Churches grow when you ask a lot of Christians

This illustrated quoted is taken from Tony Reinke’s blog where he has started a series of quotes that are too hot to handle.

What David Wells says has certainly be borne out in my experience. I learnt early on in church leadership that the way to involve people is to involve them. Do not wait for them to take initiative or ask for responsibility. Give them a job. If you want someone to attend a prayer meeting, hold it in their house!

But in the Crowded house I have learnt that many Christians are inspired by having high expectations laid upon them. They want to be part of the battle, not idle onlookers. It is not simply pill on expectations from on high, but giving people a sense of ownership of  the mission of the church. We expect everyone to see themselves as a church planter, a gospel worker. We expect everyone to make life decisions with regard to the church and in consultation with the church. We expect people to disciple one another throughout life. We expect people to share their lives with one another. We expect people to be involved in developing the mission of the church. And in our experience people are attracted to this. They want to be part of this kind of community. As for the new believers … they just assume it is normal – which is how it ought to be.