Francis Chan on Church Growth

Francis Chan, in his book Forgotten God: Reversing Our Tragic Neglect of the Holy Spirit comments on the role of the Holy Spirit on church growth

Even our church growth can happen without Him. Let’s be honest: If you combine a charismatic speaker, a talented worship band, and some hip, creative events, people will attend your church. Yet this does not mean that the Holy Spirit of God is actively working and moving in the lives of the people who are coming. It simply means that you have created a space that is appealing enough to draw people in for an hour or two on Sunday.

It certainly does not mean that people walk out the doors moved to worship and in awe of God. People are more likely to describe the quality of the music or the appeal of the sermon than the One who is the reason people gather for “church” in the first place.

I share this not because the Holy Spirit is not working among us, but we should not let mere growth in the numbers who attend our church convince us that we are on the right path. The Reformers had a phrase ecclesia semper reformanda. It means the church is always reforming in accordance to the Word of God. We always need to examine our practices and programs to see if they in accordance to the Word of God. Chan is emphasizing we need to check if we are depending on the Holy Spirit for guidance and growth. The mark of a growing church in not numbers, but "Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ." (Ephesians 4:15).