Pastor Bill Purvis is a living example of transformation. He grew up in a dysfunctional home and as a teenager was stabbed three times with a butcher’s knife and left for dead. That horrific night was the turning point in his life. He gave his life to Christ and has never looked back. As a result, he is incredibly passionate about spiritual and personal growth.
Bill and and his wife Debbie were called to lead Cascade Hills Church of Columbus, Georgia on Easter Sunday April, 1983. There were 32 people present that day. Today, Cascade Hills Church runs 6,500 in weekly attendance.
What is amazing about this church besides the obvious growth and weekly attendance, is the church has baptized someone EVERY SINGLE DAY for the past 6 years!!! Yes, you read that right. Monday. Tuesday. Wednesday. Thursday. Friday. Saturday. Sunday. Rain. Snow. For over 6 years!!! With an outdoor baptismal available, it is routine for people to get baptized during their lunch hour with their co-workers present for example. Needless to say, Pastor Purvis understands church growth at a level few others do.
Today he spoke at Piedmont Church in Marietta, GA on biblical strategies for church growth. It was an amazing sermon with life-changing applications. So much so, I want to share them with you.
The following are 6 Biblical Strategies For Church Growth. All quotes are from Pastor Purvis.
Introductory Comments
- Churches don’t grow because of vision. They grow because of biblical strategies.
- God is good at giving strategy. God does different things at different times regarding strategy.
- The purpose of power is to empower.
- You wait on God to give you the strategy. The key is to wait on God.
- My strategy was to totally trust God.
Let the Word do the Work
- The secret to long-term growth is a Biblical foundation. It’s not in tricks or trends.
- “…preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.” – 2 Timothy 4:2
Clarify Your Mission
- “Then I said to them, ‘You see the bad situation we are in, that Jerusalem is desolate and its gates burned by fire. Come, let us rebuild the wall of Jerusalem so that we will no longer be a reproach.’ I told them how the hand of my God had been favorable to me and also about the king’s words which he had spoken to me. Then they said, ‘Let us arise and build.’ So they put their hands to the good work.” – Nehemiah 2:17-18
- As a Church, we have to be clear on why do we exist? Your why births your what. Good churches focus on what to do. Great churches focus on why they do it.
- As a Church, we have to be clear on who is our target? We made our target lost people. Our church looks like a Who’s Who of sinners.
- As a Church, we have to be clear on what is our intentional strategic plan to reach our target? A dream won’t do it.
Prayer Must Be THE Priority
- “Even those I will bring to My holy mountain and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be acceptable on My altar; For My house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples.” – Isaiah 56:8
- We have 1,700 Prayer Partners in our church.
- How do you baptize someone every day for 6 years in a row? People are praying every day.
- Every Mother’s Day for 36 years we pray at the altar with women wanting a child.
- God has a way of answering the prayers of His people.
Helping Everyone in the Church Discover their Spiritual Gift
- “Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching, or he who exhorters, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.” – Romans 12:6-8
- When God’s people are rightly slotted to serve in the place of their gifting, they find fulfillment.
Practice Biblical Stewardship
- When God’s people have victory financially, there is a different environment in the home, the job, and the church.
- 16 of the 38 parables are on money. There are over 2,000 verses on money.
- For 36 years, we do a stewardship series in January on money.
- If I touch it, I tithe it.
- I give God 10% because I trust Him 100%.
Never Lose The Wonder Of It All
As a bonus, Pastor Purvis also provided The Law of the First:
- First day of the week is the called the LORD’s Day. (Revelation 1:10)
- The firstborn son received the birthright. (Deuteronomy 2:15)
- The first of the harvest belonged to God.
- The first of the wine, wool, oil, and honey belonged to God. (Exodus 23:16)
- Our first love is to be God. (Matthew 10:37, Luke 14:26)
- The first of our income is God’s. (Proverbs 3:9)
What is one thing you learned from Pastor Purvis which will help your church grow?
My book Timeless: 10 Enduring Practices Of Apex Leaders is available for purchase. If you have ever wanted to become the leader God created you to be, this book is for you! By combining leadership lessons from biblical heroes like Jesus, Daniel and Joseph, along with modern day leaders like Bill Gates, Nick Saban, Kobe Bryant and multiple pastors, Timeless will equip and inspire you. This book is not to be read alone. Discussion questions are included in each chapter allowing you to develop those in your circle of influence. Click HERE or on the image provided and order your copies TODAY.