The mark of a healthy church

What is the mark of a healthy church?  What identifies a church as healthy?  Is it attendance, budgets or programs being used?  I think what we see as we look at the New Testament, it is that the church is making disciples. (Matthew 28.19-20).  There are all kinds of things to look at to gauge the health of the church but I think the Scripture would challenge us that the most important one is disciple making.

Author Randy Millwood writes, that a healthy local church, "is recognizing and embracing our new identity, which is found in being a disciple of Jesus who makes disciples. (Pg. 72 To Love and to Cherish from this Day Forward)  He challenges us to ask and answer two significant questions.

1. What is a Disciple?
2. How do you make one?

If you are like me I wasted many years of ministry doing church stuff without asking these two important questions.  I wrestled with those questions and have tried to figure out what it means.  That is what I challenge you to do.  Search, wrestle, pray and figure out as a leader of the church, what is a disciple and how do I make one?  Until we do that we are just going through the motions and doing church rather than being the church.

A good place to start may be to read To Love and to Cherish from this Day Forward - A portrait of a healthy church by Randy Millwood.

DNA of a Growing, Fruitful and Healthy Church, Part 2: Characteristics

How important are report cards?  Depends who you ask.  Ask a child in College, High School or elementary school (I have at least one in each) and depending on how they feel they're doing the answer may be different.  But in reality no matter what it is that we are doing, being able to evaluate is critical.  The church is no different.  In the last blog, part 1 of this DNA discussion we talked about the need to move our churches toward a new paradigm or mindset.  I find that many churches are using a report card that speaks more to organization and programs and less to a healthy church DNA.

So then what should be the markers we look for to determine whether we are growing, fruitful and healthy?  What characteristics should we be seeking to build into the mindset of our churches?  Let me briefly outline 5 characteristics that I think are important and most critical, biblical.

1. Biblical Integrity.  Having a clear knowledge of what the Bible says, being able to apply it to our context and then faithfully living it out.  We must ask is our purpose, leadership and values truly Biblical.
2. Covenant Community.  Every member of the church must covenant (promise) to live out the true biblical meaning of Koinenea (fellowship) and then live up to it.  This would include developing deepening relationships, encouraging one another and being accountable to each other.
3. Love for Christ.  We must have a personal love for Jesus that is expressed in our commitment to Him in vibrant worship, personal living and a public witness.
4. Missional Living.  We must live out His mission, continuing the ministry of Jesus as we are prompted and empowered by the Holy Spirit.
5. Commitment to Maturity.  We should have a personal commitment to growing to maturity, becoming more like Jesus Christ each day.  This is more than knowledge of the Bible.  It is an active prayer life, personally be equipped and developing our ministry skills, mentoring (discipling) others and a faithful involvement in ministry.

DNA of a growing, fruitful and healthy church: Introduction

Ed Stetzer & Mike Dodson (Comeback Churches, pg. 29-30) wrote: "Most churches in North America need a new approach, a new philosophy, and a new passion.  Yet most won't make the change."
Why is that?  Why do we have difficulty righting the ship?  Stetzer & Dodson continue, "Too many pastors will see the need for change but will be unable to convince there churches to make the changes necessary."  This I believe is true.  I know that this was the case in at least 2 of the churches I have pastored over the last 20 plus years of ministry.  What is the disconnect?
Well again Stetzer & Dodson rightly diagnose the problem.  "Most pastors reading this believe that the church exists, at least in part, to fulfill the great commission. . . .But the average person in the church thinks the church exists to meet his or her needs."  
So what can we do?  What does the church need to make this change?  The church needs a new spiritual DNA.  If you prefer, the church as a whole needs a new mindset or paradigm.  DNA in our bodies is the substance that contains our genetic instructions.  These instructions are used as our body develops and in every aspect of how we function as a living organism.  You might call it our blueprints for life.  Spiritually most churches today need to be infused with a new DNA or blue print of what it is to be the church.  We have blurred the Biblical mandate of the churches purpose with traditions and programs.
If we are to lead our churches to be growing fruitful and healthy we must introduce them to a new philosophy and mindset about the church.  Are you up to the challenge?

check back later fro part 2.

Danger signs of an unhealthy church mindset

Over the years I have become increasingly convinced that a healthy, strong and growing church is not about the programs, policies and activities that a church is doing but more importantly the mindset and paradigms it has adopted.  That being said let me share 9 thoughts mindsets that are danger signs of an unhealthy church mindset.

1. We boast of faithfulness instead of fruitfulness.(John 15.1-8)
2. The Committee or Team's name changes but the faces around the table don't.
3. We excuse ourselves for lacking quality in what we do.
4. We plan for our comfort not for ministry opportunities.
5. For an event to be successful everyone must attend.
6. New people are given "opportunity" to serve only after a few weeks attending and without being equipped.
7. We like to say, "We always do it this way!"
8. We hear, "We pay the pastor to do the ministry things."
9. We have a purpose we just aren't sure what it is!