Just before I left for Russia in my study I came upon a discovery that I shared with you – the 8 identifiable principles of the church growth in the New Testament. After all the need for a healthy and balanced church is not only deduced by the empirical research of church scholars, and not only mentioned in the writings of the Spirit of Prophecy, but on the pages of the Holy Book.
As I taught about it, I asked my students for a bonus on the exam to match the 8 quality characteristics with virtues outlined by Peter in his 2nd letter.
Most of the answers were a solid consensus on 2nd Peter 1:5-7
1. Peter calls for leaders to empower, to be diligent, to make every effort, to do our utmost to support the faith.
2. Our faith needs goodness, we tell the good news through our good works, we evangelize by taking care of people’s needs.
3. The good works, virtue requires understanding and knowledge. Our ministry must flow out of knowing our calling and our spiritual giftedness.
4. Truly spiritual lives are temperate and lived under control of the Spirit. True passionate spirituality flows from following disciplines of the Spirit.
5. Disciplined life is patient and perseveres collaborating with other believers, hence the structurally the Body of Christ is functional and efficient.
6. Godliness and devotion are just synonyms for worship, inspired and inspiring worship.
7. Brotherly kindness describes the ideal of Christian fellowship, community created in small groups where total care is provided.
8. Finally, the agape love – the loving relationships – are the crown of Christian life.
Some commentators took liberty to suggest that these are in hierarchical order, one contingent on the other and building up as a pyramid. There is no such intent in Peter’s letter. He simply tells that Christian must have all these. There is no particular order or sequence – they’re simply present in the life of a Christian.
That is why we talk all the time about these 8 things. These are the values that must become our DNA, that must become our nature of how we live, how we minister, how we do things.
Peter continues in verses 8-9: “if these things be in you, and abound, you will not be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.” In other words – the balanced presence of these 8 qualities will make you productive, effective and useful. Peter continues: “whoever lacks, or fails to develop these is blind, at least, very shortsighted, and already forgotten that God has cleansed them from their old life of sin.”
We continue our diligent efforts to become a healthy church, where all these virtues are present and balanced. In a few short weeks 30 of the church active members will take the annual survey to check the pulse of our church. Quoting Peter (verses 10-11) I could only say: “my brothers and sisters, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”
