2. H INDERING C HURCH G ROWTH

3. HOW FULL DO YOU THINK WE COULD FILL THIS BUCKET WITH WATER? THE HOLES ARE THE LIMITING FACTOR.

4. LIMITING FACTORS INHIBITING CHURCH GROWTH Revelation 2:1-5 & 3:14-22 IT’S POSSIBLE FOR US NOT TO GROW BECAUSE OF A LACK OF LOVE. MARK 12:28-31 O NE OF THE SCRIBES CAME AND HEARD THEM ARGUING, AND RECOGNIZING THAT H E HAD ANSWERED THEM WELL, ASKED H IM, “W HAT COMMANDMENT IS THE FOREMOST OF ALL ?” J ESUS ANSWERED, “T HE FOREMOST IS, ‘H EAR, O I SRAEL ! T HE L ORD OUR G OD IS ONE L ORD ; AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE L ORD YOUR G OD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.’ T HE SECOND IS THIS, ‘Y OU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ T HERE IS NO OTHER COMMANDMENT GREATER THAN THESE.”

5. LIMITING FACTORS INHIBITING CHURCH GROWTH Revelation 2:1-5 & 3:14-22 IT’S POSSIBLE FOR US NOT TO GROW BECAUSE OF A LACK OF LOVE. LOVE IS PATIENT … LOVE TREATS OTHERS WITH KINDNESS … LOVE IS NOT JEALOUS OF OTHERS … IT IS NEVER FOUND BRAGGING … LOVE IS NOT ARROGANT … IT DOES NOT SEEK ITS OWN WAY … LOVE IS NOT EASILY PROVOKED … LOVE KEEPS NO RECORD OF WRONGS SUFFERED – BUT FORGIVES LOVE NEVER DELIGHTS IN UNRIGHTEOUSNESS – REJOICES IN TRUTH LOVE ALWAYS … ALWAYS … BEARS ALL THINGS ALWAYS BELIEVES … HOPES … ENDURES … LOVE NEVER FAILS!

6. LIMITING FACTORS INHIBITING CHURCH GROWTH Revelation 2:1-5 & 3:14-22 LACK OF LOVE IS THE #1 LIMITING FACTOR IN CHURCH GROWTH 1 JOHN 3:14 W E KNOW THAT WE HAVE PASSED OUT OF DEATH INTO LIFE, BECAUSE WE LOVE THE BRETHREN. H E WHO DOES NOT LOVE ABIDES IN DEATH. 1 JOHN 4:20 IF SOMEONE SAYS, “ I LOVE G OD,” AND HATES HIS BROTHER, HE IS A LIAR ; FOR THE ONE WHO DOES NOT LOVE HIS BROTHER WHOM HE HAS SEEN, CANNOT LOVE G OD WHOM HE HAS NOT SEEN.

7. LIMITING FACTORS INHIBITING CHURCH GROWTH Revelation 2:1-5 & 3:14-22 IT’S POSSIBLE FOR US NOT TO GROW BECAUSE OF OUR TONGUE. PHILIPPIANS 2:14-18 D O ALL THINGS WITHOUT GRUMBLING OR DISPUTING ; SO THAT YOU WILL PROVE YOURSELVES TO BE BLAMELESS AND INNOCENT, CHILDREN OF G OD ABOVE REPROACH IN THE MIDST OF A CROOKED AND PERVERSE GENERATION, AMONG WHOM YOU APPEAR AS LIGHTS IN THE WORLD, HOLDING FAST THE WORD OF LIFE, SO THAT IN THE DAY OF C HRIST I WILL HAVE REASON TO GLORY BECAUSE I DID NOT RUN IN VAIN NOR TOIL IN VAIN. B UT EVEN IF I AM BEING POURED OUT AS A DRINK OFFERING UPON THE SACRIFICE AND SERVICE OF YOUR FAITH, I REJOICE AND SHARE MY JOY WITH YOU ALL. Y OU TOO, I URGE YOU, REJOICE IN THE SAME WAY AND SHARE YOUR JOY WITH ME.

8. LIMITING FACTORS INHIBITING CHURCH GROWTH Revelation 2:1-5 & 3:14-22 IT’S POSSIBLE FOR US NOT TO GROW BECAUSE OF OUR TONGUE. PROVERBS 11:13 H E WHO GOES ABOUT AS A TALEBEARER REVEALS SECRETS, BUT HE WHO IS TRUSTWORTHY CONCEALS A MATTER. PROVERBS 26:20 F OR LACK OF WOOD THE FIRE GOES OUT, AND WHERE THERE IS NO WHISPERER, CONTENTION QUIETS DOWN.

9. LIMITING FACTORS INHIBITING CHURCH GROWTH Revelation 2:1-5 & 3:14-22 IT’S POSSIBLE FOR US NOT TO GROW BECAUSE OF OUR TONGUE. QUESTIONS ABOUT GOSSIP… IS IT ACCURATE ? IS IT LOVING ? IS IT THE WHOLE PICTURE ? IS IT CONFIDENTIAL ? WOULD THIS PERSON WANT ME TO REPEAT THIS ? IS IT DAMAGING ? WOULD WE WANT THIS SAID ABOUT US ? DOES THIS NEED TO BE SHARED WITH THOSE INSIDE OR OUTSIDE THE FAMILY OF G OD ? IS THIS REALLY NECESSARY ? IS IT SOMETHING WE WOULD BE WILLING TO SHARE WITH J ESUS ?

10. AN EDIFYING TONGUE ROMANS 14:19 WE PURSUE THE THINGS WHICH MAKE FOR PEACE AND THE BUILDING UP OF ONE ANOTHER. 1 CORINTHIANS 10:23 A LL THINGS ARE LAWFUL, BUT NOT ALL THINGS ARE PROFITABLE. A LL THINGS ARE LAWFUL, BUT NOT ALL THINGS EDIFY. EPHESIANS 4:29 D O NOT LET ANY UNWHOLESOME TALK COME OUT OF YOUR MOUTHS, BUT ONLY WHAT IS HELPFUL FOR BUILDING OTHERS UP ACCORDING TO THEIR NEEDS, THAT IT MAY BENEFIT THOSE WHO LISTEN. 1 THESSALONIANS 5:11 T HEREFORE ENCOURAGE ONE ANOTHER AND BUILD EACH OTHER UP, JUST AS IN FACT YOU ARE DOING.

11. LIMITING FACTORS INHIBITING CHURCH GROWTH Revelation 2:1-5 & 3:14-22 IT’S POSSIBLE FOR US NOT TO GROW BECAUSE OF OUR LACKING COMMITMENT. MATTHEW 6:33 B UT SEEK FIRST H IS KINGDOM AND H IS RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND ALL THESE THINGS WILL BE ADDED TO YOU. HAVE WE MADE A DECISION FOR JESUS... OR A COMMITMENT TO HIM?

12. LIMITING FACTORS INHIBITING CHURCH GROWTH Revelation 2:1-5 & 3:14-22 IT’S POSSIBLE FOR US NOT TO GROW BECAUSE OF OUR LACKING COMMITMENT. ROMANS 12 COMMITMENT CHALLENGE #1: COMMITMENT TO PERSONAL SPIRITUAL GROWTH. (R OMANS 12:1-4) #2: COMMITMENT TO CHRIST ' S BODY ( CHURCH ). (R OMANS 12:3-5) #3: COMMITMENT TO THE WORK OF MINISTRY. (R OMANS 12:6-13) #4: COMMITMENT TO RELATIONSHIPS. (R OMANS 12:14-21)