Zimpapers Logo

Rev Sarah Nyathi
I WILL refer to my experiences as a Pentecostal minister of the gospel ad-nauseam as that is the exposure I have had since childhood and I have in excess of 20 years experience as a minister of the gospel in a Pentecostal setting. I wish to discuss church growth dynamics in the modern Pentecostal church.  I will loosely refer to these as first, second and third generation Pentecostal churches.

In order for the reader to understand what I am referring to in this regard, first generation Pentecostal Churches would be the oldest and pioneering Pentecostal denominations such as Assemblies of God, Apostolic Faith Mission, Apostolic Churches of Pentecost and United Pentecost.

The Zimbabwe Assemblies Of God Africa — Forward in Faith is also a pioneering ministry and was established more than 50 years ago albeit by a Zimbabwean.

These are first generation churches as many were pioneered by foreign missionaries, people who were not of Zimbabwean origin.

Second generation Pentecostal churches are those that were spawned from these pioneering churches during the 1980s and 1990s and would include Victory Fellowship, Selborne Park  Christian Centre, New Life for All, Family of God, Word of Life International, and many other fellowships too numerous to mention that can be found throughout the nation.

I would consider Harvest House International (the church that my husband and I pastor) a second generation Pentecostal church.

Third generation churches are those that were spawned after 2000 particularly during and after 2008. These are widespread and numerous.

As the Pentecostal movement is largely young as far as Christendom is concerned, a large number of them are not as structured and as organised as our mainline counterparts who have been in existence for hundreds of years.

Modern Pentecostalism was revived in 1903 in Los Angeles after a great outpouring of the Holy Spirit in a house in Azusa Street. It is from this gathering of men and women that missionaries travelled the length and breadth of the globe pioneering and starting modern Pentecostal churches.

Modern Pentecostal churches are very diverse in their nature and visiting first, second and third generation churches would give one a    varied experience in terms of style of worship and doctrine.

It is my contention that first and second generation Pentecostal churches though differing in individual style are very similar, fairly structured and orderly and may not vary greatly in doctrine.

Third generation Pentecostal churches are more charismatic and have adopted modern worship methods that would not necessarily be common in the older Pentecostal churches.

There is a common thread that binds all Pentecostal churches together. This common bond is our religious fervour and zeal to evangelise, win others to Christ and populate heaven.

This should be the main agenda of all worthy Pentecostal churches. The result of this strong evangelism thrust should result in church growth as more people join the churches when they are convicted of sin, converted to Christ and hopefully attend church as the final goal.
However, with time, the zeal for church growth has not diminished; rather the methods of church growth have evolved and are no longer strongly evangelistic in their nature. Few Pentecostal churches ranging from the first to the third generation are rarely involved in evangelism.

True church growth is a result of evangelism and discipleship. The church was given final instructions just before Jesus ascended into heaven after His death burial and resurrection.

These instructions are outlined in Matthew 28: 19-20: Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father, and the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.

True evangelism takes place when people go out and make disciples or followers of Jesus Christ. When people have been told and they receive the message, they are to be taught the scriptures and made disciples or followers of the Lord Jesus Christ.

What is happening lately in Pentecostal circles is not genuine church growth, rather it is the same group of people recycled in different congregations.  Large crowds seen in one place or crusade are likely to be the same large crowd seen in another place at another location on another occasion.

A church is truly growing when it is replicating itself by adding new converts into its membership base and not recycling members of another congregation or church.

The following will never bring about genuine, lasting church growth:

● Dressing in the latest suits
● Having body guards and people waiting on you hand and foot
● Driving the biggest flashy cars or flying in helicopters to church
● Misappropriating church funds and using them unwisely will in fact destroy the church
● Day dreaming about a large church and then doing nothing about it will not result in growth.
● Gimmicks and endless programmes will not deliver either.
● Sheep stealing and luring people from other churches to join yours will not help.

A Pentecostal church that is serious about growing in numbers should engage in various forms of evangelism methods.

Some of these can be personal evangelism, corporate evangelism, friendship evangelism, door to door visits and street meetings among others.

A genuinely growing church that is fulfilling its scriptural mandate should be experiencing one or all types of growth.  According to Jeffry W Van Wyk churches should witness four types of growth.

Internal growth

This refers to the spiritual growth of people within the church.

When discipleship is taking place and people are taught the precepts and the principles of the word of God they are transformed, rooted and grounded in the things of God. Spiritual maturity takes place and people become focused. Stability is birthed in them and church migrating is minimised. Teaching and discipling congregants in the full counsel of the word of God is very important.

Expansion growth

Expansion growth is growth in numbers which takes place as believers carry out the “great commission” going out and making disciples of all nations. Discipleship is a result of teaching them to observe all that God has commanded us. The secret of true growth is found in the great commission.  I encourage pastors and congregants to “go” out and find clean canvases. These are people who have not been in church circles previously.  Do not try to remake a vessel that is already complete and has already been fashioned.

Extension Growth

This is when the church grows and plants other churches in a similar culture, for example A Bulawayo based church planting churches in a similar setting (Bulawayo communities).

Bridging Growth

The church begins to cross physical borders and cultural boundaries. Church planting is extended to include other races, ethnic groups and even other nations. The church develops and international flavour thus attracting people of other tribes, races and cultures. The church becomes multicultural.  Sadly, in Zimbabwe most churches are divided along tribal and racial lines. It is my prayer that the church of Jesus Christ will grow and become inclusive.

Let us reach out to those who do not yet know Christ and experience true church growth. True church growth is experienced through evangelism and discipleship.