But the word of the Lord continued to grow and to be multiplied.
Acts 12:24
There are many who think that through slick marketing, the utilization of corporate strategies, and trying to make Christianity appear more appealing to the masses, we can grow the Church. Never mind the fact that Jesus said the Church is His, that He will grow His Church, and that the gates of Hell cannot thwart His building of His Church! (Matthew 16:18).
The Church grew quite dramatically in the days of the book of Acts. It grew supernaturally—not referring to signs and wonders, but to the fact that the Lord supernaturally grew His Church in the midst of no small amount of tribulation and persecution.
It was as the Church was being mocked in Acts 2 that Pentecost came and 3,000 were added to the Church. It was in the wake of Peter and John being imprisoned (Acts 4) that the believers prayed and were filled with the Spirit to speak the word of God boldly (v.31). It was in the wake of God taking Ananias and Sapphira’s lives that “believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women” (Acts 5:14). It was as the persecution increased (Acts 5:17-ff) that the church in Jerusalem grew so much, it became difficult to care for the large numbers who were in need (Acts 6). It was after Stephen was martyred (Acts 7) more persecution arose—which resulted in the believers being scattered to take the gospel to more people in more places (Acts 8:1). It was as Saul of Tarsus went as far as Damascus to arrest believers that God saved Saul (Acts 9), who became the Apostle Paul who went to many places to preach the gospel and establish many churches. As a result (Acts 9:31), “walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, they [the Church] were multiplied.” And after Herod killed James (Acts 12), “the word of the Lord continued to grow and to be multiplied.”
I am reminded of Jesus’ words: John 12:24 Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.
And of Paul’s words in Acts 14:22: "We must through many tribulations enter the kingdom of God."