Church Growth

Missionary Evangelist Dr. David N and Susan Smeltz

Amazing Grace Missions

Eastern Europe, Asia and the World

Ukraine-Moldavia- Philippines-Cambodia-Vietnam

Guatemala

Reaching the world one soul at a time

Church Growth

By Dr. David N. Smeltz

Dear Pastors, Evangelist, Missionaries and Teachers,

This Easter Sunday of this year, I will celebrate forty-two years in the ministry.  I have served as an associate pastor, youth pastor, pastor, evangelist and missionary over these many years.  I have ministered in nine countries and well over a thousand churches in these forty-two years.  By the Grace of God, I have written twenty-one books and many articles. With all of this, I still believe there is room for learning and I surely have not arrived. I will be seventy years old this year and I am praying that our Lord will give me ten more years of ministry.  Over these many years, the Lord has showed me a few things that I would like to share with you.  The remarks I am about to make has nothing to do with me having an ax to grind. These are subjects and areas of ministry I think we can all glean from.

Why are many churches not growing?

1.         2 Timothy 4:5 (KJV)
⁵ But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.

            I see four thoughts that stand out in the verse.

                        a.         watch thou… The word (watch) is found 57 times in scripture

b.         endure affliction…The word endure is found 28 times in scripture. The word affliction is found 73 times.

c.         do work of evangelist..  The word evangelist is found twice and is found only in the New Testament.

d.         Make full proof of your ministry..  The word ministry is found 22 times in scripture.

I am sure all of us can agree First and Second Timothy are the Pastoral Epistles.  This verse is written to pastors and teachers.

1.         The pastor needs to watch his flock and see all of their needs.

How can a pastor do this when he is always on the golf course, doing evangelistic meetings, spending too much time on the mission field? Attending every fellowship meeting, he can preach at. What about visitation, soul winning, hospital calls, family time, study time and time for one’s self. Is not this watching the flock? 

The apostasy and looseness of the times we live in must make us the more watchful. Their falls must be our fears; their levity must quicken us to constancy, and their negligence must quicken our diligence in keeping the watch of the Lord. Good men desire the Church's good after their departure. Paul is dying, yet he commands Timothy to improve his talents for the Church's good when himself was dead. Moses, before he dies, prays the Lord to set up a fit ruler instead (Nu 28:16-17). Wicked men care not what becomes of the world, when they are dead and gone let heaven and earth come together, and all be in confusion, they care not. But good men have public spirits. The better the man, the more watchful must he be. The pirate sets on the laden ship, and the thief upon the wealthiest traveler. But we must watch as pastors too, and discover wolves that would destroy the flock.

John 21:16-17 (KJV)
¹⁶ He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.
¹⁷ He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep. Some men spend too much time worrying about the church down the street instead of caring for their own work.

2.         The pastor has to endure affliction. Affliction comes in many ways. 2 Corinthians 4:17 (KJV) ¹⁷ For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; This verse contains the whole philosophy of the Christian view of affliction. It does not deny the reality of earthly sorrows or underrate their power, as did the Stoics; but after allowing them all their force, calmly says that they dwindle into insignificance when compared with the exceeding and eternal glory to which they lead. However, this applies only to believers, as appears by the next verse, ‘while we look,’ etc. Afflictions have a salutary operation, provided that we look at the things which are eternal.”  Sometimes our afflictions are excuses for not doing what the Lord has called us to do. As pastors we should not make excuses for our failures and laziness. We are called sent out to do the work of the Lord. He equips us and makes the way for us to go in. John 12:26 (KJV) ²⁶ If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour. The term follow me is found 24 times in scripture. Who are we following, Christ or man? Why are we concerned about what man has to say? Are we appeasers of man or are we servants of God.  One of the problems I see in churches, they want to be too much like the world.. and they are competing with the world.

3.         Do the work of an evangelist.  An “announcing good news”). In a general sense this applies to anyone who proclaims the mercy and grace of God, especially as unfolded in the gospel; therefore preeminently to Christ, and the apostles whom He commissioned to preach the truth and establish His kingdom. It came, however, to be employed in the early church as the designation of a special class, as in the following enumeration: “And He [Christ] gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers” (Ephes. 4:11). This passage, accordingly, would lead us to think of them as standing between the two other groups—sent forth as missionary preachers of the gospel by the first, and as such preparing the way for the labors of the second. The same inference would seem to follow the occurrence of the word as applied to Philip (Acts 21:8). It follows from what has been said that the calling of the evangelist is the proclamation of the glad tidings to those who have not known them, rather than the instruction and pastoral care of those who have believed and been baptized. It follows also that the name denotes a work rather than an order. The evangelist might or might not be a bishop-elder or a deacon.

4.         Make full proof of your ministry. 

I would like to talk about this subject for a few minutes. This word "ministry" does not refer exclusively to what we are accustomed to call the Christian ministry, meaning the teaching and pastoral office in the Church. That is but one of ten thousand forms of ministration or service rendered to our fellows at the call of God. To minister to any one, is to help or serve him; and so every course of action by which we can help and serve others is a ministry, and every such service is truly a Christian work. And as we cannot all render the same service, but can each render particular kinds of service to particular people — relatives, friends or neighbors — that particular description of service which each of us can render is our "ministry." It is a ministry, the object of whose functions lies without us, in contrast to activities centered in self as their object. It is "thy ministry," because it is a particular form of helpful activity open to each, separately, to prosecute. Paul's was different from Timothy's, and neither has belonged to anybody since; nor will your ministry, or mine, ever be allotted to anybody else; for no one will be situated as We are, or have exactly our opportunities. In some respects, our ministry is like Timothy's and Paul's, it is directed to the same cause: the spread of Christ's truth and Christ's Church. We are summoned to it by the same Divine Lord to whom  we shall reader an account of its discharge; All the high, sublime elements, then, which belonged to their ministry or service in life, belong to ours, though ours may take less striking outward forms, and be rendered with no eye but God's to watch our performance of it. The sublime considerations, moving to fidelity in it, which Paul urged on Timothy, bear, then, on us. "I charge thee before God, make full proof of" — thoroughly fulfil — "thy ministry." What is fulfilling the ministry Titus 2:2 (KJV)  ² That the aged men be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, in charity, in patience.

Here we go men: The aged man that is most likely you and me. Look what Timothy says..

a.         sober: Calm and collected in spirit, temperate, dispassionate. We should not get discourage as easy as the younger man. Nothing should cause us to waver from the Word of God

b.         grave: To carve; to write or delineate on hard substances; to practice engraving. The aged man should be able to dig into the Word of God and find those special nuggets people need to hear about. His experience in life should make him keener.

c.         temperate: Self Control.. Being in control of your life is so important. Others are watching you. Your church, neighbors and friends are watching your every move. What kind of testimony do you have in your community? Do people come to your church because you care about  them.

d.         sound in faith: This is so important. Are you solid in the Word of God? Do you go with the crowd? Are you consistent? Do you show your people your faith. 2 Timothy 1:5 (KJV) ⁵ When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also. Faith is seen and if we do not show people our faith, how will they believe. 

e.         Charity: Love for the people: 1 John 4:20 (KJV) ²⁰ If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?  Pastors must have a real love for people. One of the things I have noticed, many are in the ministry for a paycheck, not for a love of people. Some of the finest men of God I have met are men with love for God and people. I have been in churches were the pastor is cold, stoic, condemning, jealous, and lacks compassion for anyone. Many of these churches are very small because the pastor has become hard after years of service and trials in the faith. To be very honest, I do not think I would want to attend the church.  I do not see anything wrong with a small church but, when the pastor does not go soul winning, visit the sick and give the church vision what can one expect.

We are living in difficult times and we can make all the excuses that one can make why our Fundamental Baptist Churches are not growing. We can change the name of the church and change the pulpit area. We can change the music and change the Bible we use, that is not going to change the church for the church is the people, the bride of Christ. The only way people change is through the Word of God. Hebrews 4:12 (KJV) ¹² For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

f.          patience: Luke 8:15 (KJV)
¹⁵ But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience. Romans 5:3-4 (KJV)
³ And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
⁴ And patience, experience; and experience, hope: Romans 8:24 (KJV)
²⁴ For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?  

Waiting on the Lord and continuing in the faith is the answer. Philippians 4:11 (KJV)
¹¹ Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

1 Timothy 4:8 (KJV)
⁸ For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come. 1 Timothy 6:8 (KJV)
⁸ And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

What can we do to get back on track?

Proverbs 11:30 (KJV)
³⁰ The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.

Proverbs 14:25 (KJV)
²⁵ A true witness delivereth souls: but a deceitful witness speaketh lies.

We need to get back to preaching the Word, loving people, going soul winning and living a Holy life. I was sixty years old when I resigned my pastorate and went into Mission Evangelism. The decision I made then was right, I knew God had changed my direction… was it easy, NO.. was it Good, YES! ..Sometimes we need to stop and ask God, if we are in his will. Sometimes we stay to long and loose our effectiveness.. God knows our heart, the question is do we know God’s heart and direction for our life. If you are a pastor, be a pastor. If you are, an evangelist or missionary be an evangelist or missionary. . You can only do one job at a time if you want to do it successfully.

Many Christians are only "Christaholics" and not disciples at all. Disciples are cross-bearers; they seek Christ. Christaholics seek happiness. Disciples dare to discipline themselves, and the demands they place on themselves leave them enjoying the happiness of their growth. Christaholics are escapists looking for a shortcut to nirvana. Like drug addicts, they are trying to "bomb out" of their depressing world.

There is no automatic joy. Christ is not a happiness capsule; he is the way to the Father. But the way to the Father is not a carnival ride in which we sit and do nothing while we are whisked through various spiritual sensations.

Why Go Soul Winning?

Matthew 28:19-20 (KJV)
¹⁹ Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
²⁰ Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

1.         It is commanded by Christ.

2.         It is the only way the church will grow.

3.         It is the only way they will hear the Word of God

4.         It is the only way they can get to be disciples.

Most of us when hearing or using the word "disciple" are likely to be reminded of the biblical Apostles. Their deepest wish was to emulate Christ. They made him their guide not just because they believed in his teachings but because of their love for him and his love for them. Without such a mutual love the Master's teaching and example, convincing though they were, would never have persuaded the disciples to change their lives and beliefs as radically as they did.

When Paul’s time had come to depart this earth and go to heaven, he was ready.

2 Timothy 4:6-7 (KJV)
⁶ For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand.
⁷ I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:

Have we fought the good fight or have we lost our vision and become lazy and comfortable?  I hope not and by God’s grace let us keep on until Jesus calls us home.

Blessings to all,

Dr. Dave Smeltz

Your Servant