UNDERSTANDING CHURCH GROWTH: Seasons In Church Growth

There are many reasons why this teaching on the seasons in church growth is both timely and necessary. Even though some training courses already exist for church leaders, the urgency and importance of this topic in this generation is greater than ever before. Here are some key reasons:

The church remains God’s heartbeat and instrument for this age.
We need to sustain the momentum of church growth, especially in our nation.
The health and progress of the church depend largely on the quality of leadership at the top.
Many avoidable problems have arisen in churches due to ignorance or neglect, hindering growth.
There is a need to equip executive church leaders with biblical tools for greater and lasting growth.
There is a surge of newly planted churches and rising new leaders who need proper direction.
The 21st-century church leader faces enormous demands and challenges that must be spiritually navigated.
There is a great need for fellowship, interaction, and mentoring among senior leaders, to strengthen one another.

The Word of God shows us clearly that God created times and seasons (Genesis 1:14; 8:22; Psalm 104:19; Daniel 2:21; 1 Thessalonians 5:1), and just as the earth experiences rainy, dry, cold, and hot seasons, so also do churches go through spiritual seasons. Yet, many believers and leaders have not discerned these church seasons. This ignorance has hindered the growth and health of many congregations.

Understanding these spiritual seasons will position the church to grow steadily in every situation, rather than be stunted or confused.

1. SCRIPTURAL BACKGROUND – Psalm 92:12-14

The Word of God compares the growth of the righteous—and by extension, the church—to the palm tree and the cedar tree. These two trees give us a divine picture of what healthy, fruitful, and long-lasting growth should look like:

“The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree: he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and flourishing.” (Psalm 92:12-14)

Lessons from the Palm and Cedar Trees:

Both grow strong and steadily, not in haste.
They remain green and fruitful even in harsh conditions.
They continue to produce even in old age, showing that growth and fruitfulness in the church must never stop regardless of age or stage.
These trees are deeply rooted and weather-resistant, representing maturity and spiritual depth.

PALM TREE	CEDAR TREE
Don’t die young	Grows about 1000 years
All part is useful	Adult, about 120 feet tall
New branches everyday	40 feet diameter
No.1 subject to seasonal changes	Durable and long lasting
Has very strong fibrous roots	Has strong tap root
Always fruitful till death	Using in building the temple in O.T.
No storm can fall it down	No storm can fall it down.

In the same way, every local church must be fruitful in every season and resilient through every phase. There’s no season in which the church should not grow.

2. THE REALITY OF SEASONS IN THE CHURCH – Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

“To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven…” (Eccl. 3:1)

There are spiritual seasons in every church, whether the leaders discern it or not. These seasons determine how people behave, how decisions are received, and how much growth is possible at a given time.

Every church will pass through these seasons at some point. Growth happens when the leaders understand:

The season the church is in,
The spiritual atmosphere at that time,
And the condition of the people involved.

Typical Seasons in Church Life:

Skepticism Season – where trust is low and people are uncertain.
Sowing Season – where hard work, prayers, and faith are being invested.
Struggling Season – where resistance and battles test the church’s foundation.
Love & Trust Season – where bonds are formed and hearts are united.
Fighting & Misunderstanding Season – internal conflicts and personality clashes.
Growth & Revival Season – increased participation, conversions, and spiritual fervency.
Coldness & Lukewarmness Season – decline in commitment and spiritual hunger.
Crisis Season – external or internal troubles, testing leadership and membership.

Having a spiritual understanding of these seasons helps church leaders to be:

Composed instead of panicking,
Confident instead of fearful,
Persistent in vision, and
Prayerful in action.

Leaders who don’t understand these seasons may quit prematurely or misinterpret what God is doing.

3. TYPES OF SEASONS IN CHURCHES

A church season refers to a spiritual climate or period that the church is going through. Seasons may overlap or follow each other. Sometimes, one season is triggered by a divine event, a crisis, a transition in leadership, or a key decision made or not made.

Let’s break down the major seasons observed in churches:

a. SKEPTICAL SEASON – Acts 1

This is usually the beginning stage of a church or a new phase in its life. The people are unsure of the pastor, the mission, or even the church itself. There’s hesitation and fear.

Signs of the Skeptical Season:

The pastor is still wrestling with the call.
Fear of rejection or failure.
Serious prayer, fasting, and spiritual searching.
A lot of hard work, yet little visible fruit.
Efforts to build a solid spiritual foundation.

What to Do in This Season:

Preach Christ alone—not your personality.
Show love and compassion to the people.
Don’t try to impress—build on Christ.
Avoid criticizing others or comparing.
Seek divine direction and wisdom.
Be confident in your calling and vision.
Be patient with people as they grow to trust.
Ask God for the power of the Holy Spirit.

b. MUSHROOM GROWTH SEASON (Spring) – Acts 2:4

This season often follows the skeptical season. In some cases, it’s the first season experienced. This is a season of spontaneous growth, where things seem to explode positively.

Signs of This Season:

Signs, miracles, and wonders.
Rapid numerical growth.
Financial support and open doors.
High energy, passion, and excitement.
Great momentum and enthusiasm.

What to Do in This Season – Acts 2:42-47:

Don’t get carried away by numbers—crowds are not the same as disciples.
Strengthen people’s personal walk with God.
Lay spiritual foundations—teach, preach, pray.
Build on the Word, not on emotions or hype.
Teach them to stand firm in Christ.
Be discerning in selecting leaders and workers.
Organize home fellowships and small groups.

c. SEASON OF CRISIS (Winter) – Acts 5

This is the most challenging season. It comes in different forms and may seem like a spiritual winter. Regardless of your anointing or prayers, every church will go through crisis seasons.

Signs of the Crisis Season:

Murmuring and complaints.
Misunderstandings and false accusations.
Rebellion or division.
Backbiting, character assassination.
Fights over power or position.
Broken relationships.

This is the devil’s opportunity to sow discouragement. The pressure to give up is strong. Some churches compromise or lower their standards to avoid crisis. Others surrender leadership to carnal forces.

What to Do in This Season:

Spend time in intense prayer and fasting.
Bind the spirit of division and strife.
Identify the root cause of the problems.
Confront issues boldly but with wisdom.
Be mature and open-minded in your approach.
Tackle the main troublemakers tactfully.
Stay focused on the vision God gave you.
Find and implement godly solutions.
Press forward toward greater glory!

d. CONSOLIDATION SEASON (Summer) – Acts 6:8

This is the most strategic season of all. It is a season of stability, maturity, and leadership development. Unfortunately, some churches never reach this stage, and others arrive but don’t know how to manage it.

This is the season to lay down lasting growth foundations.

What Must Be Done:

Take bold initiative and be intentional.
Choose and invest in faithful and trustworthy men.
Begin leadership development and mentoring.
Share the vision clearly and recruit by vision, not just by need.
Emphasize discipleship, stewardship, and fruitfulness.
Teach spiritual authority and obedience to God’s Word.
Establish a clear mission policy and purpose for the church.
Keep a growth-oriented mindset.

If you raise a few strong and faithful leaders, they will raise others—thus multiplying the ministry.

CONCLUSION

Every church will face different seasons. Not every season is comfortable, but every season is necessary. As pastors and church leaders, we must:

Discern the season,
Respond with wisdom and faith, and
Continue to sow, nurture, correct, and pray in every phase.

A church that understands her seasons will not be easily shaken, and will continue to grow and flourish, just like the palm tree and cedar of Lebanon—strong, fruitful, and evergreen.