What about church growth?

I read today in the AZ Republic that in 2012 Buckeye was the 9th fastest growing city in America.  That's good news for businesses and churches who are looking for new customer/members.  That's good news for my church!

http://www.azcentral.com/business/arizonaeconomy/articles/20130522phoenix-poised-pass-philadelphia-buckeyes-surge-ranks-th-us.html

Some Christians struggle with the notion of church growth... or as it seems, they dislike attempts at strategic growth when it incorporates marketing, networking, relevant programing, financial campaigns and other "business practices."

At it's heart, church growth should be about connecting disconnected Christians to the Body of Christ and reaching out to non-Christians with the Gospel.  When this is the motive, and as long as Godliness and biblical teaching are not being compromised, church growth is a good thing (actually a mandatory thing.)

In 1 Cor 9:20-23 Paul says,

To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. 

For Paul, serving God was all about using whatever abilities and resources he had in order to reach as many people as possible with the Gospel.  Paul saw "culture" as a tool to relate himself and his message to people whom he didn't know but whom he knew God cared for deeply.  Same thing goes for the church today.  We're called to use the common sense things of our culture merely as tools in order to relate church and our message to those distanced from Christ with the hope that many will come to Him!