Our name | Mission | Vision | Leaders Ministries | Schedule | Directions | Contact Home   Gateway Church gathers for worship Sundays at 10:30 a.m. Location: 6425 Jefferson Rd. (Hwy. 129) in Athens, Georgia. For directions, click here. Ministry of the Word: Recent sermons Our quarterly e-magazine Gateway Today For the Gateway family Pastor Jerry's Weekly E-Mail A GATEWAY SERMON SUMMARY AUDIO The biblical pattern of church growth Jerry Varnado, pastor Gateway Church, Athens GA January 15, 2006 Main Scripture text: John 1:29-51. The only thing that accomplishes lasting change at the core of a person's life is an encounter with Jesus Christ -- a personal experience of His presence and power. In our text, two of John the Baptist's disciples, Andrew and Philip, encountered Jesus. Sensed their earnest searching, he asks them, "What is it that you're searching for?" They respond with a question: "Where are you staying?" In a society in which most education took place by young men attaching themselves to learned rabbis who would teach them, that was a normal response. They wanted to know where Jesus was staying so they could sit under His teaching. Jesus response was: "Come you will see." He was inviting them to much more than just an education. He was inviting them to come and experience who He is -- the Son of God, the Christ. It was an experience that began to radically change these two men. Andrew's immediate response was to find his brother, Simon. "We have found the Messiah," Andrew said. And he brought his brother to Jesus. What did Philip do? He found his friend, Nathanael: "We've found the One that Moses wrote about, and the One the prophets spoke of; it's Jesus of Nazareth." Nathanael responded: "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip didn't argue with him; he didn't get theological. He simply invited him to come see for himself that Jesus was the Christ. In both cases, with Simon and Nathanael, it was getting them into the presence of Jesus that won them over. The personal experience of Jesus is what changed their lives and added them to the church. In the book of Acts, we see that the Christian movement grew because people experienced the presence of Jesus through the fellowship and witness and of the church. This is why valid Christian experience is so vital. This is not a "head" religion (knowing things about God), but a "heart" religion (knowing God through the experience of His presence that changes one's life). The Church's witness to the Resurrection has never been based upon sophisticated arguments and complicated theology. Our witness is: "We know Jesus is alive because He lives and reigns among us." In other words, "We experience God -- so can you! Come with me and see for yourself!" This is the biblical pattern for church growth. If we get people into the presence Jesus, He will do the rest. Friends, if we -- as Gateway Church -- will seek God with all our heart, soul, strength and mind, His presence among will be evident. When people respond to our invitation to come to "see for themselves," God will act. He will reveal Himself and draw people to Christ -- and will add to the church those who hearts will be changed. Supporting Scriptures: Matthew 23:27-28 | John 4:28-29, 39 | Mark 5:18-20 | Acts 2:44-47 A mp3 audio file of this sermon is here (37 min.). (Download to a PC by right clicking on the link and choosing "Save Target As." Mac users: click, hold, and choose "Download Link to Disk." Depending on your connection speed, the file may take several minutes to download.) An audio tape of the sermon summarized above is available free of charge (U.S. requests only). Request a tape by calling or writing the Gateway Church office. Please specify tape number 060115a: The Biblical Pattern of Church Growth. © 2006 Gerald R. Varnado To the Gateway Church home page How to contact us