Acts 4:32 - 37
INTRODUCTION: The church of
Christ is alive and one of the main characteristics of any living thing is
growth. When growth seizes death is sure .This paper intends to examine how the
Christian education ministry can facilitate church growth.
What is church growth?
Many scholars have attempted to define
church growth. For example Ebbie Smith define church growth as ‘the application
of methods and strategies to further the numerical and qualitative growth of
the local church’. Peter Wagner in his case define church growth as ‘that
discipline which investigates the nature, expansion, multiplication and health
of the Christian church as they relate to the effective implementation of God’s
commission to make disciples of all nations’.
The following are some marks of a
growing church:
1.)
More members having genuine conversion
experience
2.)
Obedience
and more commitment to God and His work.
3.)
Improved morality
4.)
Mission mindedness
5.)
Increased sense of stewardship
6.)
More members participation in mid-week programs
and sub-group activities
7.)
Increase in membership
8.)
Improved church finance
9.)
Procurement of more and better quality
instrument and equipments
10.)
Improved condition of physical structure
11.)
Minimized crisis
12.)
Progress in members lives.
Church education ministries.
This refers to
any aspect of the church where teaching and learning takes place. In the Bible
days education was in three main levels – the family, the school, and the
synagogue. The curriculum was the Torah (Oral interpretation of the legal
aspects of the Pentateuch) and history of how God has been leading His people.
The facilitators then were parents, prophets, priests, sages, poets, and
religious festivals. Today, church education agencies include: the Sunday
school, the Christian home, the children group, the youth group, the Adult
group, week-day Bible school, vacation Bible school, the choir, and so on like
that.
The Christian
education department of the Nigerian Baptist convention has put these
ministries under four divisions namely; Sunday school division, Discipleship
training ministries division, Literacy division, and the family life division.
Growing the church through Christian
education ministries.
The following
are some practical steps that can help the CED facilitate church growth.
1. Education
ministers must accept the challenge willingly and do the work as unto the lord
2. They
must back up the ministry with prayer
3. They
must make preparations and plans
4. Everybody
in church is important so no one should be left behind
5. Leaders
must be good examples of what they teach
6. We
must ensure that those we train have opportunity to function in church programs
7. Education
ministers must work with other arms of the church for growth to take place
The Sunday school group
Identify and
enlist new comers immediately
Make class as
small as possible for effectiveness
Build love among
members
Provide space,
equipment, and material
Teach the Bible
to win the lost and to develop the saved
Do not bore
people be brief and precise.
The Discipleship Training ministry
All members
must be involved in discipleship. It is a life-long process
Introduce
varieties like quiz competitions, sword drills, special lectures e.t.c
The literacy ministry
Encourage as
many people as possible to learn to read and to write
They should be
encouraged to read the Bible regularly
Facilitate
literacy among those who can read and write in relevant areas e.g maximizing
the use of hand sets, your right during election and others like that.
The Family life ministry.
Ensure that
families in the church pray and study the Bible together
Enroll all
children in Sunday school class and encourage them to participate actively
Minister to
spiritual, social, and emotional need of children
Give children
opportunity to express themselves. Let them take charge on ‘children Sunday’
References
Ayegboyin Deji and Moronfola
wale Godly family as an instrument for
church growth Royal people (Nigeria) L.t.d Ibadan,2004
Gunn a. Shirley The
Discipleship ministry of the church publication department N.B.C Ibadan,2009
Oredipe Adegboyega Church planting a key to church growth Sanjo printer (pub) Ijebu-ode,2008
Treat Casey Church management leading people in church
growth Tyndale House publishers Wheaton
, U.S.A, 1971
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