Helping Pastors Embrace the Full Circle of Church Growth

by Certified Church Consultant, Karen Weber

As church planters several years ago, my husband and I naively believed that our intense desire to make a difference in God’s kingdom was enough to build and grow a congregation. Although holy passion is important, we quickly learned that we needed more than just a vision. Ironically, a consultation at our church by Dr. Gary McIntosh opened our eyes to the realization that a spiritual foundation alone was not enough.

In Mark 12, Jesus explains that one’s love for God should be with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. He addresses all aspects of a human being. Coupling this concept with Ecclesiastes 9:10, we realize that everything we do must be with our whole being.

How does this heart, soul, mind, and strength concept apply to church growth?

Usually, a pastor’s story begins with the call of God in his HEART. Paul describes a “holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his [Jesus’] own purpose and grace” (2 Tim 1:9). God’s call into kingdom ministry propels a minister to prepare and consecrate themselves to be worthy of that calling and to be able to fulfill God’s plan for their lives (2 Thess 1:11).

 Next, pastors engage their SOUL (the seat of feelings and desires) as they trust and follow God’s will in the process of answering His call. Pastors prayerfully discern and obey the leading of the Spirit for whatever God desires for them, and also for the place to which God has called them. Even when reality does not always look like the vision or expectations, God’s Word and Spirit guide and enable them to faithfully reach unbelievers, disciple new believers, and serve a local congregation that will be a light in the community.

In the context of wholeness toward church growth, most pastors do well at the ‘heart’ and ‘soul’ areas. However, if growth does not happen as quickly or easily as expected, a pastor may begin to feel inadequate beyond this point. Meaning, we’ve prayed, fasted, believed, and trusted. Now what?

The full circle of church growth involves understanding that the spiritual elements and the practical elements are two sides of the same coin. Pastors must diligently follow the leading of the Spirit while also doing everything within their ability to implement methods and practices that allow them to maintain and grow the kingdom of God. Psalm 78:72 explains that God chose David because he led with integrity and skill.

A call of God in the HEART and responding to that call from the depths of one’s SOUL are only a portion of the process. The next step is to engage the MIND in study, learning, and understanding methods and practices that enable pastors to lead, manage, and steward resources for the benefit of the church. A church consultation greatly benefits a church and its pastor at this point.

 Finally, scripture repeatedly refers to the work of the kingdom: Acts 20:24; Hebrews 6:10, 13:20-21; James 1:25; Revelation 22:12. Growing a church is hard work!  Physical STRENGTH, time management skills, and attention to unending details are required. Even if a pastor is aware of methods for growing a church, the labor and toil to reach their goals can seem overwhelming at times. The work involved in making necessary changes is challenging. So, it is sometimes easier to settle for the status quo. Pastors must fight the temptation to remain in their comfort zone.

Growing a church requires a spiritual foundation and direction. But practical function is also involved when managing the changes needed to move from strategy to execution. Consultants have a unique opportunity to equip pastors for the entire church growth process.  The full circle of church growth involves all of one’s heart, soul, mind, and strength and ultimately brings balance and wholeness to a pastor’s approach, enabling the church to be positioned for increase.

The consulting process helped us personally embrace this principle and apply pragmatic methods to our spiritual foundation. The results were convincing – the church we planted nearly doubled in less than three years and has experienced consistent growth since!