On Sunday, February 28th, I had the privilege of visiting and worshiping with the West End Church of Christ in Atlanta, Georgia. This church is one of the largest congregations in Atlanta's west-side and growing. Currently, the congregation has 1600 members. Last year, they baptized 160 people, and are set to baptize more than that this year. Because of a lack of space, West End offers three services on Sunday, but has plans to build and complete a new building that will seat 2500 by 2013. Orpheus Heyward is the pulpit minister who is excited about beginning the process of adding a satellite school to West End's numerous ministries.
I was especially impressed with the soundness and attention given to balanced Bible teaching. I asked what they were doing to attract and convert so many people. They have a weekly TV program that reaches out into the community, as well as a number of community ministries. But brother William Johnson, one of the shepherds, told me that these outreach methods are only facilitators. "We are teaching people the word of God," he said. He credited their success to teaching the word of God in a practical and in-depth way that gets people into the text. This underscores something that not only I have found to be true, but many church growth experts are telling us. If you want substantive growth, preach and teach the Word. Get people into the text and lift up Jesus Christ. People today are starving to hear the truth without the sugar-coating and compromise. They are being attracted to churches who leave no doubts about where they stand on the word of God and are loving in their approach. Churches where the pulpits are doctrinally balanced and firmly stand on the absolutes set the tone for the church to be balanced, doctrinally sound, and firm on the absolutes. Churches that depend more on worship-style and subjective methods to attract people leave the church unbalanced, unequipped, and doctrinally weak.
Churches like West End are able to reach out to their communities and equip its saints. West End is practicing the qualities laid out in Acts 2:41, 42 very well, and experiencing the increase that God has promised. It was so refreshing to be with the West End church. I look forward to following up on their progress, and adding them to the list of satellite schools in the southeast when they are ready. You can visit their website at www.thewestender.com.