Growing a simple church into the Christ-honoring, love-driven, life-transforming, multiplication-minded powerhouse that God intends requires expert builders who work closely with the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:7-17). Lots of things can (and do) go wrong that leave a church fractured, render it irrelevant or dissolve it entirely after a short run. That’s one reason why so many instructions and corrections were included in the New Testament epistles. And why it’s important for us to think both biblically and practically as we plan, launch and develop our churches.

Over the past many years of learning by lots of doing and debriefing, I have identified ten factors that sharply influence the quality and long-term prospects of a simple church. These highlight the “essentials” of what I believe is needed to build something extraordinary from the ground, up: a spiritual temple in (and through) which God can be revealed (2 Corinthians 6:16; Ephesians 2:21-22).

1. E mbraced identity
2.
S piritual formation
3.
S hared responsibility
4.
E ngagement guidelines
5.
N ourishing Bible study
6.
T hanks- (and praise-) filled prayer
7.
I ntimate fellowship
8.
A ssertive evangelism
9.
L ong-term coaching
10.
S hepherding elders

Read more about all 10: Essentials of Extraordinary

Download the file: Essentials of Extraordinary