“So the church throughout all Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.” (v. 31)

How do you grow a church?

There are ten thousand books and millions of words already devoted to the subject. There are models, networks, and conferences abounding. We have no shortage of strategies for invitation, outreach, and accommodation.

And, no, that’s not all bad.

It’s just not where you start.

The Bible, in its earliest accounting of the church and its life, tells us what brought peace to it—and what strengthened it. And, it turns out, it didn’t come down to seeker-sensitivity or welcome-readiness. It was something more fundamental.

They feared the Lord in worship. They honestly held Him highly, supremely, and authoritatively. They were totally submitted. All that, AND they went where the Spirit led.

When you worship rightly—when you trust that the Spirit knows better than any church-growth model—you will find the church at peace in its purposes. And you will see the church strengthened, because its people are learning to love Jesus, and not idol of fuller rooms.

And that’s the kind of church the Lord grows.

— Tyler