Do you want to achieve massive church growth? Do you want a big church? Bill Easum and Bil Cornelius have written a book to show you how to "Go Big."

Is your church big enough? Fewer pastors are answering 'yes' to that question. The modern trend for Protestant churches, especially evangelical churches, is the mega-church. Consequently, numerous pastors are reading books and articles about how to achieve massive church growth. They want to know how to grow their congregations into mega churches.

Bill Easum, a church consultant with over 30 years' pastoral experience, and Bil Cornelius, founder of mega-church Bay Area Fellowship in Texas, have written a book advancing this church growth trend. Go Big: Lead Your Church to Explosive Growth is their contribution to the discussion taking place today on church growth stategies and theology.

Go Big: Lead Your Church to Explosive Growth is predicated on several philosophies:

• Most small churches are small, because their structure and culture keeps them small.
• Church growth (indeed fast, rapid church growth) is biblical.
• God will reward big dreams and big faith.
• The most biblical model for church government (and the most effective for church growth) is pastor-led.

The authors emphasize that, unless a church embraces these principles, it will likely not grow.

But what does the Bible say about all this? Is it appropriate for a church to want to grow big? Is the mega-church trend a modern, commercial trend or is it biblically base? Does God reward churches according to their dreams and their faith - or is there more to it than that? And does the Bible really say that pastors should be the singular, primary leaders of congregations? Aren't boards, committees, or congregational democracy more appropriate and desirable in our modern age?

Let's look at some of these questions:

Should a Church Desire Rapid, Massive, "Exposive" Growth?

Answer: Yes, if....the desire for church growth is based on LOVE and not greed! And if the desire is more toward IMPACT - and not simply to fill pews. The apostle Peter tells his readers that pastors should not "shepherd the flock of God" for "dishonest gain" (I Peter 5: 2). Paul makes clear in his letter to the church at Corinth that all we do should be motivated by love (I Corinthians 13) and Jesus tells us that the two greatest commandments are Love God and Love Your Neighbor (Matthew 22:37-40).

Should the Pastor Lead the Church?

Answer: Authority should always correlate with responsibility. And Hebrews 13:17 makes clear where the Bible comes down on this point: "Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you."

However, the apostle Peter warns that pastors should not be "lords over those entrusted to you" (I Peter 5:3). So, pastors are called to be leaders - not dictators. The authors of Go Big agree, but add that a pastor must not be driven by fear of criticism, rejection, or disapproval - but rather by God's calling.

"Follow your call, not the desire of your congregation," write Cornelius and Easum. Tough words, but Easum and Cornelius are clear that the most successful churches, in terms of growth, are led by strong pastors and not by committees.

Does God Reward Churches According to their Dreams and Faith?

Answer: Yes and No. Yes, the Bible urges us repeatedly to faith and calls leaders to vision. The authors of Go Big do a great job pointing this out. However...the primary factor in any dream or desire must be (in the words of Jesus praying to the Father) "Thy will be done" (Matthew 6:10). Our purpose, as Christians, is to advance and build God's Kingdom - NOT our own.

God has a place and a purpose for small churches. The idea that all churches must grow big in terms of size is simply not scriptural. Of course, the authors are very correct that all churches are told to evangelize.

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For more information, check out:

Go Big: Lead Your Church to Explosive Growth by Bill Easum and Bil Cornelius

The Purpose-Driven Church by Rick Warren

The Deliberate Church by Mark Dever and Paul Alexander