Three Indicators of Biblical Church Growth

By Robb Brunansky

Published February 23, 2026

In every area of life, we measure our growth. Yet curiously, many men and women often have little awareness of our spiritual growth. Even if we show curiosity and attempt to see if we are growing spiritually, we may use the wrong metrics.

For example, we might falsely feel like we are growing spiritually because of our intake of spiritual information. Many Israelite Pharisees, who often had the Old Testament memorized, fell into this trap because they were not growing spiritually. Simply learning more information is not a marker of spiritual growth.

Another metric people might wrongly use to measure spiritual growth is religious behavior, such as attending church. Many people go to church, but they are not growing spiritually – like the Corinthians. Increased church attendance may lead to spiritual growth, but it’s not automatic.

So, what are the indicators of spiritual growth in the Christian life?

The answer to this question is found in 1 Corinthians 3 as Paul writes about a biblical understanding of church growth. The overall theme of these early verses is the requirement of growth, which is simply that a growing church must be filled with growing Christians.

Last time, we saw some inhibitors of growth in our Christian lives, and we now come to the indicators of growth (verses 3-4). Here, Paul outlines three indicators they have not grown spiritually. By discovering the reasons why these believers were remaining stagnant in their faith, we can depict a true picture of spiritual growth for our lives.

First, an indicator of spiritual growth in our lives is that we are eradicating fleshly desires (v. 3).

Paul repeatedly uses the word “fleshly” to describe the Corinthians in this verse. The idea of the flesh in this context is the part of humanity where sin dwells. Although the flesh does not define Christians because we have been made new creatures in Christ, we still live in our fallen bodies and will, in part, be drawn toward evil (Romans 7:18).

Paul knows the Corinthians have not grown because he sees they are still fleshly. They are allowing the part of them, in which no good thing dwells, to determine their choices to do what they must not do.

The evidence Paul gives that the Corinthians are fleshly is their display of jealously and strife. The word translated “jealousy” has a negative meaning of a zeal that is bent toward self. The Corinthians were zealous about themselves, their honor, status, and glory, leading them to be jealous of others, which is not of the Spirit of God. The second term, “strife,” has the idea of engaging in rivalry. Paul is still addressing the same problem he started in chapter 1, that these rivalries, factions, quarrels, and strife are markers of the flesh.

Christians grow spiritually by eradicating the desires of our flesh. Several passages in the New Testament tell us to go to war with our fleshly desires, including in Romans 8:12-13. Christians do sometimes give in to the desires of the flesh, but our overall life direction is to make war on those impulses.

We have all seen or read the application of this concept in a movie or a book where the hero shows mercy to the enemy, letting him live, only to find the foe was just trying to attack from a position of strength, whether it’s Gollum in The Lord of the Rings or Darth Sidious in Revenge of the Sith. Our flesh is that enemy that will pretend to surrender, promise to behave, and appear to quietly acquiesce – but it never surrenders. We must put our flesh to death no matter how many promises it makes to behave.

Within this indicator, spiritual growth can be evaluated by looking at vices listed throughout the letters of the New Testament and seeing how we respond to those fleshly desires. When we observe progress in areas where we struggle against the flesh, that is a clear indicator of growth. If, though, we see no progress against these desires, we are not growing as we ought.

Second, an indicator of spiritual growth in our lives is that we are evidencing spiritual fruit (verse 3).

Paul told the Corinthians they were not producing spiritual fruit in their lives but were instead mimicking the world’s behavior. What the Corinthians were doing might have been acceptable to the unbelieving world, but it was completely unacceptable to God. Christians are never to live as if we do not have divine power, resting on human standards and strength.

The indicator, then, of spiritual growth in our lives is that we are producing the fruit of the Spirit, which is the positive step of cultivating the virtues that characterize our Savior. Paul gives us a list of these virtues we are to cultivate in our lives in Galatians 5:22-23, which are defined as a singular fruit of the Spirit. This unity of the fruit of the Spirit is important because believers cannot pick and choose which virtues to cultivate; all the fruit stand or fall together in our lives.

Once again, we can track spiritual growth by looking at a list like Galatians 5:22-23 (and others in Scripture) and ask ourselves honestly if we are seeing spiritual fruit in our lives. We hold ourselves up, not to the standard of man, but to the standard of God’s Word, and ask if these virtues are ours and increasing.

Lastly, an indicator of spiritual growth is that we are edifying other believers (verse 4).

In this verse, Paul exposed that the Corinthians were destroying the church through their divisions. They did not edify others, but rather they competed with others. They viewed others, not as brothers and sisters to encourage and build up, but as rivals to crush.

This infighting is a real problem that still exists in churches today. While we might think we are godly, mature, and spiritual, who is benefiting from our maturity? Too often, Christians view the church as a service provider and us as consumers. Of course, believers should get something out of church, which does exist in part to encourage us. However, we are part of that body that also encourages others and builds people up. The church does not merely exist to help us, but all Christians help it grow and assist other believers become more like Christ as we use our time, talents, and treasure for the benefit of others for Christ’s glory.

If the indicator of a lack of growth in Corinth was that the believers there were not building each other up, then an indicator of growth is that growing Christians build up others because we are no longer thinking just about ourselves – but how we might bless others.

I love the reminder of Hebrews 10:24-25, that we are to consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds. When I reflect about other believers I admire because of their godliness and spiritual maturity, I think of people who constantly bless others and me by pointing us to Christ. That’s a mark of spiritual maturity, when people leave their time with us with a greater hunger and love for Christ.

These, then, are the indicators of spiritual growth. Progress in these areas indicate that the Spirit of God is within us, transforming us into the likeness of Christ, which is spiritual growth. I pray that all of us are part of a growing church because we are growing Christians who defeat sin, produce fruit, and build up the body of Christ.