On the journey of balance in church growth, I have taken the first step; that step is recognition. Recognition of the value of both aspects of church growth, the human and godly side. I believe that Paul was chosen by God to be an Apostle, not because he was the single greatest persecutor of the church, (which would be a significant benefit) but, because of his previous training and experience. Paul was a Renaissance man of his day. That doesn't make him better than anyone else, it just gave him an advantage of being able to relate to the culture of his day.

My friend Mark Batterson likes to quote Jesus as He spoke to the disciples about "relevant" ministry: "Be wise as serpents and harmless as doves" Matt 10:16. This is the challenge of balance. We are to carry the powerful love of God to our communities and do it as shrewdly as top marketing executives. If you are developing an existing work or in the process of launching a new church, I highly recommend that you find a copy of "Church Marketing 101" by Richard L. Reising. It is a great resource for getting off to a great start or taking it to the next level.