God Wills and Wants the Church to Grow
by Dr. Wesley S. K. Daniel, Director, Evangelism Ministries, General Board of Discipleship

Why should the church be engaged in seeking those who have not yet heard the good news of Jesus Christ? Why should the church be engaged in the ministry of proclaiming the good news and evangelizing? Why must Christian believers be concerned about the growth and revitalization of the Body of Christ? Why must the task of saving the lost and the proclamation of the good news be the top priority in the life and mission of the church? I believe the answers to these questions are simple: God demands it! God wills and wants the church of Jesus Christ to multiply spiritually and grow.

Growing the Body of Christ and making new disciples for Christ (the process of faith development) is definitely in the will of God; therefore, making disciples must become the primary task of the church. John Wesley has argued that spiritual growth was a sign of God's grace and that and spiritual decline was a sign of a decrease in God's grace. The central or the primary task of God's people, then, is to make known the essential facts of the good news — Jesus Christ died for all people; there is salvation and new life in Christ Jesus; and we must intentionally disciple and grow the Body of Christ.

I believe the theological base on which spiritual growth and revitalization can take place is to perceive the church as an agent of outreach, reconciliation, healing, and hope. We must also perceive the church as faithful to our Lord's command to go and make new disciples. In Matthew 28:18-19 (NRSV), we read Jesus' own words:

"All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

Growing the church spiritually is being faithful to the Great Commission. Ultimately, it is being faithful to God.

We must keep in mind that churches exist not only to help and nurture Christians, but also to give believers centers of operation from which to launch an intentional ministry of reaching the lost and helping people to reconcile with God and with one another. The church must function in the capacity of an agent of outreach, healing, and reconciliation. The primary purpose for the existence and mission of the church is to spread the transforming power of the gospel (the good news); to offer the joy, hope, and peace that Christ has to offer; and to invite people to reconciliation and discipleship.

In light of the most tragic events in our country, we have quickly discovered that we are living in a time when the world is too often defined by violence and hatred. We are indeed living in a different day and time. The church of God has an unparalleled opportunity to declare God's love, grace, healing, and hope to the world. I believe the church of Jesus Christ has an unprecedented opportunity (perhaps as never before in our history) to:

• Proclaim the transforming power of the gospel;
• Call people to re-examine their own walks with God;
• Call people to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ;
• Call people to a new and fresh relationship with Christ;
• Call people to reconciliation with God and with one another;
• Call people to healing and to experience the power of God's grace;
• Challenge and call people to live out the teachings of Christ in relationship to loving neighbor, loving enemies, doing good to one another, and striving to stand for justice and peace;
• Call people to accept the comfort, peace, joy, and eternal hope that only Christ can offer, especially in times of affliction and pain.

The violence and the evil we have experienced as a nation are very real; however, for the Christian, these are not the last words! The last words are "life," "love", and "I know my Redeemer lives!" This is the transforming message we have to offer as the church. God's church will multiply spiritually and grow because God wills it!

Posted 10-10-01