Church Growth versus Mega Church Structure

I had an interesting dream after praying a very specific prayer.

I was in a meeting which was in a very small room but had very prominent government and Christian leaders from many countries.

There was a break when the leaders left the room and a few of us were left to while our time before they returned. It was in that intermission that we were looking through the grounds and I saw a depiction that was astounding. I looked around for my camera but had either forgotten in the room or had not had it when I came for the conference. But I had to take pictures of that model. Its message was so instructive.

I then saw a Ugandan who had a smart phone and asked whether I could borrow it to take the photos as we looked at how I would transfer the pictures to me. But it was not easy to use. Even getting to the camera was complicated. It was then that I remembered that I could use the same phone to e-mail the same photos to myself.

I took one side of the model and then went to the other side as the leaders were arriving. Then I discovered I had gone too far as the model was not as big. It only was in the midst of trees and thus the trunks made the model unable to be shot at one go. It was as I was pushing back to take the picture amidst the pressure of the arrival of presidents that the dream ended.

Let me explain what I had seen. On the left side was a tree. Then further the same tree was bigger with a few small trees. Then a few other bigger trees each with many other small other trees, eventually increasing to a forest, then the mountain like the one Nebuchadnezzar saw (Daniel 2: 35).

On the right side was a mountain that had a roof like a gigantic greenhouse. It had a forest inside. As the illustration continued the trees slowly by slowly lost their vitality and shriveled until it became a desert.

Standing side by side as they were it appeared as if one was the direct opposite of the other.

What were those models about? You may be asking. Anyone who has gone through MasterLife knows the master builder illustration. It in a very small way resembles the left side in the dream. And it explains the process of discipleship.

But the important point is the cause of flourishing and withering on each side which I think was whole message.

The left side was exposed to the elements. It received its fair share of the rain, sun, wind and all the other positive and destructive elements of nature. The other was shielded from the same. It was safe wherever you looked as any nature it encountered was sanitized. Why does that protection kill the plants whereas leaving them to the elements causes them not only to thrive but also reproduce so generously?

Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 5: 13 – 16)

The context of Christian life and discipleship is the world, not the church. Making the church structure the context of our lives and discipleship is living in spiritual denial. But we not only live in denial; we actually cease being witnesses.

And this explains why persecution throughout history remains the greatest contributor of Christian growth and witness. A shielded church (and by church I mean people) will shrivel and die.

Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. (Matthew 10:16)

Incidentally that is also the arena of our ministry according to the Lord. He did not shield us from the world but prepared us to impact that world.

I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. (John 17:15 – 17)

In summary I will say that greenhouse Christianity is a dying Christianity. Christianity shielded from confrontation persecution is a Christianity that will never bear spiritually relevant fruit.

If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. (John 15: 19, 20)

I am not an expert on greenhouse technology but the little I know is that greenhouses are used to grow perishable produce. They are also not used for reproduction but for one season productivity. From what I have heard the produce from a greenhouse, though it looks perfect to the eyes and excellent in production can never match naturally grown produce in terms of taste and texture. But this is not my field.

Application question - Is that the way we disciple those Christ brings to us?

It is possible that they know all the relevant verses and can even memorize them perfectly yet are toothless when a sexual temptation comes their way because the context of their discipleship was the classroom? They could have all the right doctrine and theology concerning the rudiments of their faith but become useless should their ministry lack resources or adequate support. They could know everything concerning the conduct expected of them but completely lose track if they lack accountability partners.

And I say this from seeing people who were otherwise spiritually powerful becoming worse than unbelievers once outside their greenhouse. I have been in remote places where the chances of someone who knows you visiting are close to zero. It is interesting (sad is the right word) that people who were elders in their churches before they were sent there became drunkards and whoremongers because there was nobody to check on them. People who had been pastors steal company and government money as if there is no tomorrow because there is no way any ‘brother’ could find out.

Could we disciple like Daniel was discipled that in the midst of gross wickedness and idolatry could purpose ‘not to defile himself’ though it put his life in the line of fire? Can we disciple like Ezra was that seventy years after the captivity was excellent in teaching and applying scripture that the whole nation hung on his every word? Or are we discipled like he was that he feared putting his faith to shame by accepting security when it was easily available?

Must we always be available to our disciples because they really must have our word before making any decision? Can we trust them to completely disappear from our sight and remain confident that they are bearing fruit for Christ?

What about our own discipleship? Can we be counted on to bear fruit on hostile territory? Can we like Joseph choose prison rather than a compromise even though you are in a far off land where nobody knows you and it appears as if God has deserted you? Can you like Mordecai go against established structures and constitutions even though it appears like a futile exercise? Can we go where God orders us even if our superiors vehemently oppose us?

I believe greenhouse Christianity is the reason two millennia after the birth of the church there are still unreachable people groups yet the few disciples at the birth of the church were able to evangelize their world in a single generation and that without the conveniences we today have.

We have no option but go back to the root of our faith and ask God why we are not winning the world to Christ yet boast that our churches are thriving just because we are handling huge amounts of money. Yet we know that money is not spiritual in God’s direction.

Who will take the Gospel to ISIS and Boko Haram and Al Shabaab and Al Qaeda? Who will take the gospel to the forbidden islands of the world? Who will take the Gospel to the marketplaces of the world?