Jump Start # 1227
Acts 12:24 “But the word of the Lord continued to grow and to be multiplied.”
Growth—that’s an important part of life and it’s what all organizations want. We plant small trees with the hopes that they grow into big trees. Little boys grow to become men. Puppies grow and become dogs. Businesses start in basements and garages and grow into major corporations. Congregations start small and grow into something big.
This week something special happened with our Jump Starts. I want to share the news with you. There have been many milestones in these four years of writing. Each Jump Start is numbered. In 2010 I started with Jump Start # 1, I didn’t know what else to call it. I was a bit unsure when I sent that out. Then we reached Jump Start # 100. How exciting that was. Then 200…500…1000. Today is 1,227. But there has been another number that I have watched all through this. This number was more important to me. It was how many signed up readers we had. There are so many of you that are sharing these with others that it is hard to know for certain how many people receive these. However, there is a list from those who have signed up through the website. That number fluctuated at first and then steadily grew every week. I was so excited to have 100 readers. Then we had 200 readers. This week we now have exceeded 1,000 people who have signed up to receive Jump Starts. This is not counting the many who are still sending them privately to family and friends, or the congregations that are using them. All told, our readership probably numbers between 2,500 and 3,000. Amazing. I’ve not put a lot into promoting this. We haven’t advertised this much. It grew from you sharing these and telling others about it. My dear friend Jim has asked me several times how long I plan to keep writing. There were two things that I felt would bring this to an end. First, when I start running out of ideas. When the well runs dry, it’s time to quit. The other factor was the number of subscribers. When the numbers started dropping off, I will stop. But the opposite has happened. More and more are signing up.
Two personal things and then on to our verse today.
First, thank you for reading these and encouraging me. Everyday I receive an email from someone. Your words are so kind. You have allowed me to share my life and my insights into God’s marvelous book. I have a Jump Start folder. I save every email. You have touched my heart so many times. Thank you.
Second, I must thank the wonderful folks at my home congregation, and especially the shepherds. They have put up with this writing journey and have graciously and enthusiastically funded everything associated with this. We have printed 12 Jump Start books that are theme based. These books have been mailed all over the world. Through this avenue I have come to know so many of you. I hope good has been done and God has been honored. Thank you, Charlestown Road.
Our verse today illustrates the growth of the early church. In a special way, the passage doesn’t say that the church grew, nor, that more were saved, but instead, “the word continued to grow.” The word. What is meant, is not the Bible. The thought is not that more books of the Bible were added, nor more pages where being written, but rather, through the spread of the word, disciples were being made. The word was becoming known in more and more places. More homes, more communities, more cities and eventually, more countries.
The only way to make a Christian is through the word of God. That is God’s way. The Gospel is God’s power unto salvation. Just thinking good thoughts won’t make one a Christian. Just being nice won’t do it. In fact, apart from the word, one cannot be a Christian.
What is also fascinating is that this small band of disciples were preaching and teaching God’s word and it was working. More and more were becoming Christians. The church was growing. This was done without a media team. This was done without billboards, mass mailing, Youtube videos, Facebook or other methods of mass communication. It was accomplished by word of mouth. That is always the best way. This does not dismiss using other ways to reach people. We must try everything possible to reach people. We know Satan is. The congregation where I am at is invested deeply in finding ways to get the message to the people. The deacons and media guys were I am at not only live stream our sermons through video, but the second services end, the lesson is on the website and copies of the lesson are available for people to take home right then. We’ve found that a great number of people are searching and checking out things on websites before they ever visit. What a congregation puts on the website needs to be fresh, updated and presented in a way that it makes sense to people who are looking. Sometimes we can be stuck in the past about these things. We can be stuck using words and terms that are only understood in our fellowship. We can be stuck in doing things the same way as generations past. Some of those methods may not work today.
The word grew in those early days, because those who were entrusted with it, wanted that word to grow. That’s the beginning point. We must want to grow. We must want new faces. We must want to reach those who don’t know Jesus. Many of those people who are looking, are at the bottom of life. Things haven’t worked out. This is why they are looking. They have baggage, issues and a past. God loves them. So must we. People are still looking for answers to their problems.
It’s time we gave some serious thought to growing that word in our communities. A little polish on the church building helps. A dump isn’t inviting to anyone. Clean it up. Pitch stuff. Make it look nice and inviting. Then clean up our attitudes. We must welcome new faces. We must invite them, include them and make them understand that it is good for all of us to be together in worship. They must feel loved and wanted. We must give serious thoughts to our worship. The songs we are singing…the type of sermons we are preaching…the classes that are being taught. Most folks don’t really understand millennium ideas or when and how Jesus is coming. Those are NOT the things that are keeping them awake at night. It’s family. It’s marriages. It’s finances. It’s forgiveness. It’s guilt. It’s aging parents. It’s death. It’s today that’s on their minds. Too many of us are trying to answer questions that no one is even asking anymore. Have you noticed how relevant, practical and useful the words of Jesus were? He knew exactly where the people were. He knew what to say. We must get out of the church house and get into the coffee house and in the work place and in the neighborhood with a message that is hopeful and helpful. The word can and still grows today. We must believe that.
A generation ago, congregations were pretty restricted to a local area. Not any longer. Our message becomes global when we use the available tools about us. The world is much smaller now because of technology. Congregations must do more because we have been given more. Get the word out.
The word grew…it did then and it continues to grow today. Thanks be to God who gives the increase.
Roger