GOD ADDS TO THE CHURCH

Key Principle: “And the Lord added to the church (ekklesia=called out ones) daily such as were being saved.” (Acts 2:47)

12 Apostles

Matthew 4:19 “Follow me and I will make you to become…”

Matthew 16:16 “Thou art the Christ…upon this rock, I will build my church.”

Matthew 10:1-4 “Disciples sent out as apostles…”

70 Disciples Luke 10:1-7 “Seventy sent out two by tow…”

5,000 Men Matthew 14:21 “Five thousand men fed…”

Many went back from following Jesus John 6:60-69 “This is a hard saying; who can hear it?”

500 Brethren

I Cor.15:6 “After that he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.”

120 Acts 1:15 “The number of names together were about an hundred and twenty.”

3,000 Acts 2:41 “There were added unto them about three thousand souls.”

Daily Additions Acts 2:47 “And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.”

5,000 Men Acts 4:4 “And the number of men was about five thousand.”

Multitudes Acts 4:32 “And the multitude of them that believed were of

one heart and of one soul:”

Multitudes Acts 5:14 “And believers were the more added to the Lord,

multitudes both of men and women.”

Number of disciples was multiplied greatly Acts 6:1, 7 “And in those days, when the number of disciples was multiplied…and the number of the disciples multiplied in Jerusalem greatly;”

Multiplied Acts 9:31 “Then had the churches rest throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.”

Great Number Acts 11:21 “And the hand of the Lord was upon them: and a great number believed, and turned unto the Lord.”

Much People Acts 11:24 “Much people was added unto the Lord.”

Great multitude Acts 14:1 “A great multitude both of the Jew and also of the Greeks believed.”

Turned the world upside down Acts 17:6 “These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also;”

Note:

Balance of numerical growth and spiritual growth in the Scripture.

They didn’t join but rather were added as in Acts 5:13-14 “And of the rest durst no man join himself to them…And believers were the more added to the Lord…”

Caution concerning sin of numbering as in I Chronicles 21:1f “And Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel.”

Added believers and multiplied churches as in Acts 9:31.

God added both growing Christians as well as newly born again believers to the church.