The High-Octane Church: Seven Principles for Vibrant Church Growth

"And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock, I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it." - Matthew 16:18

There are some great church models that can be used to grow the church and expand the kingdom of God. Something the church has to find a way to grapple with is that almost all church models are in some way pastor-focused. The church belongs to Jesus Christ and He serves as the dominant figure in the church, and instead of centering the church on the skillset of one main individual, Christ serves as a general contractor and we serve as subcontractors. One thing that contributes to the church failing to function as a high-octane church is that the leadership does not always focus on equipping the people to build up the church. Instead, pastors and ministry leaders are content with doing all the work, and everyone else serving as assistants. We have to invite everyone who sits in the pew to jump into the trenches with us. God needs all-hands-on-deck.

The High-Octane Church presents a New Testament-focused model for church growth by equipping everyone from the pulpit to the pew. Pastor Jacques Francois uses the model in Acts 2 and masterfully illustrates that any church can thrive regardless of location. He provides seven principles that any church can execute to develop a vibrant church. When all seven P's are activated, the scripture gives the results of what happened: "And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved." (Acts 2:47b)