25 Signs of a Healthy Church (Part 3 of 3)

Sign #17 The church trusts, respects, and supports the pastor. Every healthy church recognizes that their pastor is called by God to lead their congregation. Though there is a legal employment status, he is not viewed as an employee. Even as he's evaluated, he is encouraged and enabled. Members respect both the person and the position, removing hindrances to his leadership.

Sign #18 The church has effective, ongoing communication. There is openness anytime it's appropriate. Vision, goals, ministry needs, and other aspects of church life are clearly and consistently shared with the congregation through a variety of means, public and private.

Sign #19 The church has a clear vision, priorities, and plan. These churches know where they're going and how to get there. They know that they can't afford to waste their resources or promote ministries that don't fulfill God's purpose for their church. The vision drives all that they do, helping them determine priorities and establish plans.

Sign #20 The church trains and empowers people for ministry according to their giftedness. There is a recognition that every Christian is gifted, just not in the same way. Healthy churches utilize people's gifts in appropriate areas of ministry and avoid "filling vacancies" with anyone they can find. These churches would rather have a vacant position than have the wrong person in it.

Sign #21 The church constantly develops leaders. Healthy churches recognize the crucial importance of leadership in all that they do, and plan for both attrition and future ministry needs. They constantly work to expand their leadership base and develop existing leaders for more effective service.

Sign #22 The church is outwardly focused. Effective churches resist the temptation to turn inward. They grow larger and stronger themselves by focusing on others.

Sign #23 The church finds or creates connecting points with the community. Healthy churches engage their communities. They keep their focus on ways to connect those who are outside the church with the message and ministry of the church.

Sign #24 Church members are intentionally evangelistic. The Great Commission compels healthy churches to reach the lost through various methods. These churches don't see evangelism as a program, but as a passion. They make opportunities to share the gospel with others they encounter.

Sign #25 The church is producing congregations. Healthy churches, like healthy people, plants, or animals, reproduce themselves. They look beyond themselves, and find joy in birthing new congregations. They plant the DNA of reproductions in congregations that will reproduce yet more congregations.

(Written by Marvin Owen, the church health strategist for the Wyoming Southern Baptist Convention, Casper, Wyoming.)

25 Signs of a Healthy Church (Part 2 of 3)

Sign #9 The church practices accountability and maintains high expectations - for themselves and for others. In healthy congregations, members help one another mature as Christians. They never lower the requirements of membership or discipleship to appeal to the uncommitted or to draw larger crowds. Their growth may not be immediate, but it is certain. And it is both numerical and qualitative.

Sign #10 Don't try to do everything, but what they do they do well. They utilize a team approach, using the gifts of individuals. Healthy churches prioritize, and they intentionally neglect those things they should not do or that they cannot do well.

Sign #11 The church has focus and purpose. They're intentional and only do those things that move them toward the fulfillment of that vision. They understand and distinguish between the essential and the extraneous.

Sign #12 The church is proactive, not reactive. Healthy churches help create their future. They do not wait passively to see what will happen. They're constantly praying and assessing their present and their potential.

Sign #13 People feel accepted, encouraged, and included. An important characteristic of healthy churches is the way they include others. People who visit these churches find a genuine welcome and a compelling sense of community. As a result, they want to be a part of the church.

Sign #14 The church builds families (including singles). No church is stronger than the families and the individuals that make it up. Because of that, churches do well to help build their members into growing, vibrant, balanced, relational Christians. All are considered important. Regardless of the church's size, appropriate ministries are provided for every age group and life circumstance (singles, blended families, empty-nesters, etc.).

Sign #15 Conflict is handled positively and redemptively. Realistically, no church can expect to avoid conflict. It's a part of life. But there are differences in the way conflict is handled and the degree of impact it has. Unfortunately, in some churches it's like an Olympic competition - fierce and unyielding. Those churches that handle conflict well actually grow stronger and are better able to withstand whatever may come.

Sign #16 The church is forgiving, but not compromising on sin. These churches aren't judgmental, but always show genuine compassion and concern for people. However, they leave no doubt about God's high standards or their absolute commitment to living according to those standards.

(Written by Marvin Owen, the church health strategist for the Wyoming Southern Baptist Convention, Casper, Wyoming.)

25 Signs of a Healthy Church (Part 1 of 3)

Sign #1 The church seeks to know and to follow God's will. They never lose sight of the fact that it's His people, His power, and His purpose and plan. They are committed not only to God's will, but God's way.

Sign #2 Christian growth is emphasized and facilitated. Healthy churches are intentional about helping their people realize God's potential in their lives. They accept the Great Commission - to make disciples - as their reason for existence.

Sign #3 Church members have an attitude of servanthood, not seeking control, power or status. These churches foster a climate where everyone is useful in God's work. They acknowledge Jesus as Lord of the church and know that whatever positions individuals hold are for His glory and the extension of His kingdom.

Sign #4 Church members are faithful in stewardship of time, talents, and treasures. Healthy churches foster a climate of giving, not a concern for getting. Members look for opportunities to help with all that God has entrusted to them.

Sign #5 The church is a place of vibrant, engaging worship. The styles may vary greatly, but their worship touches the heart, engaging and involving people. Those who attend worship in these churches do not doubt that they've been in the presence of God.

Sign #6 Members model purity and integrity and do not ignore sin in the body. They deal redemptively with people, realizing that we're all imperfect. But healthy churches also hold high the standards God has set and they seek to live by them. They don't allow willful, flagrant, unrepentant sin to continue.

Sign #7 The church is adaptable and flexible - willing to change. They don't compromise or seek the latest fad, but they are teachable. They have an unselfish spirit and are pliable in the Master's hands. Leaders and members each have preferences, but they forgo their "rights," desiring what's best for the church and for the lost.

Sign #8 The church emphasizes the positive and never dwells on the negative. They celebrate victories. Even where there have been disappointments, they don't allow that to monopolize their focus and permeate their thinking. But they learn and benefit from mistakes.

(Written by Marvin Owen, the church health strategist for the Wyoming Southern Baptist Convention, Casper, Wyoming.)

Bad News, Good News, Life

You get a phone call from your son’s teacher today. You find out he’s failing math because he been doing poorly on the tests and isn’t doing all of his homework. The teacher recommends a tutor which you call up and establish appointments with the tutor to meet with your son. . .

Now, your son comes home. You share with him that you’ve learned he’s failing math, he’s now grounded until his grades improve, and twice a week he’ll be meeting with a tutor after school to help him with his homework and study habits.

Do you think the young boy thought the fact that his parent found out he’s failing is good news? What about that he’s now grounded? Or what about the fact that he now has to meet with a tutor who will make sure he learns how to do the math he had been avoiding (which is why he wasn’t turning in all of his homework)? You know the boy is thinking “what does math have to do with anything anyway; math won’t help me get a girl friend!”

Sometimes we make the Good News of Christ seem much like this. Sure, making a young man increase his effort to his studies is a great thing, but a parent can make a child practice discipline in studies. . .on the other hand we can not make anyone come to know Christ.  Yet, the church often seems to follow a set of methods similar to correcting a young man's low grades. We tell them something is seriously wrong in their life (they’re going to hell). Then we take all of their fun away and on top of that we guilt trip them into coming to church 2 or 3 times a week so they can get better at this thing called “being a Christian”. Doesn’t sound like Good News at all. In fact, the Good News sounds like bad news.

This is the world we live in and this is how the church is perceived by many who are outside the church (and even a good number of those inside of it). So many see the church as a place that’s boring, self-punishing, and not relevant to what they perceive they need in life.  They don't see Good News.

I submit for your pondering: 

1. What kind of "News" does your church spread? What is the "real" message of your church?

2. Did you know that love is a great way to open doors to share the bad news and then the Good News of Christ?  Is your church showing the community that you really love them (not "we do things in the community only because we hope this will draw people to our church")?  You want to show people you love them; show it with your money, your time, and your energy. . .and don't expect anything in return.

Emancipation

Did you know that when decisions concerning setting slaves free in America were being made that many slaves didn't want their freedom? Did you know that during early women's suffrage (the right to vote) that many women were fighting against their freedom to vote? It's interesting the battles people fight, the sides people choose, and the way people choose to fight.

The greatest slavery this world has and will ever know is to the things that will destroy them.

"Don't you realize that whatever you choose to obey becomes your master? You can choose sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God and receive his approval. I speak this way, using the illustration of slaves and masters, because it is easy to understand. Before, you let yourselves be slaves of impurity and lawlessness. Now you must choose to be slaves of righteousness so that you will become holy." -Romans 6:16,19

The question is, how do we free them. The Word of God talks a lot about this freedom, a freedom that comes through Christ alone. But just like the slaves who fought against their freedom and the women who fought against their right to vote, there are people who can't see their need for freedom from impurity and lawlessness.

Some don't see it because:

1. They don't think they are living impurely or in lawlessness.
2. They've become comfortable with their worldly masters.
3. They fear changing masters.
4. They've seen how those with freedom, so-called-Christians, act and so the "freedom" has the appearance of a lie to them.
5. They've been told an incomplete/inaccurate Gospel (which is actually no Gospel at all).
6. They think they are already free.
7. They can't see the necessity for their condition to change.

In the follow-up to this post I'm going to talk about evangelism, reaching people, setting the captives free, emancipation!

So how are you and your church reaching people and being a part of setting them free?