Proverbs 14.28
“In a multitude of people is the glory of a king, but without people a prince is ruined.”
Leading for growth is not about gaining more followers; it’s about developing people. Leadership is not about how many people you rule or manage; it is about how you serve the people in your care. Christ-centered leaders focus on helping people grow upward, inward, and outward. Numerical growth is the result, not the primary focus.
First is upward growth. This is growth in relationship to God. It is recognizing God’s holiness, repenting of sin, receiving his grace and forgiveness by faith, and responding in loving obedience to his commands. To use the language of Proverbs, a godly leader fears and respects God, and then leads and encourages people to do the same.
Second is inward growth. This is discipleship and personal transformation. Godly leaders encourage people to commit to the disciplined process of building wisdom and skill. Here again is musar (the process of disciplined work) that produces hokma (knowledge, wisdom, and skill. As we have seen, this is a constant theme throughout the book of Proverbs. In order to grow, we must commit to the necessary inner work.
Third is outward growth. This is the impact that the people of an organization has on its target community/market. The primary goal is maximum impact, not maximum numerical growth. Keep in mind that upward growth and inward growth are necessary for maximum outward growth and impact.
A word for ministry leaders
Growth is a common goal for most ministries, whether in a church or parachurch ministry. However, it must be remembered that a successful church or ministry is not defined by size or popularity. Ministry should not primarily be measured by nickels, numbers, and noses.
The focus should be on the spiritual growth of Christians, not the numerical growth of the ministry. In many respects, numerical growth is irrelevant. Maintain your ministry’s focus on kingdom priorities and leave the rest to the Lord. Growth (first in depth and maturity, and then in impact) is the natural result of faithfulness to God, love for others, engagement with the community, and discipline in leading the ministry.
Here is what Paul wrote to the Corinthian church: “What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building.” (1 Corinthians 3:5-9)
The church is a people, not a place. It isn’t a building, it is a supernatural fellowship of people bound together by the redeeming work of Christ and the indwelling presence of the Spirit. The gospel isn’t a message to be marketed, it is Truth to be shared. The purpose of the church isn’t to fill seats, it is to transform hearts.
We must always remember: “God gives the growth.”
Many ministries are caught in what could be called “the program doom-loop.” They focus on providing programs and facilities that they hope will attract people to attend and participate so that the ministry has the means to support its programs and facilities. The program doom-loop is prevalent and popular, but it is not a kingdom strategy.
A successful church is one where the members individually and corporately are guided by the truth of God’s word, demonstrate observable love, and live and work as agents of God’s kingdom in the midst of the watching world. A successful church is a fellowship of Christians characterized by an uncompromising love for God and for people.
A successful church first bears the fruit of the Spirit, and then bears the fruit of growth. As a result, it has a profound impact on the community it serves. It is a church that exists to glorify God, serve others, and be salt and light in the world.
With great honesty and courage ask yourself and your leadership team: Are we seeking to grow larger at the expense of growing deeper? Remember: God gives the growth. If your ministry is not growing the way you think it should, the first thing to do is look at root causes. If the goal is to be an agent of God’s kingdom in the community, to make disciples and bring people to maturity in Christ, then it may be time to rethink your strategy.
