Does the Devil Exist?

Yes he does, if you believe God’s Book, and he attends your church! Not to worship, but to disrupt.

He’s not a member of your church. He just works constantly among your members. Want a big example?

• Jesus is really smart. He designed a movement around geometric progression.
• This is an exponential growth factor.
• It has been a key factor of every revival (rapid growth of Christianity) God has caused throughout history.
• IT IS PRACTICED BY LESS THAN 3% OF THE CHURCHES IN THE U.S. (Based on the thousands of churches we have studied in 67 denominations, independents, and nondenominational churches.

Here are your choices:

1. Growth by multiplication (Jesus’ plan).
2. Growth by addition (the reality of 97% of the Christians in the U.S.).

Here is the key issue: Jesus said, “Go, make disciples.”

• Churches make church members.
• Churches mostly practice “Y’all come” (bring someone to church).
• Church leaders do not disciple.
• Church leaders are fixated on teaching (academics, head stuff) alone.
• Church leaders spend 90% of their time doing ministry, not multiplying themselves.
• Church leaders seem programmed to “go large” and “go big.”

Jesus modeled something different.

1. It is counterintuitive to humans.
2. It takes more time.
3. It leads to a movement.
4. It works.

Jesus started the most impactful, longest lasting movement on the planet by modeling what works:

1. Start with a few (12).
2. Spend three years with them.
3. Disciple them.
4. Change who they are.
5. Focus beyond “what you learn” to “who you are, who you become.”
6. Embed them in this DNA so thoroughly so they do ministry the way Jesus did ministry.
7. Make sure the people they reach do this also.

Pastors are primarily trained (1) academically and (2) to do ministry. The Bible says, in Ephesians 4, leader-types in the church have a main task: to equip the people in the church to do ministry.

The end result:

1. People in a church can do more ministry in their spare time than church staff (leaders/pastors) can do working 70 hours a week.
2. Church people, equipped, can relationally reach people in their social networks than church leaders will never meet.

There are reasons so many churches are stalled or have meager growth. It’s not rocket science, and it’s not a secret. It takes time, and guidance, but churches can change. It’s called renewal!