Title: Principles for GrowthProposition: The Text gives us several principles for growth
Text: Eph 4:7-16
Intro:
TEXT: Eph 4:7-16 Principles for Growth
Intro: 1. Two Battleships on Maneuvers (Fog-Lookout-Light-Steady-Collision Course Advise move
20 degrees-Response Advise change 20 degrees-I’m a Captain change 20 degrees, Seaman
2nd class...”I’m a Battleship - I’m a Lighthouse
2. Lighthouse could represent principles. Bible has lighthouse principles, Don’t Change (absolute)
3. Principles for mattiage, parents, employers, handling money, etc.
4. Also has lighthouse principles for the church (Christ the head, church is body, grace through
faith, One Body
5. Principles for church growth beginning in verse 7 (But first, some “overemphasized” principles
a. Modern Programs (Marketing the church, succesful congregation are studied, Willow Crk
b. Professional Staff - Multiple ministers More well trained the staff, the better the church.
c. Every member must be trained and “plugged” in to official church programs
d. Measured by increases in attendance, contribution, & lots of activity (sessions, day car
e. THESE CAN BE HELPFUL, BUT OFTEN ARE OVEREMPHASIZED
6. TEXT: Eph 4:7-16
I. Principle One: As with Salvation, church growth is a matter of grace (v. 7-8)
A. 2 kinds of grace, Salvation grace and enabling grace
1. Enabling grace is the ability to do something specific for the glory of God
2. Romans 12:6 - “we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us
excercise them accordingly”
B. Measure of Christ Gift?
1. Do some receive more grace, are some more forgen thatn others?
2. Gift: Dorea not Charismata (Free gift)
3. Idea behind Grace: Mercy, Goodwill, Gift, Favor, Blessing,
C. Idea behind this passage
1. Victory parade
2. General proclaim his triumph
3. General parades, behind him the soldiers, and last of all the captives
4. Afterwards, the spoils of war divided up among th soldiers, receive gift
D. Jesus won the spiritual Battle (v.9 - 10) and gave us gifts
1. Jesus was victorious
2. How was he victorious - ACCOMPLISHED RECONCILIATION
Transition: II Corinthians 5:17-20 (READ) - We have the ministry of Reconciliation
II. Principle 2: Ministers of Grace
A. When you give a gift, you expect it to be used. (HOW DO YOU USE GRACE)
B. ILL: “Mommy come and see” - “I can’t tell you mom, you have to come and see”
-Spider web glistening with the mornign Dew
-Sometimes, vocabulary is inadequate
1. Talk is cheap
2. Grace means we communicate love, acceptance, warmth, JOY, FORGIVENESS
C. We did not win the Battle, Christ did
1. Sometimes we act as though we did
2. Evangelism: One beggar showing another beggar where the bread is.
3. A church without Grace is will not grow
D. ILL: Christ on the cross reaches up to Heaven and Earth and Reconciles
1. God WANTED us to be Reconciled to him
2. God is not willing that any should perish
3. Notice in I Cor 5:20 - “We BEG you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God”
E. This is what it grace means: Are we kind gracious to others, especially to each other?
1. The goal behind grace - Reconciliation
2. Have we forgotten this goal?
3. Before we can grow, we need to start with Grace
III. Principle 3 - Equipping Ministry (11-13)
A. Three E’s of Evangelism
B. Notice the various roles, and then notice the purpose:
1. Equipping of the Saints for the work of service
-What work of service are you involved in?
2. Building up of the Body
-Who are you building up?
3. To attain to unity of the faith
4. Knowledge of the Son of God
-Do you know the son
5. To a mature Man
C. ILL: A Korean Preacher said the problem with American churches is that we have single Pastors
D. Are we building up?
1. Doing nothing is doing something - Tearing down
2. Aw, they are not going to last
3. Who have you been actively building up?
IV. Principle IV. - Maturing Ministry
A. What is a Mature Man? (Marks of maturity)
1. No longer to be children
a. Tossed by waves - Waves of disagreement, holding grudges, doubting
b. Not carried away by every wind of doctrine - Knowledge
c. Not fooled by schemers - Own personal vendeta-beat people up
2. Mature man is
a. Speaking the truth in Love
b. Grow up in all aspects into Him
1) Realized man was not the enemy (prayed on the cross)
2) Grace to all men
3) Knew what was important - Mercy rather than sacrifice
B. Maturity is more than numbers
1. Doensn’t mean if you are small you are mature either
2. Idea of “growing up”
3. Growing in the Grace and Knowledge of Christ
4. Growing in Grace: Grow in kindness, giving attitude, forgiving, etc.
C. ILL: Trying to point to get a Dog to go, they dont’ understand (licks the finger)
1. Many times we focus on the finger, and forget what it is pointing at,
2. We miss th point
3. It is about maturity (which is more than knowledge) (note the Pharisees)
D. Are we promoting this kind of maturity
1. Will take more than stright teaching
2. Disciples had to watch Jesus in action
3. This can only be tought by wtinessing it (Note Spider Web Illustration)