Church Plague 3: Koinonitis
The disease of koinonitis is one that causes a small group in the congregation to believe they own the church: everyone knows each other, and newcomers cannot find a place. When someone celebrates a birthday, almost everyone in the church attends the party.

This type of church will never grow beyond the boundaries of this clique. If the pastor does not break this dangerous clique, the church will remain confined to this small group forever. The disease of koinonitis boils down to the fact that some people do not want their church to grow. They prefer their small group to welcoming a maximum number of newcomers.

They would never, under any circumstances, want to lose their pastor because of outsiders. If the church is limited to people who know each other, and no action is taken, the church will not grow. Essentially, the main power group does not want to see their small circle disrupted. They fear that conditions will change if the church grows. If the church does manage to grow, they will say, “We used to be a small flock, and the pastor was always with us. But now, we have to share our dear pastor with strangers, and that’s not good at all.”

The group will cling to fond memories of the past. To cure the disease of koinonitis, evangelism is necessary to continuously bring new people into the church.

Church Plague 4: Sociological Strangulation
The disease of sociological strangulation arises from constructing a space that is too small for the church. When the church hall is 80% full, you cannot expect to grow further. Don’t think the church must be completely full before starting a second service. The rationale for organizing multiple services is to allow everyone to attend at different times and to make room for newcomers. Not everyone wants to sit in a packed room; some people may even faint when the room is overcrowded.

Church Plague 5: The Messiah Complex
The Messiah complex occurs when the pastor is a perfectionist and believes that only they can do the work properly. This intimidates members and renders them inactive. Eventually, the pastor will burn out while the members watch.

Church Plague 6: Theophobia
There is a story of a group sitting around a table with a man in clerical attire standing before them, saying, “From today, we will have a theocracy system, and I am Theo.” Here, instead of fostering faith and developing leadership, the pastor instills fear in the congregation. This fear paralyzes the people to the point where they stop being proactive.

The result of this attitude is that there are no other leaders in the church besides the pastor. The true measure of leadership is whether you are training other leaders through your influence.

Church Plague 7: Pewmania (Being Attached to a Pew)
The disease of pewmania is characterized by the congregation holding the clergy in such high regard that they cling to their church pews, doing nothing for God.

Church Plague 8: Stagnant Spiritual Growth
If the church is not engaged in activities that promote spirituality, it cannot expect to grow. Prayer meetings, revival services, special seminars, and more encourage spirituality. Preaching and teachings must be profound and intense to facilitate growth in Christ. The church’s vision must be clear and compelling.

When the church’s vision is unclear, gossip and slander become prevalent. A busy church has no time for gossip and other harmful acts of darkness. The church must emphasize the doctrines of the Bible, opposing fables and fanciful stories. Lack of impactful preaching should be avoided at all costs if you want your church to grow.

Church Plague 9: The Saint John Syndrome
“But I have this against you: You have abandoned the love you had at first.” (Revelation 2:4)

When a church loses its first love and zeal, it suffers from the Saint John Syndrome. Many churches start with zeal and dedication but lose them over time…

This text is an excerpt from the book “From Small to Medium to Mega” written by Bishop Charles Agyinasare.

We invite you to read the following article: “GOD EXPECTS FRUITFULNESS FROM US.”

Church Plagues. Church Plagues. Church Plagues.