the influence of the church.

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