What Really Builds the Church? (Hint: It’s Not Donuts or Great Music)

Everybody Wants to Know the Secret

I get this question all the time.

“Pastor Aaron, what’s Radiant’s secret sauce? Why are campuses growing? Why do people keep showing up?”

Is it the coffee? The donuts? The funny sermon illustrations? Is it At the Movies? Great kids ministry?

Sure, all those things make it fun and life-giving—and we’re not ashamed of them!

But they’re not what builds the Church.

Let me tell you plainly: The Church of Jesus Christ is built by the fear of the Lord.

Fear of the Lord = Foundation for Growth

Acts 9:31 gives us the blueprint:

“The church… was strengthened; living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.”

There it is. Not marketing. Not music.

A people submitted to God. A community shaped by reverent worship and deep obedience.

When you get a group of people who take God seriously—who live surrendered, humble, and hungry for His will—the Church will thrive.

We’re Not Here to Entertain

Let me be real—because I’m not here to babysit people’s feelings.

If we create churches that are more concerned about pleasing people than honoring God, then we’re just gathering, not transforming.

A church that doesn’t challenge you to grow is just a crowd.

A church that doesn’t preach truth isn’t building lives—it’s coddling them.

That’s not what Jesus died for.

The Gospel Still Changes Lives

I had a woman once tell me, “This is who I am. I’m not going to change. I just want to find a church that’s okay with it.”

I told her the truth:

“Yes, you’re welcome here. But yes—we’re absolutely going to try to change you.”

Why?

Because the gospel still transforms lives.

Because none of us are finished products.

Because we all need to become more like Jesus.

The Church exists to see lives changed, not to affirm our sin.

Radiant Isn’t Growing Because We’re Clever

Radiant Church is growing because we’ve decided we’re not going to play church. We’re going to fear the Lord. We’re going to submit to Him. We’re going to call sin what it is, and keep pointing people to Jesus—because He’s the one who does the changing.

When a community sees lives being radically transformed by truth, they lean in.

Because they’re hungry for what only God can do.

Key Takeaways

• Church growth isn’t about gimmicks—it’s about surrendered hearts.
• The fear of the Lord creates a culture where lives are transformed.
• Truth builds the church. Compromise weakens it.
• The church should challenge us to grow, not affirm our brokenness.

Final Encouragement

Let’s be the kind of church that doesn’t water down truth, that honors God above popularity, and that lives in holy reverence to the One who gave His life for us.

The fear of the Lord doesn’t make church stiff or boring—it makes it powerful. Alive. Full of grace and truth.

If you want to see the Church flourish—don’t look for cooler programs. Look for deeper surrender.

Let’s Keep Growing

📍If you’re in the Tampa Bay area, I’d love for you to visit one of our Radiant Church locations this Sunday.

🔁 Share this post with a friend who’s hungry for wisdom.

🙌 And if you haven’t yet, subscribe to the Radiant Church YouTube channel—we’ve got new messages every week designed to help you grow.

Let’s build the Church—not with fluff, but with fire.

Let’s fear the Lord—and let’s watch Him grow what we could never build on our own.

—Pastor Aaron