Even though Paul didn’t plant the church at Colossai, he was one of its biggest cheer leaders. It was planted by his friend Epaphras and seemed to enjoy unprecedented growth. In verses 6 and 7 of the first chapter, Paul writes, “…the gospel that has come to you … is bearing fruit and growing all over the world, just as it has among you since the day you first heard it.” He had nothing to do with the Church at Colossae, yet he celebrated their testimony, praised them, and rejoiced at their growth. There is a lot of bad press in conservative circles today about the “Church Growth” movement. I do not agree with many of the new tactics, but I still believe God wants our churches to grow. One set of statistics I found this morning reports that 65% of American churches are declining in attendance. 33% of all traditional churches plateau at 50 members. Another 33% of all churches plateau at 150 members. It takes the average evangelical church 100 people and one year to introduce one person to Jesus Christ. Paul would not find much to celebrate here.
Paul applauded them in his opening remarks in his letter to them, and then he prayed for the Colossian church to continue to be fruitful regarding their commission to make disciples. Colossians 1:9-10 says, “And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work…” I might argue that the first requirement in “bearing fruit” is to conduct our lives in a manner that’s fully pleasing to God. There is even some suggestion that when we do that, he takes care of the fruit. Paul’s driving motive in life was to please God. He tells us that often. He even exhorts us to test everything in life in order to “learn what is pleasing to the Lord” (Ephesians 5:10).
I find it interesting that the Greek term for excellence is derived from the same root as the verb that means “to please.” In Colossians 3:23-24 we will read, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.” In his fine book, “Excellence,” John Gardner says, “Some people have greatness thrust upon them. Very few have excellence thrust upon them. They achieve it. They do not achieve it unwittingly by ‘doing what comes naturally,’ and they don’t stumble into it in the course of amusing themselves. All excellence involves discipline and tenacity of purpose.” I’m often satisfied with much less than excellence. I’m often a disciple of Mediocretes who says, “Oh well, good enough.” As I think back on my school work, I think I always just got things done. I didn’t pursue excellence. If I was to work “heartily” and realize that what I do is not for man but for God, I might focus a little more on excellence. Isn’t that what Paul meant when he wrote to a church that he did plant at Philippi? He tells them, in Philippians 4:8, “If there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”