Growth Requires Effort

What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth.

(1 Corinthians 3:5–7)

Growth, whether individual or congregational, comes with effort. It doesn’t come accidentally, but purposefully. Ultimately, God gives the increase, but we must work at planting and watering—every part doing its share (Eph. 4:15–16 NKJV).

“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:12–13).

So, what can we do to help in the effort of growth? First of all, we must decide that growth is not optional but vital—and the word “vital” is important because it means living, active, energetic.
“… Harmful to Christians is the assumption that anything worthwhile can be acquired at once. We assume that if something can be done at all, it can be done quickly and efficiently. Our attention spans have been conditioned by thirty-second commercials. Our sense of reality has been flattened by thirty-page abridgements” (Eugene Peterson, A Long Obedience in the Same Direction, pp. 11–12, 1980).

A primary contribution to growth (individually and congregationally) is time, which requires patience and therefore dependence upon the Lord—“Be patient, therefore, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, being patient about it, until it receives the early and the late rains. You also, be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand” (James 5:7–8).

Waiting doesn’t mean we’re sitting and doing nothing at all but waiting—it means we’re working the ground, sowing the seed, and watering until the Lord gives the increase (1 Cor. 3:5–7).

I believe the most important contributing factor to growth is prayer. Paul requested prayers—“Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints: and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel” (Eph. 6:18–19 NKJV).

“Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving; meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains, that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak” (Col. 4:2–4 NKJV).

But prayer should not be the only thing we do in the effort of growing personally and as a group. We need to study, since we are Jesus’ disciples (students), God’s word to know what it is that we need to ask for (1 John 5:14–15) and to discern what is pleasing to God (Eph. 5:10). Not just study about God’s word, from commentaries or other study helps, but actually read His word (Rom. 10:8–10).

We can’t teach what we don’t know (2 Tim. 2:15; 3:14–17; Psalm 1:1–2; Prov. 15:28). It’s not about simply knowing things (1 Cor. 8:1), but knowing things so that we can do those things which please our God and Father (Heb. 12:28–29).

So, if we focus ourselves with prayer and study, the natural growth will come to us personally and, therefore, we will begin seeing that truly “the fields are white for harvest” ( John 4:34–38).

Christianity is not a sprint; and it should not be a start/stop life of service. We need to see our obedience of faith as a long walk in heaven’s direction. Remember: time, patience, and dependence.

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God (Heb. 12:1–2 NASB).