I believe most, if not all, of us would love to see our churches grow. I also believe that God wants to see our churches grow. So, why are so many of our churches not growing? Could it be that we are not prepared for the growth that God wants to send us?

When the apostle Peter spoke on the day of Pentecost, three thousand people gave their lives to Christ. They became a mega-church overnight, but what they did after that, I believe, allowed them to sustain their growth.

41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. 42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people.

And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved. Acts 2:42-47

I believe these verses give us some great insight on what it takes to grow a church. Here are four keys that I see.

1. Be willing to learn from others.

Verse 42 tells us that the early church leaders devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching. They had a desire to learn. Does that describe you and your team? What are you reading? What are you listening to? What are you studying? Are you willing to do what it takes to learn, or do you think you already have it all figured out?

2. Be willing to sacrifice for each other.

Verses 44-45 say they had all things in common and were willing to sell their possessions to give to those in need. They placed others’ needs above their own wants. If you want to see a church grow, find a congregation that sacrifices for one another.

3. Be involved in community.

Verse 46 goes on to say that they attended church together and fellowshipped in each other’s homes. The leaders placed themselves among the people, not above the people. They got to know the people they were serving. This showed they cared and created trust among the early believers.

4. Be devoted to prayer and praise.

They never forgot that God is the one who brings people to repentance. Their prayer life was evidence of this, as well as their eagerness to praise God daily. If many of us prayed as hard as we worked, we probably would see better results.

So, as you can see, the keys are in the be’s.

If you’re in a situation where your church isn’t growing, ask yourself the question, Am I doing a good job of being– being willing to learn, being willing to sacrifice, being involved in community, and being willing to pray and praise the one who brings the increase.

What are some other keys to growth? What are you doing that’s working in your church? I’d love to hear about it, so leave us a comment below, and don’t forget to subscribe to the blog if you haven’t already.