Let’s assume we had 50 members 60 years ago, and now 500, inclusive of active, non-active, associate members and those who had left us. We can have two growth models:
| Membership at 2015 by growing at a rate of 7.5 persons a year | Membership at 2015 by growing at 4% per annum | |
| 50 members 60 yrs ago | 493 | 506 |
Based on the above, we can generalize that there is no difference at how we theoretically arrived at our current total notional membership.
Basing on 500 membership, let’s use these two same models to project our growth for the next 10 and 20 years.
| Membership 10 years from now | Membership 20 years from now | |
| Average rate of 7.5 persons a year | 568 | 643 |
| At 4% per annum | 749 | 1108 |
Now do you see the difference?
Very obviously, one model is much more progressive, more exciting and therefore more challenging than the other!
If you have some money to put in the bank, which model would you invest in? One that pays you $7.50 a year or 4% interest per annum?
Likewise God has given much in our lives, we need to invest our gifts to get a good return for Him – read Matthew 25:13-30 and Luke 19:12-28.
Six years ago, we envisioned that the way to achieve growth is through Intentional Discipleship Process (IDP). For five years since, we focused on discipling of believers on the four aspects of a disciple’s profile – Knowledge, Character, Skill and Vision. We supplemented these aspects with the SG’s ethos P.A.G.E. The ‘E’ element is to remind us that as we grow, our hearts need to overflow with spring of living water. When we are dry, we can’t possibly share. But when we overflow with God’s grace and blessings, we will be eager to share with others.
We do quite well in *P.A.G. (E)vangelism however, is our weakest.
Jesus’ disciples started “Doing Evangelism” very early in their discipleship training (see Mark 6:7, 12-13; Luke 10:1,17).
We have been dong IDP for five years; we can put more focus into evangelism. Let’s also take to heart Apostle Paul’s urging to move on from milk to solid food; from infancy to maturity in Christ… Hebrews 5:12.
PAGE stands for: Pastoral care; Authentic relationship; Growth in discipleship; Evangelism
We firmly believe that church growth does not come from programmes targeting growth but from personal growth in Christ with a vision of participating in His Great Commission. In other words, we must be missional in our outlook – we must have God’s mission in focus. We must be outreaching.
Jesus shows us that part of being a disciple is to fish early. Start fishing. Start “Doing”.
The Bless Community Services (BCS) ministry is another great platform for fishing. Have you signed up for the Go-Out day?
By Shi Pau Soon, Elder (YCKC Bulletin 21&22 March 2015)