But it’s interesting how little the New Testament talks about church growth, and how often it talks about ‘gospel growth’ or the increase of the ‘word’.

a ênfase não está no crescimento da congregação como estrutura – em números, finanças e sucesso – e sim no crescimento do evangelho, à medida que ele é pregado e pregado de novo sob o poder do Espírito” (pp. 45-46)

But the emphasis is not on the growth of the congregation as a structure — in numbers, finances and success — but on the growth of the gospel, as it is spoken and re-spoken under the power of the Spirit.

Se treinarmos e enviarmos obreiros a novos campos... nosso ministério local pode não crescer em números, mas o evangelho avançará por meio destes novos ministros da Palavra.” (pp. 33) – Comentário: prova que crescimento não é medido pelo número de membros.

But the emphasis is not on the growth of the congregation as a structure — in numbers, finances and success — but on the growth of the gospel, as it is spoken and re-spoken under the power of the Spirit. In fact, New Testament congregations, as far as we can tell, were usually small gatherings meeting in houses. They were outwardly unimpressive, and had minimal infrastructure. But God kept drawing people into them by the gospel. Or to put it another way, Christ kept doing what he said he would do in Matthew 16. He kept building his church.

But it’s interesting how little the New Testament talks about church growth, and how often it talks about ‘gospel growth’ or the increase of the ‘word’. The focus is on the progress of the Spirit-backed word of God as it makes its way in the world, according to God’s plan. Returning to our vine metaphor, the vine is the Spirit-empowered word, spreading and growing throughout the world, drawing people out of the kingdom of darkness into the light-filled kingdom of God’s beloved Son, and then bearing fruit in their lives as they grow in the knowledge and love of God. The vine is Jesus, and as we are grafted into him, we bear fruit (John 15:1-11).

Are you committed to church growth or to gospel growth? Do you want more numbers in the pew now, or more labourers for the harvest over the next 50 years?

It is evident from the Scripture, that there is yet remaining a great advancement of the interest of religion and the kingdom of Christ in this world, by an abundant outpouring of the Spirit of God, far greater and more extensive than ever yet has been. It is certain, that many things, which are spoken concerning a glorious time of the church’s enlargement and prosperity in the latter days, have never yet been fulfilled.

Jesus Christ and His Church are our life, our passion; in Him and in Her we wish to grow ever more ourselves and help others to grow. This growth is the goal of the new evangelization and of the Ad Gentes mission.

If Christ's followers aren't growing, it is because they are not making a habit of evaluating their lives. They don't step back and ask, "What's working and what's not working?"

There is a still small voice telling us what is right, and if we listen to that still small voice we shall grow and increase in strength and power, in testimony and in ability not only to live the gospel but to inspire others to do so.

When speaking of the new testament that you should read all the histories of Christ, as well of those whom a council of ecclesiastics have decided for us to be Pseudo-evangelists, as those they named Evangelists. Because these Pseudo-evangelists pretended to inspiration as much as the others, and you are to judge their pretensions by your own reason, & not by the reason of those ecclesiastics. Most of these are lost. There are some however still extant, collected by Fabricius which I will endeavor to get & send you.

Francesco non insegna cose nuove, quel che dice è tutto già scritto nel Vangelo: l’amore di Gesù per i poveri, la chiamata alla conversione e tutto il resto. Lui mi ha detto che ammira molto Paolo VI, l'Evangelii nuntiandi in particolare, che per me è forse il documento più importante del dopo Concilio. Francesco, però, ha messo l’accento sulla gioia, il gaudium, perché c’è una tendenza nel mondo contemporaneo, non solo nella Chiesa, a sentirsi stanchi e tristi. La vita familiare, lo studio, il lavoro: sono vissuti come un peso. Ma noi abbiamo la vera ragione per essere lieti: Gesù, morto e risorto, è vivo ed è la nostra speranza.

A commitment to the growth of the gospel will mean that we train people towards maturity not for the benefit of our own churches or fellowships but for the benefit of Christ’s kingdom.