What really grows a church?
In 1 Corinthians 2:2, Paul says "For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling. And my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God."
In my study through 1 Corinthian, I came to this passage. It appears to me that Paul is reflecting back on his coming to Corinth and the beginning of his year and a half ministry there and what his mindset was at the time. He says that his mindset was that he was determined that he would know or focus his preaching and teaching on nothing more or less than on the person and death of Christ. This is what if a person was asked to summary what Paul's preaching was about what they would say. His beginning, middle and end was about Christ.
Some churches today for sure grow at least on a superficial level due to the pastor's personality or a program. Flock from one church leave and move to another because of personality. But, that is not true kingdom growth. Rather, that is sheep changing fields. Paul didn't want the Corinthians to be relying upon his character or charisma. He wanted them relying on the Spirit of God. From what it says in this passage and in several others,it appears that Paul had nothing to worry about because many appeared to say that Paul had a weak appearance 2 Cor 10:10.
Part of the problem with relying on a person or appearance is that once the programs newness has worn off or the person is gone growth stops or reverses itself. People who relied upon the person to help them grow now leave for someone else to guide them. The new show is now some other church or speaker or person down the road and everyone goes on to have their ears tickled somewhere else. Spiritual entertainment replaces spiritual maturity.
But, Paul wanted to give room for the Spirit of God to work. For the Spirit of God is the one who creates true spiritual growth. The spirit of God helps man to understand spiritual things. And without the Spirit a natural man cannot understand the things of God. That is why the world does not understand God or that Jesus is the son of God. Notice what it says in 1 Corinthians 2:12,14
"Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things freely given to us by God.
" But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand thenm, because they are spiritually appraised."
I think this is a good reason to remember that even as believer we must rely on the Spirit of God to teach us. We must not become arrogant as though we know something others don't or that we somehow came to knowledge of the truth through some ability of our own. But, with humility we should come to God's word each time it is read or studied with the attitude that we humble ourselves and open our eyes and ears to hear and see what God wants to say to us. We pray that the Spirit teaches us.
In my study through 1 Corinthian, I came to this passage. It appears to me that Paul is reflecting back on his coming to Corinth and the beginning of his year and a half ministry there and what his mindset was at the time. He says that his mindset was that he was determined that he would know or focus his preaching and teaching on nothing more or less than on the person and death of Christ. This is what if a person was asked to summary what Paul's preaching was about what they would say. His beginning, middle and end was about Christ.
Some churches today for sure grow at least on a superficial level due to the pastor's personality or a program. Flock from one church leave and move to another because of personality. But, that is not true kingdom growth. Rather, that is sheep changing fields. Paul didn't want the Corinthians to be relying upon his character or charisma. He wanted them relying on the Spirit of God. From what it says in this passage and in several others,it appears that Paul had nothing to worry about because many appeared to say that Paul had a weak appearance 2 Cor 10:10.
Part of the problem with relying on a person or appearance is that once the programs newness has worn off or the person is gone growth stops or reverses itself. People who relied upon the person to help them grow now leave for someone else to guide them. The new show is now some other church or speaker or person down the road and everyone goes on to have their ears tickled somewhere else. Spiritual entertainment replaces spiritual maturity.
But, Paul wanted to give room for the Spirit of God to work. For the Spirit of God is the one who creates true spiritual growth. The spirit of God helps man to understand spiritual things. And without the Spirit a natural man cannot understand the things of God. That is why the world does not understand God or that Jesus is the son of God. Notice what it says in 1 Corinthians 2:12,14
"Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things freely given to us by God.
" But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand thenm, because they are spiritually appraised."
I think this is a good reason to remember that even as believer we must rely on the Spirit of God to teach us. We must not become arrogant as though we know something others don't or that we somehow came to knowledge of the truth through some ability of our own. But, with humility we should come to God's word each time it is read or studied with the attitude that we humble ourselves and open our eyes and ears to hear and see what God wants to say to us. We pray that the Spirit teaches us.
