DEVOTION – DAY 256

Acts 2:42; 46-47 “Recipe For Church Growth”

Acts 2:42, 46-47 “42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”

The early church experienced explosive growth soon after Pentecost. It grew because people could witness the changes in behavior and attitude amongst these followers of Jesus Christ as they gathered daily in the temple courtyards. They were noticeably different and they were joyful. In v.42, we were told what caused these changes in them.

The new converts devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching – this included all that Jesus had taught the disciples. This was later recorded in the gospels, centered on the life, death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus. The teaching was unique because it came from God, clothed in the authority now given to the apostles. Today, that teaching is handed down to us in the New Testament. Also, the early church practiced fellowship – meeting together in worship, taking part in the Lord’s Supper and in taking food together. And the people prayed individually and together as one body. This brought them closer together as they shared their resources, encouraging and building up each other. Such actions brought about changes that were contagious as unbelievers were drawn to the early church.

Today, many churches have forgotten this recipe for growth. Many churches had experienced sharp falls in their attendances because of the prolonged lockdowns arising from the Covid-19 pandemic. In order to attract members back, some have even resorted to giving out free gifts. Others have taken a drastic step of ceasing online services in order to get people to attend their live services. Yet others have continued to offer hybrid services in the hope that in time, people will join in the live services. What we have found is that online services are poor substitutes for the real thing. People need the connection and the fellowship with other Christians. They need others to pray for them, and they need to pray for others. They need human interaction and the sense of worshipping God together. The solemnity and quiet reflection that always accompany the taking of the Lord’s Supper can never be replicated when one tries to do it at home. There is power in studying God’s Word together. There is power in witnessing how lives are changed as a result of God’s Word – this is what draws people to church.

Let us pray: Heavenly Father, we pray for churches to focus on your way to grow their congregation and not resorting to worldly ways. Please help us to always be rooted and built up in your Word so that when we are changed, it will cause others to be drawn to you. We ask this in the precious name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Questions

1. What steps can you take to be more devoted to God’s Word?
2. How can you improve in your fellowship with other people in church?
3. How can you be more prayerful in your church and in private?
4. What changes have you noticed in yourself whenever you draw closer to God? Are the changes noticeable to people around you?