SCRIPTURAL CHURCH GROWTH COULD MEAN

Part One

My argument in this paper is to point out that when there is True Worship in the Body of Believers there will be increase in the number of that body. When the body of believers are doing the work of the ministry and are fulfilling the commands of Christ for His church there will be growth. What kind of growth?

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another -- all the more as you see the Day approaching. (Heb. 10:19-25)

What should happen when you go to a local church to attend the service.? What does the Lord direct the church to do? Is it just a once a week function? What does Church look like? What does a 2007 church look like vs. a church Paul established in 60 A.D.

Is the importance in what we do? How we do it? Is church in the United States to be the same as the church in England? Is the form of worship to be the same in every church? Is the music in every church to be the same?

The question that I will be trying to address will be:

What is the understanding of Scripture about the order and purpose of doing ministry that is to be found in the local church?

My mother in law said coming out of a church they were visiting while on vacation, "Now that is what I believe is worship." And my father in law said, "Honey you are right, I believe I worshiped the Lord today." Most Christians go to church to Worship, but I am afraid most leave our churches and can’t say what my in laws said about going to church.

I would say John Piper’s definition of worship experience would be different than that of John MacArthur. Most likely the worship of C.J. and DeWayne Prosser would be different ideas. But you say, what’s the Bible’s idea of worship? And again I would say, all the four above men would say they are doing biblical worship.

It’s possible that many in our churches would not know "worship" if they saw it. They might read in the bulletin the words "Let Us Worship" and have no idea what worship is. John MacArthur did a ten message series to his church on "What Is True Worship". He must have believed the church needs to understand what is biblical worship.

This idea of WORSHIP has been a subject of my thinking for a number of years, since John MacArthur did a series on Worship

So does the local church start with an understanding of the Worship?

So what is the understanding of Scripture about the order of ministry that is to be found in the local church?

My understanding of the Scripture is to reach people. Growth:

"to arise or issue as a natural development from an original happening, circumstance, or source:" Is one definition of the term growth.

Drafted by Charles E. Whisnant and Proof Read by Charity Whisnant