CHURCH GROWTH IN A NON-GROWING AREA
has departed. This is one reason for the growth of sound, fundamental, evangelical churches. There is a real danger though that some of these groups still are not moving forward for God. They may be tied down to higher leader ship, conventions, and conferences. These things are good for fellowship and direction, but they can also de stroy or interrupt the quality and autonomy of the local body of be lievers. Also there can be an over balance of the separatist viewpoint. Christianity isn’t a negative; it’s a positive. We cannot isolate ourselves from the opportunity of reaching others for Christ. Our North Valley Baptist Church in Redding, California started with a few more than 30 members about eight years ago; God has so blessed in adding to the membership so that we now have about 1,200. We’re lo cated about five miles from a town of less than 30,000. We are not in a high economy area. In fact, Shasta County is one of the most poverty- stricken sections in California. We don’t have a large Sunday school bus route either. All of what we enjoy have been specific blessings from the Lord. About 800 of our members are folks who have accepted Christ as their persona] Saviour in the past seven and a half years. There are lost people who do not know the Saviour in any area. We wanted to establish a church to reach the un saved. Jesus wanted the disciples to see the lost. There are areas r ig h t around us where people need to be born again. We need to urge people to follow God and His leadership. This is what the early believers were told in Acts 2:42. God abundantly blessed these people. Our outreach has been successful because we have people who love the Lord, have a high degree of faith and love to see the lost won for Christ. It’s just normal to see the unsaved come for- 9
by Royal Blue, pastor of N o r t h V a l l e y B a p t i s t Church, Redding, Calif.
W hile many churches are grow ing today, the normal picture is toward a down trend, except where the population is sizable. Here and there across the country God is rais ing up churches through the indigen ous method. They have not had out side help. Many of the older churches, unfortunately, are cold and static, involved in social action, rather than Gospel presentation. I don’t believe a minister needs to be involved in marches and protests. His business is reaching the lost for Christ. He must meet the spiritual needs of his people. Many local churches are dy ing, or merging with other denomi nations, trying to stay alive. Destruc tion and failure have been written over the door of too many of these spiritual wrecks. The glory of God
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