A crop growing, a child growing, a business growing, or a marriage growing all share some common factors. However, growth in each is measured by different standards. The same criteria for measuring growth in a marriage and a business, or in a child and a field of corn cannot and must not be used. All congregations I have known wanted to grow. Regardless of happenings in the past or present, those in a congregation want present and future growth to exceed past growth.
Every congregation expects to grow.
I do not grasp expectations in congregational growth. Some are statistical measurements. Some are not. Different spiritual realities are measured by different standards. Whether this occurs because people are coming to Christ or people are developing in Christ, congregation growth is occurring.