Kindle Notes & Highlights
The early believers went “house to house” (see Acts 5:42; 20:20). This approach is biblical, and it is also effective. Kirk Hadaway discovered that 76 percent of Southern Baptist churches that are growing conduct weekly visitation.
The early Christians preached Christ “in every house” (Acts 5:42 NKJV). Paul testified that he witnessed house to house (Acts 20:20).
Why has this method fallen on such hard times? One reason is the false assumption that people are turned off by anonymous visits.
What do you feel is the greatest need in this area? • Why do you think people go to church? • If you were looking for a church, what would you look for?
Are you currently active in a local church? • What do you feel is the greatest need in this area? • Why do you think most people don’t attend church? • If you were looking for a church, what kind of things would you look for? • What advice would you give me? How can I help you?
Suffice it to say that under normal circumstances a church ought to grow. Rick Warren has it right when he says the critical issue is not church growth but church health.10 A healthy, Christ-honoring church is more likely to grow than a divided or spiritually dead congregation. A brief summary of more recent attempts to help churches become effective for the gospel follows.
“Absolutely nothing will revitalize a discouraged church faster than rediscovering its purpose,”16 he contends.
He cites a familiar survey in which church members were asked, “Why does the church exist?” Some 89 percent responded: “The church’s purpose is to take care of my needs and my family’s needs.” Only 11 percent said winning the world to Christ is the church’s purpose.
