Vantage
point
Two
sure ways to grow your church
It has been my great privilege
over the last six years to observe thriving A/G ministries up
close around the world. Little by little, as I wrote stories and
cataloged notes, I saw patterns begin to emerge. I began to see
that there were certain things that were almost always present
in any successful church or ministry.
Let me share just two of my findings.
It is hardly a news flash that
prayer is one of the traits successful ministries hold in common. But it is
a certain kind of prayer that marks revival churches. Successful churches
always have vibrant prayer programs.
Yes, I said “programs.”
I know, somehow that doesn’t seem spiritual enough. Nevertheless, great
churches do not leave prayer to chance. I saw the power plant of a church
of 60,000 people — a little room in which 12 or 15 people can kneel
together. The room is never empty. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, there are
people praying together in that room. A person in charge keeps schedules to
make sure the room is never empty.
But there is something else interesting
here — the object of their prayer. This is not a general prayer meeting
by any means. They pray only for their pastors!
And the church has exploded. Think
of it — at any time of day or night, whatever challenge a pastor might
be facing, he or she knows a group of people is in that basement room, fervently
interceding in their behalf.
I admit that this is the only place
where I have seen 24-hour prayer for pastors. But I have seen repeatedly that
pastors of great churches have above-average support from their congregations.
I believe a church can be transformed by this principle.
So, two sure-fire church growth
methods:
1. Have an active prayer program.
Don’t leave prayer to chance. Make sure your church is bathed in prayer.
2. Pay special attention to your
pastors. They are carrying the majority of your church’s spiritual burden;
they need consistent support.
In short, pray for and love your
pastors. Your church can only grow as a result.
— Ken Horn
E-mail your comments to pe@ag.org.
