But done for the wrong reasons, expansion fosters a climate of distrust and burdens the church with debt. Most congregations subscribe to the theory that since birds of a feather flock together, they might as well go after more from the same flock. People with much in common do indeed flock together, but they don t attract many from other flocks. Over time, the homogeneous congregation tends to stagnate, turning into a Dead Sea of ideas and initiatives. It becomes its own worse enemy, like an ingrown toenail, when it runs out of room to grow.
Diverse congregations are a hotbed of new ideas, initiatives, and energy.
In comfortable churches, growth is seen as automatic a given and hence taken for granted. The prevailing sentiment seems to be, Our church has arrived and we deserve to enjoy our success. Here lies the deepest and deadliest pool of quicksand. It s easier to avoid the problems commonly associated with church growth than it is to futilely wrestle with them. Planned growth must be balanced with advanced infrastructure preparation.