When another church grows, we should celebrate

Unity in the church is celebrating the growth of other churches, even when it costs the growth of yours.

It is easy to talk about unity when unity costs us nothing. It becomes much harder when someone else's success seems to come at our expense.

Churches are not immune to this struggle. We can become so focused on growing our own congregation that, without realizing it, we begin viewing the church down the road as competition.

But the Kingdom of God was never supposed to work that way.

The Apostle Paul confronted a similar attitude in the early Church. Some believers identified themselves with Paul while others preferred Apollos. Paul reminded them, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase” (1 Corinthians 3:6).

That changes how we should view ministry.

Sometimes we plant a seed that another church waters. Sometimes we disciple someone who eventually serves somewhere else. Other times, we benefit from years of faithful work someone else invested before that person ever walked through our doors.

None of us owns the harvest.

Jesus said, “I will build My church” (Matthew 16:18). Notice He called it His Church.

Local churches should desire to grow. We should reach people, make disciples, serve our communities and faithfully steward those God has entrusted to us. But growing our church and growing Christ’s Kingdom are not always exactly the same thing.

If someone grows closer to Jesus, becomes more obedient to Scripture and faithfully serves God in another Bible-believing congregation, our attendance may have decreased by one, but the Kingdom has not suffered a loss.

People belong to Jesus, not pastors.

John the Baptist understood this when attention began shifting from his ministry toward Jesus. Instead of protecting his influence, John declared, “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30).

That should still be our attitude.

When another faithful church reaches a family, celebrate.

When another ministry baptizes someone, celebrate.

When another congregation experiences growth, pray they steward it well.

Their victory does not have to become our defeat.

We may worship in buildings with different names and have different pastors, traditions and styles, but those who belong to Christ are members of one Body.

We were never called to build competing kingdoms.

We are coworkers in the same field, serving the same King.

True unity cares more about the growth of the entire Kingdom than the growth of our own house.

Pastor Scott Acklin ministers at New Fire Ministries.