A pastor in Lagos gave me an example of church growth without spirituality: his church grew from 200 to 2,000 members in just five years. The church held three services on Sundays, had cars from the gates to the road, and held two choir rehearsals per week. All this pointed to a very successful church indeed. However, the question remained: were those people growing spiritually at the same pace as the church itself?
But then came a statement I would not forget anytime soon. “I don’t recognize half these people anymore. And there are those, if asked what they believe in, will not explain it very well. They know the songs. They know their seats. But they do not know Christ as they ought to.”
This is what is taking place in many churches today, not only in Nigeria, but worldwide. More people. New branches. Increased offerings. But something vital is slowly being lost here. This is spiritual death disguised as church growth, and it is among the greatest threats churches face today.
Yet, this warning is not the end of the story. The good news is that churches can choose a different path. With a renewed focus on depth and genuine discipleship, churches can experience true growth—growth that both reaches more people and builds stronger foundations in Christ.
Wide Growth vs Deep Growth
The crowd grows because of excitement. The church grows because of truth. Standing from the pulpit, the two might be the same – at least on Sundays with great music and people praising God. Yet excitement is not eternal and dies away. And a crowd will go away as soon as the excitement disappears. The church stays united because its members are deeply connected to something greater than emotions.
Such issues are not new. In John 6, people followed Christ right after He fed them with bread. But when He spoke about what He expected His followers to give in return, they stopped following Him. “Many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more” (John 6:66). They came for bread; they did not come for the truth.
Today’s churches are attracting exactly these kinds of crowds: large attendance but poor foundations.
Why This Occurs
There are several reasons for this.
First, preaching loses its focus on teaching and shifts to excitement. It is always easier to preach an enthusiastic message than a doctrinal one. Gradually, people become accustomed to getting emotion on Sunday and receiving no additional information about God beyond what they had last year. To restore balance, pastors can intentionally weave a clear biblical truth or doctrinal point into every enthusiastic message, anchoring excitement in Scripture.
Another practical step is to invite the congregation to discuss or reflect on one key learning point after the sermon, either in small groups or with the person next to them. This way, enthusiasm is paired with understanding, and the atmosphere stays lively without sacrificing depth.
Secondly, counting numbers becomes the only measure of success in the church. How many people attended? What is the amount of offerings? How large is the new church building? These are the metrics being discussed, not members’ ability to share their faith or disciple others.
Thirdly, the new believers are not being followed up. The church wins a thousand souls during a crusade but disciples almost none. People give their hearts to Jesus Christ in the front row, but then no one ever cares about them again. One practical way to change this is to assign each new believer a mentor or connect them to a small group where they can be guided, prayed for, and personally taught about the faith. Regular check-ins, personal encouragement, and a system that tracks and involves new members can make all the difference.
Fourthly, we have too many programs and not enough personal discipleship: more units, more departments, more program events per week. Being busy can feel like growth, but it isn’t always the case.
The Bible Had Already Warned Us of This
In the parable in Matthew 13, Jesus talks about seed falling on shallow soil. It sprang up fast, faster than the seed which fell on good soil. But because it lacked deep roots, the sun scorched it, and it withered. This issue of quick growth with no roots is not new. Even Jesus spoke about it two thousand years ago.
In Revelation 3, Jesus said some difficult things to the church of Sardis: “You are alive, yet you are dead.” The church of Sardis had a name. It could even have had numbers, since a church with members will never be said to be alive. What was lacking was the substance in the name.
Ways of Creating Churches that Grow in Number and in Depth
There is no contradiction between depth and growth. Many of the deepest churches throughout history also experienced great growth. You don’t have to compromise depth for growth. You need to prioritize issues properly. This is because real church growth is both big and healthy.
Church growth without spiritual depth occurs when quantity takes precedence over quality. True growth considers both aspects. Encourage new converts to attend small groups or Bible classes. This way, they can have someone who knows them personally and can mentor them in faith.
Growth should also mean teaching the believers how to comprehend the Word of God through preaching. Preaching should not just leave them feeling comfortable for an hour but should go further than that. Churches should also deliberately develop future leaders. This way, the leadership positions are not filled in an ad hoc manner.
Discipleship implies follow-up. If someone is missing from the service for two months, somebody needs to notice. A simple telephone call can work wonders. People should not fade away from the church rolls unnoticed. That is one way to guarantee Jesus’ kind of church growth.
One such example is Living Waters Assembly in Port Harcourt. Five years ago, the congregation was growing rapidly. But they soon realized there was a lot of leakage among newer believers because there was no personal interaction.
They started mentoring sessions where every believer received a mentor. They also formed discussion groups after the Sunday service. Over time, many believers became spiritually mature and started mentoring other believers.
This shows that believers’ spiritual growth should not hinder the congregation’s growth. With proper discipleship, mentoring, Bible study, and spiritual leaders, churches can experience spiritual and numerical growth.
What Should Be Done Next
If you are leading a church now, or plan to in the future, do not simply ask yourself, “How many people showed up today?” Instead, ask a tougher question: “How well do I know the people that I have, and how well do they know Christ?”
The numbers will give you an idea of whether your church is growing. Depth will help you understand whether it is sustainable. The entire difference between growth without depth and sustainable growth lies within this gap.
If the above was meaningful to you, share it with another minister who would benefit from hearing it. Also, if you are truly interested in building a sustainable church, instead of just one that can fill a hall, Levites Bible College can help you achieve this goal.
Our programs for pastors and ministers give you practical tools and biblical foundations for lasting church growth, with a special focus on personal discipleship, leadership development, and building strong, connected faith communities. What sets us apart is our experienced faculty, hands-on mentorship, and deep commitment to seeing leaders and churches flourish at every level. Visit our website to learn more about our programs for pastors and ministers.
