Assessment of the growth of local churches: The case study of Shire Inda-Silassie

Evangelical Churches

By: Alemat Berhe

A Thesis Submitted to Graduate College of ABC, in Partial Fulfillment of the

Requirements for the Degree of Biblical Theology.

Advisor: Edossa Temesgen

Addis Ababa Bible College

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

July 2021
 Acknowledgment

First I want to thank God, for His amazing grace supported me to accomplish my

bachelor degree in Biblical Theology. With out the help of individuals and some

institutional, this study was impossible to be achieved. I would like to thank my family ,

specially my wife Hiwet Kidane and my children Abel Alemat and Zekarias Alemat for

being helpful in praing for me and being understandable. Second I want to thank the

Addis Ababa Bible College community with all the teachers and the staff members. I

want to thank Meseret Kirstos Church of shire and my frieds.

 Abstract

This study shows the church growth in Evangelical churches that are found in

Shire Endaselassie.. The study tried to show its importance to the churches by giving

clear and specific guidance to those saints and servants in showing how Churches could

grow possibly and hit the upper goal of their achievement.

 I. Introduction

It is impossible for someone to have clear picture of what Church growth before

explaining its definition and give clear point to what it refers. Not only that we also need

to answer why the church need to grow. For the question who people ask hat is the

church and why does the church need to exist. The answer is “ people calling out for a

purpose “ and the purpose is to be the body of Christ

Another fitting definition by Carlos G. Martin, professor of Mission and church Growth,

states, “Church is a local community of Christians voluntarily congregated, correctly baptized,

and properly organized, which meets to worship God, observe the ordinances, and carry out he

Great Commission of Jesus Christ at home and abroad”

1.1. Definition of Church Growth

As Elmer Towns dean of school of religion at Liberty University in Lynchburg,

Virginia defines it “Church growth is the science which investigates planting,

multiplication.

1.2. Statement of the Problem

As I have tried to mention it , Church growth is one and primary issue for the

Church. The problem is that the age of the churches comparing to their growth is very

incompatible. The churches have been planted long time before but their growth is very

little. The researcher tries to figure out what the problem is and why it exists. And not

only that the researcher tries to articulate the solutions to the existing problems.
1.3. Research Questions

1. What is Church Growth?

2. Why Churches are not growing in comparative of their age?

3. What could be the possible solution for the problem?

1.4. Objective of The study

This study divides the objectives of the study in to two parts; they are general

objective and specific objective

1.4.1 General Objective

The researcher tries to show within its general objective of the study, how church

growth could effectively happen if the servants and saints understand the problem and get

ready to change their past techniques and methods on evangelizing and making desciples

of Christ.

1.4.2. Specific Objective

To give ariticulate explanation in aspect of Church growth and describe the

significance of Church growth. Not only that the researcher also identify the barriers of

church growth.

1.5 Scope of the study

The scope of thestudy is limitted to study the church growth that is happening in the

Evangelical Churches of Endasselassie.

Chapter 2

2. Literature Review

This study shows that why Churches are not growing and why is stagnation happening

most of the time specially when it comes to Church growth.

2.1. Why do we need to study about Church Growth

Church growth is the most important thing for the church and also the community

within the Church.

Chapter 3

3. Research Methodology

The researcher applied the study by observation , interview and discussion. The

participants of the study are around 20 people.

3.1 Study Area

This study was conducted in Shire Endaselassie generally and specifically the

study was conducted on those evangelical churches that are found in Shire

Endaselassie.

3.2. Participants of The Study

In this study different people have been participated and they are leaders of the

church and saints. And also there were some servants that have been included in the study
3.3. Sample

This study have been conducted on specific people so that the study could hit its

purposed goal. The researcher selected people who really understand what the topic is

and also that are able to explain the issue in referring to the situation surrounding the

issue as well.

3.4. Sample size

The people that participated in the study are 20 people

3.5. Methods of data collection

The researcher has applied different methods of data collection. Interviews,

observation, discussion and also referring to books and journals and websites.

3.6 Limitation of the Study

The researcher has some limitations in conducting the research. Some of the

limitations that the researcher could mention is that, in choosing the participants

because most of the participants are from the new generation, it was very hard to find

the elders of the church easily. And the other limitation is that time.

Chapter 4

4. Findings

4.1 Disscusion