This post is written by Greg Kilgore as a companion for Unit 31, Session 1 of The Gospel Project for Adults, Volume 11: From One Nation to All Nations (Spring 2024).
The book of Acts describes the growth of the church from Jerusalem out toward the ends of the earth (1:8). We live in a day when there are “experts” who have cracked the code to unlocking church growth. A lot of these workshops on “church growth” include certain gimmicks and giveaways to get people to attend events. But how do we see the church growing in Scripture? The church grows through the sovereign Lord pouring out His Spirit on people as they come to trust in Christ as their Savior and King.
In Acts, you do not see the apostles offering free camels to the first 500 in attendance. No, the church in Acts does not grow through gimmicks but through the preaching of the gospel. In Acts 5, the church grew during growing persecution and opposition. In Acts 5:17-18, the high priest and the Sadducees became jealous of the apostles and had them thrown in jail. Despite the religious leaders’ opposition, an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail at night and the apostles walked out freely. Disturbed, the Sanhedrin put Peter and John on trial for preaching the gospel.
The early church faced growing persecution, but they would not hold back from preaching all the words of life! Even in the midst of opposition, the early church was faithful in spreading the gospel message. Nothing can stop the kingdom of Christ from advancing; not even the blood-thirsty jealousy of the religious leaders could keep the gospel from going forth.
Peter and the other apostles were openly persecuted for preaching of the gospel. They had been thrown in prison for no reason other than preaching about Jesus. Yet how did the apostles respond to the opposition they faced? They did not respond by hatefully yelling at the religious leaders; no, they responded with the gospel. Once again, they reminded the religious leaders of the gospel because the gospel was the only way in which the religious leaders’ sinful hearts would be softened.
Despite what some experts might think, there is no secret code or formula for church growth. The church preaching and sharing the gospel is God’s ordained plan for the church to grow. How does the kingdom of Christ advance and the church grow? Through preaching the gospel faithfully and telling others about “the old, old story” of how Jesus left heaven to save His people from their sins. In Acts, that is how we see the church grow. In order to preach Jesus faithfully we must do so with conviction. The only message that saves is found in Jesus’s perfect life, death on the cross, and resurrection from the dead.
Christ grows His church through the preaching of the gospel, not gimmicks and giveaways.
Greg Kilgore is the associational missions strategist for the Mid-Valley Southern Baptist Association in Fresno, California. He and his wife, Megan, have three children: Owen, Camille, and Judson Titus. Greg is a PhD student at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he also teaches as an adjunct professor.
