Do this and your ministry will experience tremendous and consistent growth.
“It’s easier said than done.”
But when you go the harder route of doing it, you would attain a remarkable outcome.
You’ve been doing ministry for 20 years and your Church hasn’t thrived beyond the regular 200 people. Then all of a sudden, you see someone whose ministry is just 2 years old and they’re already doing great and massive things.
You may be enticed to absolve your lack of corporate expansion with “well, growth is not about numbers. Success is not about numbers…” You are right, but there could be contextual nuisances with these assertions. Maybe, the first person who said it didn’t mean it in the ways we do today.
#1. Stop seeing Church growth only through the spiritual lens.
When you raise 50 men who are sound in doctrine, there is spiritual growth in your organization. However, there are structural facets of growth that has to be confronted; this isn’t merely about prayers. Prayers are critical for spiritual growth but ideas, plans, and strategic enactment is vital for structural growth. Remember, you can be doing well spiritually and doing badly administratively. As long as you are dealing with people, it’s an organization and must be structured.
#2. Think Growth
Success in ministry isn’t always about numbers, but numbers are proof of corporate growth. You may be doing well in ministry but as an organization, you aren’t growing. It’s fact.
#3. Realize That Growth Isn’t Always Spiritual
Organizations can be grown on falsehood and that is why so many fake ministries have the numbers but not the message. You can have the message and the numbers. How? Addressing people’s real-life needs and teaching the gospel in a way that people gain clarity, find answers, find healing, and freedom is a catalyst for Church growth. Heal a broken heart and he or she would come with another broken-hearted seeking healing.
#4. Be Charitable, Be Consistent With It
Jesus fed the five thousand. Remember that feeding the five thousand wasn’t part of the core of his ministry intention but that singular act increased his audience. He went about with compassion doing good; that too increased his audience. This is what some people understand, apply and experience a boom in their ministries when applied. They do not grow because they understand the Bible better than you or even teach better than you but because even in their flaws, they seem to strike a chord in people’s hearts. It’s not spiritual; it’s social science. Fake Pastors know this and you can’t credit their ministerial growth to the Holy Spirit.
#5. Be or Hire A Good Administrator
A good teacher can be a bad administrator. If this is you, it’s not your fault. You can take several online classes on administration but if you have no time or desire for that, you can employ the services of a certified admin to take care of the administrative needs of the organization while you focus on the spiritual needs. Nothing is wrong with that; they don’t even have to be members of your Church so you can widen your net and seek a very qualified person.
#6. Teach What Is Relevant and Applicable
Understand the demography of your pastorate and teach what applies to them. Teaching what is relevant to them doesn’t mean tossing the gospel. You need the gospel to teach them what is appropriate for them. Let them see the scriptures come alive before them, let them see it handle their real-life issues as much as they grow in understanding of who they are in Christ and what Christ has done.
#7. Raise Men Who Are Spirited to Work, Also Create a Compensation System.
I understand that our ministry reward “is in heaven” but we are social beings who improve by recognition. Don’t always make ministry about yourself, you are the vision bearer but you also need to give other persons who are gifted room to express their gifting. Several gifted persons will continue jumping from one place to another till they find that place that allows them to express themselves and grow better. Don’t just give them opportunities, reward their efforts and love them genuinely. Insecure people will find this hard, they’d feel like they are allowing others to steal their shine but no, you’re positioning yourself as a “father”.
#8. Invest in organizational needs.
Don’t think a billion naira will come once. As little funds come by, invest back in the ministry. Have a strong and transparent financial accounting department who have some level of independence. Invest in good sound, invest in a conducive environment, and invest in the equipment that helps the organization communicate easily. Even as a little organization, let people see where you are going from what you are doing. Certain people will come and go if they aren’t comfortable, it’s a fact! They may not be mature yet to understand that Christianity is beyond those things but staying is a chance for them to learn and grow under you.
#9. Train your heart for the worst and be strong
Your best will come and go, some people will join your ministry, and their presence will be greatly felt but they may not last with you. They aren’t bad people and you must not regret giving them the platform. You must ensure to maintain an amicable relationship with them even when they leave. Keep the communication lines open and try reaching out to them to assure them that you still have their interest at heart. Some got a new job, married someone else who attends elsewhere, moved to a new city, and got an offer from another ministry. That’s all fine, never develop bad blood regardless of how much you’ve invested in them.
#10. Don’t be in a contest with anybody
You can grow at your own pace but make sure that your pace is healthy. When a snail starts flying, something could be wrong and when an eagle starts moving slowly instead of flying, something is wrong. Everyone has their configurations but this also doesn’t mean that you can’t evolve to become the best version of yourself. Don’t measure your success using another ministry because you are unique. Learn from others, and attend training but don’t copy and paste. Copy, ensure it’s compatible, and implement.
#11. Good things take time. Take Your Time.
Be consistent, it won’t happen in a twinkle of an eye and it also won’t happen if you are off and on.
There could be many more vital tips but doing the above will guarantee growth. I do not run a Church but when I was a Chapter President of Young Anglican Crusaders in Amazing Grace Anglican Church, we grew from being three or five every Sunday to being sometimes a hundred or more in a fellowship.
We had a strong Music department. So many members of that department are doing great in other places today. We had a strong Drama Department which we called “Theatre of Heaven”, we had an ushering unit that served as protocols, and we had a missions unit that went to schools and other outreaches. I’m pointing out these things so that you see how a gathering of three or five became massively strong.
We grew structurally to the point that we were accused of trying to start a new Church inside the Church because 70% of our members were not Anglicans, yet, they were heavily committed. It wasn’t possible because of my ingenuity, it was possible because I leveraged the skills, ideas, and giftings of every one of us. If I didn’t identify the giftings of others in that ministry, the growth wouldn’t have been possible.
I remember starting, I prayed, I fasted, I prayed yet again, and even had personal night vigils praying for growth. The prayer was very important BUT it only made sense when I became very much intentional other than just sitting and hoping that flyers are enough to drive traffic.
I remember also when I ran “House of Vasileia” before my long retreat from running an organization (mind you, not retreat from ministry). We had several events with good turnouts. One of those days, a Pastor from a thriving Church in Onitsha who attended one of our meetings which was organized on very short notice asked me “but how were you able to pull this off on such very short notice?” I smiled.
I had to say this so that you don’t think that the points I raised are “head knowledge”. I didn’t read any book to write this. I got up from bed around 2:45 am on 1st October and it suddenly struck me to write it. I hope it blessed you.
George's Diary 
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