Central Philippine Adventist College

School of Theology

A Case Study for Principles of Church Growth

A RESEARCH PAPER

PRESENTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT

OF THE COURSE

PRINCIPLES OF CHURCH GROWTH

By

Armando S. Capangpangan

March 20, 2020

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

Statement of the Problem............................... 2

Purpose of the study................................... 3
Significance/Importance of the Study................... 3

CHAPTER 2

AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IS CHURCH GROWTH ALL ABOUT

Review on the Concept.................................. 4

Advocate’s Understanding............................... 6
Bishop Charles F. Golden............................ 6
George G. Hunter III................................ 7

CHAPTER 3

PROFILE OF THE CHURCH UNDER STUDY

Location, History, Size, and Membership................ 8

Analysis of the Ten-year Growth Pattern................ 9
Commendable Church Growth Practices................... 10
Three Known Hindrances Affecting Growth............... 10

CHAPTER 4

BEST PRACTICES OF NON-SDA CHURCHES

Five best practices that contributed much to its growth

1. Small groups organized............................. 12
2. Campus Evangelism.................................. 12
3. Good and warm greetings of Ushers.................. 13
4. Experiential worship............................... 13
5. The Pastors preach simple sermons but nice......... 14

Acceptable Practices Observed From the Field trips

1. Organized and planned program...................... 14
2. Good pulpit decorum................................ 15
3. Good sound systems................................. 15
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 4. Properly conducted music services.................. 15
5. Neat Churches...................................... 16
6. No cellphones...................................... 16

CHAPTER 5

BAD PRACTICES OF NON-SDA CHURCHES

1. Hard Music......................................... 17
2. Condemning Sermons................................. 17
3. Not bringing the bibles............................ 17
4. No fellowshipping with others...................... 18
5. Tithes as Force not Love........................... 18

CHAPTER 6

SUGGESTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR

IMPROVING THE CHURCH SHORT TERM 5 YEAR

1. Have a Revival..................................... 19
2. Have a Training Programs........................... 19
3. Have a Discipleship Seminars....................... 19
4. Conduct a different way of Small group............. 20
5. Youth participation with a lot of activities....... 20

Long Term Program........................................ 21

1. Changing of the arrangement of the programs......... 21

2. Early AYF program................................... 21

CONCLUSION............................................... 22

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 CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

The Church that has been carelessly not participants

are prone to be lost. This is the reason that our church

needs to be aware of. Many times I have visited many

churches around my province and yet it seems gradual that

many of our churches are slowly decreasing in number. This

study is an actual facts on a church which we can easily

locate the core of this phenomena. Some denominations we

encounter are growing faster than before, and we need to

take note that our Church is the channel of God’s eternal

truths to be carried throughout the entire world. One thing

of this study is that it will give us an idea on how our

church grow. Some details are being sited through some

expertise and biblical scholars which gives importance on

discipleship, evangelism, and unique programs according in

biblical standards. We know that Church growth is a big

business.1 The main focus of a growing church is to talk

1Mark Dever, Biblical Church Growth I Thessalonians

3:12 4:12, Life Together, (Toledo Reformed Theological
Conference, 27 April 2002), Date Sited: February 7, 2020.
https://www.9marks.org/article/biblical-church-growth-i
thessalonians-312-412/
1
about growth not merely only in Spiritual (of course that

is important) but also about Membership. You can see in

many articles of different denominations that is growing

faster is talking about how to grow a church and to keep

the members active. Our great challenge today is to make

sure that our purpose and Identity as a Seventh-day

Adventist will be exercise in order to be an effective

church of these last generation.

Statement of the Problem

Inside our Church, Satan is active in getting some

precious souls away from Christ. The Problem of our church

is that most of our members became dull in participating of

saving souls and nurture some new converts that’s why some

churches ends up declining of membership instead of

growing. It is very prevalent in our generation today that

slowly our members doesn’t exercise the methods on how to

make our church grow, and the results may come up on the

stagnation of church services, dull worship, and even

backsliding of some inactive members due to the fact that

lack of leadership.

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 Purpose of the Study

The intent of this study is to know the facts and the

current status of one specific church in order to have a

realistic understanding on the past history and the current

situation in a particular area. This is to know how to aid

and solve the problematic parts of the system so by this

research we can directly hit the core of the cause of some

problem and give a solution by suggesting some new ideas

and good example taken from various method and it basically

founded from the biblical set-up.

Significance/Importance of the Study

This Study is conducted for the members of the church of

Seventh-day Adventist specifically in the area which this

study has been made. The importance of it is that the

members can benefit some good ideas how to grow a church

and they also have awareness of the situation they have.

Furthermore, the readers also will have a new insights by

this study and directly can apply the practical thought on

the importance of Church growth. Hopefully this study can

able to encourage every members to participants on church

growth rather than doing nothing.

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 CHAPTER 2

AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IS CHURCH GROWTH ALL ABOUT

Review on the concept

Church growth follows where Christians show

faithfulness in finding the lost. It is not enough to

search for lost sheep. The Master Shepherd is not pleased

with a token search; he wants his sheep found. The purpose

is not to search, but to find. The goal is not to send

powdered milk or kindly messages to the son in the far

country. It is to see him walking in through the front door

of his Father’s house. For church growth also re­ quires

obedience in being found. It never takes place among the

indifferent or rebellious, save as they renounce their

indifference and rebellion.2

Church growth follows where the lost are not merely

found but restored to normal life in the fold though it may

be a life they have never consciously known. Faithfulness

in folding and feeding—which unfortunately has come to be

called by such a dry, superficial term as “follow-up”—is

essential to lasting church expansion. When existing

2 ANNAN, Nelson, More People! Is Church Growth Worth

It, (IL: Harold Shaw, 1987), 156.
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Christians, marching obediently under the Lord’s command

and filled with his compassion, fold in the wanderers and

feed the flock, then churches multiply; but when they

indolently permit men and women who have made costly

decisions for Christ to drift back into the world, then

indeed churches do not grow. Faithfulness in proclamation

and finding is not enough. There must be faithful

aftercare. Among the found, also, there must be fidelity in

feeding on the word. Quality goes hand in hand with

quantity.3

Church growth is no mere sociological process. To be

sure, a secular humanist would see it as merely the outcome

of an interplay of anthropological, historical, economic,

and political forces. Humanists, believing in no

transcendent source of truth, understand reality through

empirical reason. But I am not a secular humanist; I am a

convinced Christian. I believe in God the Father almighty,

maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ his Son. The

truth to which I am bound inheres in the ultimate stuff of

the universe: the Word that was in the beginning with God,

by whom all things were made, without whom not anything was

3C. Peter Wagner, Your Church Can Grow (Glendale:

Regal Books, 1976), p. 170.
5
made that was made he is truth, and to him I give answer

for everything I think and say and do.4

Advocate’s Understanding

Bishop Charles F. Golden

A speech at Redlands, California, on June 13, 1975,

by Bishop Charles F. Golden, reveals this lack of biblical,

church growth understanding. Speaking to the 125th Session

of the Southern California-Arizona Conference, Bishop

Golden talked at length of membership decline and offered

the following vague challenge:

“Let us seek to achieve a minimum of 10% gain in

membership annually for the next six years. Let each Church
become a growing ground in which the call to ministry may
find a climate for acceptance and development. Let us
strive to give as much for others as for ourselves in the
next six years with a considerable number of our churches
moving in this category annually. Let us make maximum use
of the facilities we have established for ministry and
service to the total needs of the communities in which we
are located.”5

4Ted W. Engstrom, What in the World Is God Doing?

(Waco: Word Books, 197 8), pp. 22, 23.

5C. Peter Wagner, “American Church Growth Update,

1974,” United Evangelical Action, vol. 33, no. 1
(Spring 1974), pp. 15, 16, 36.

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George G. Hunter III

He speaks powerfully to this point. In the March 1977

Church Growth Bulletin he says;

“We have made some new disciples and planted some churches
and have had a social influence out of proportion to our
numbers. But, whenever the Christian mission has neglected
disciple- making and concentrated on the other facets of
Christ’s work, we have not made many disciples or planted
many churches and have not had much social influence
either! Our social causes will not triumph unless we have
great numbers of committed Christians.”6

6Donald A. McGavran and Winfield C. Arn, Ten Steps

for Church Growth (San Francisco: Harper and Row,
1977), P. 47.

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 CHAPTER 3

PROFILE OF THE CHURCH UNDER STUDY

Location, History, Size, and Membership

The Church I decided to study with is the Proper

Handumanan Church. This church is located in Barangay

Handumanan Bacolod City.

The History of this church is not well known because

one of the elders there (the Pioneer) is in other places. I

talk the clerk Luz Parame but she doesn’t know the story of

why that church existed.

The Size of that church is quiet normal slightly big

and slightly small, that church is near at the market and

also visible to the people in that place.

The Membership is many, they can reach 60 members but

due to its situation many are not really members of that

church but they are just visitors sometimes.

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 Analysis of the Ten-year Growth Pattern

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

Baptize 16 8 8 23 14 0 8 0 0 2 2

Transfer 4 0 6 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
in

Transfer N/R N/R N/R N/R N/R N/R N/R N/R N/R N/R N/R
out

deaths 1 1 1

Chart Title
25

20

15

10

0
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

Baptism Transfer In Transfer Out Deaths

COMMENDABLE CHURCH GROWTH PRACTICES

Bible Studies and Bonding

They have a good and regular bible studies every

Sabbath afternoon because one of their program is Home

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visitation and serenading so that they can able to give a

bible study to every person they visited. Also they Visited

those who are inactive members and to those who are

physically ill.

They have also outing and thanksgiving every end of the

year and fellowshipping every Month.

Three Known Hindrances Affecting Growth

1. Lack of Support of members

They have a problem in asking support from the members

because some or majority of them has a lack of commitment

to their responsibility and being lazy to push the work of

God.

2. Lack of Pastoral care

They long for a pastor to visit them always and being

cared so that they will be motivated in doing God’s work.

The main reason why they are tired because it is so seldom

for them to feel pastoral presence.

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3. No New Programs

Some of the members are longing for another programs in

which they can able to exercise their activeness on serving

for others. These could be one of the reason of being bored

inside the church because the members are used on the

formality inside the church and there is no new kinds of

experiential worship.

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 CHAPTER 4

BEST PRACTICES OF NON-SDA CHURCHES

Five best practices that contributed much to its growth

1. Small groups organized

In my Observation, I notice the way they reach out the

spiritual needs of the members. They give more importance

on small groups so that they can immobilize every member

into a bible study, conversation, bonding, and

relationship. Fellowshipping is the important tool in order

to maintain our bonds of every member. The moment that the

newly baptized member will experience this the will also

feel belongingness. They are doing this that’s why they are

numerous in number because they exactly do the same way.

2. Campus Evangelism

As what I have notice also in their Organization, They use

the young people to form a members inside the school in

order to connect with each other. The moment they go to

school they have also a ministry that will enables themto

be equip in sharing God’s truth. This is campus evangelism,

their leader trains a lot of youth to be a student

missionary in order to reach other student as well.

However, even their business they are inspired to

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participate in God’s work because of the bonding moments

they experience as a group.

3. Good and warm greetings of Ushers

As I go and walk in there church they have this warm

welcoming to every person and every visitors I feel

belongingness and comfort because of the warming smile that

greeted me. I observed that this is one of the most

important work of every youth, they must welcome everyone

who will enter the church in order that other brethren will

feel the warm fellowship and always love to go church on

every Sabbath.

4. Experiential worship

Other denomination sings differently because they feel

the music and they sing with emotions and even tears will

flow and shows that they really praising God with all their

hearts. Oftentimes we observed our churches today, people

are just talking and never paying attention to the song

they sing, they just doing unnecessary things that could

destroy the essence of music which can be a reason of dry

and dead worship. It is good to adopt this kind of worship

that will enhance and uplift every soul for Christ. If they

have good song conductor and a good music that is not dry

then the worship will be a remarkable for every Christian.

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5. The Pastors preach simple sermons but nice.

As I see and heard a pastor of one of the church that I

visited, he only speak simple terms that can be easily

understood by the hearers. It is not complicated but he

always speak about the love of God and emphasizing Love and

relationship that I think it is the reason why they will

grow because they speak more about love and relationship.

Acceptable Practices Observed From the Field trips

1. Organized and planned program

When we are visiting one of the churches that we

enter, I was amazed on their program. They are so organized

that the program is starting on time with the participants

are ready and well prepared. They have a countdown timer

that signifies the beginning of the program. This is one of

the practices that SDA must have in order to have a

wonderful time of worship. It must be on a good flow of the

program. There are dangers if we will not be prepared in

this matter because instead of a relax mind and peace

within our hearts, the program coordinator is now became

stressful. In order to make it wonderful it must be well

prepared at the first part.

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2. Good pulpit decorum

As I observed their pulpit, they have a great sense

of importance and proper decorum because mostly of their

pulpits are very attractive, neat, minimal in design, and

good in the sight. Their practice about it is also

essential to our worship feeling. The pulpit must be

presentable and not messy or regarding it as not important.

3. Good sound systems

When I visit a particular big church of other

denomination I observe how they neatly set-up the sound

system in order to clearly hear the message and never be

bored of the speaker. I think this is one of the important

aspect of preparation of worship. Because God is the God of

Order and He wants to make t sure that the worship is

properly organize and became a remarkable to every minds of

the brethren.

4. Properly conducted music services

As I sing with them those who are other denomination

I can see in their eyes the feeling of worship and become

active in singing and I notice that those who are being the

song leader are the most active in conducting the music. I

realize that when a song leader will lead with vigor and

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strength the people will also do the same. I saw their way

of Worshiping that is so attractive and filled with energy.

5. Neat Churches

The first impression of being an observer is the

physical structure of the church. No wonder that their

members boast their churches because of their pride of

their own physical churches. I know that someone who will

saw it at first will be curious about what’s inside. We

know that we as a seventh-day Adventist doesn’t boast so

much on what we have but the advantage of having a good

church is to represent God to other people how God loves

beauty and neatness.

6. No cellphones

I see the strictness of the other denomination about

reverence of worshiping God that never allows cellphone to

be a distraction of worship. Others are keeping their

cellphone in order that they can focus. Other also is

strictly prohibited the cellphones not to bring while

worship. It is a nice practice and it is good because when

we worship we must have an undivided attention to the Lord.

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 CHAPTER 5

BAD PRACTICES OBSERVED FROM THE OTHER DENOMINATIONS

1. Rock Music

The Bad practices that I observe not be adopt to us is

that there rock and noisy music which can destroy the true

essence of real experiential connection with God. It is not

to be overlaps by too much noise but it is to sing joyfully

in a pure way. I believe that it is also good but for me it

is good to minimize the tension of the music because of the

uplifting of the emotions rather than the principles.

2. Condemning Sermons

When I sit down and listen to the Sermon which a

pastor is delivering. I was uncomfortable because it is

very few that he mention about the love of God but always

uplifting the church and its capability to become saved

because of their name. This is one of the bad habits that

our church must shun.

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 3. Not bringing the bibles

One of my observation of the church we visited is

that they don’t have a bibles. Their members are not using

their bible but instead they only listens on what the

pastor is saying. That is not good in their spiritual

journey and their knowledge about God. That’s why we need

to bring our bibles

4. No fellowshipping with others

The same church I attended, There is no warm of other

fellow believers because they regard the church as a super

strict in discipline that would make a gap between

believers so that they cannot able to show their closeness

and bond inside the church.

5. Tithes as Force not Love

The same church I attended is that they really make the

tithes stricter in the sense that they are collecting it

with force not Love. That is unbiblical in the sense of

cheerful giving. That is why SDA church must never adopt

this practices that could destroy the relationship with

God.

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 CHAPTER 6

Suggestions and recommendations for improving the church

Short term 5 year

1. Have a Revival

The primary need of the church is the Holy Spirit

in order to have a strength of being continuous in action.

Our churches must have a revival always in order to reach

its potential of being faithful in reading the bible and

prayer. Suggesting that revival meetings must be done

every Quarterly in order that the brethren will have a

good taste of the word of God.

2. Have a Training Programs

I recommend that in every week there must be a

seminar of any basic training of church services, such

conducting, presiding, praying, sermon, and etc. this will

be helpful not only to the delegates but also to the local

members who would have a great potential in service for

God.

3. Have a Discipleship Seminars

Another recommendation is that the church members

must have is a seminar about discipleship. Today the

problem is that we are too busy of evangelism but in we

19
don’t regard the importance of discipleship. That’s why we

need to recognize that members must to know about

discipleship and make it work not only verbal but also

application.

4. Conduct a different way of Small group

One of recommendation that I want to share is that

when we will conduct small group we must have a different

way of handling it not on any forms that can make the

group looks drowsy and not interested but we can make it

more happy and joyful through a different dynamics of the

programs.

5. Youth participation with a lot of activities

This recommendation is for the enhancement of the

youth programs that can make them more active and

participating the program. We must activate MASTERGUIDE in

our local churches, P1 camp, Youth congress, Youth

banquet, Youth Seminars like Love, Emotions, and

Discipline seminars. It’s nice to have a youth crusade and

youth visitation so that you can immobilize the youth for

preparing to be a leader.

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 Long term Program

1. Changing of the arrangement of the programs

I notice that our program is only a routine and

doesn’t have any mix on every dynamics. I recommend that

the church will have an attention on making the program

more attractive to every people and make it so basic not

only in forms but experiential. For example the church of

SDA there at our place, they make the Divine worship in the

1st service and the Sabbath school in 2nd service. This is

okay for me because many will attend early as much as

possible.

2. Early AYF program

Another concern of every member is that when the AYF

tarry, the sense of excitement will gone and the tendency

is that many members will go to sleep and don’t want to

come back after the worship. I recommend that it is much

better to make it early as possible in 1:00 PM because the

sense is still there. And the program of the afternoon

will be more alive and well.

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 CONCLUSION

In This research I conclude that one of the reasons why

the church will grow is because of the individual

commitment of every members and their prayers by faith. If

they have this characteristics they will have the fruit of

it. They will become active in the church in serving and

caring to each members. Also their close relationship to

God helps a lot in church growth because they are being

inspired always in every spiritual side of the activities

inside the church.

The powerful thing in church growth is the balance of

Evangelism and Discipleship because the main focus of

ministry is not

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