First, what is a healthy church? Well, when one looks to scripture -- particularly the New Testament -- the church is compared to the human body (e.g., 1 Corinthians 12). When each part of the body is working well, when there are no aches and pains, blood or bruises, then the body is considered healthy. If you consider that each member is truly a part of the body as the Word teaches, then a simple definition of a "healthy" church might read something like this: A healthy church is when every member truly worships God, shares Christ through testimony with others, likes and respects other members, while teaching them to follow Christ, and helps out those within their individual paths. (See the previous blog post entitled "5 Things Great Churches Do".)
There is a big problem with that thought. There are no churches that would fit that description -- none -- anywhere. Yet, some churches -- not many -- but some are considered quite healthy, so there must be some other definition. I wonder if a healthy church might be one that is financially stable? Perhaps a healthy church is one that has well kept buildings and grounds. It could be that a healthy church is one where large crowds gather. I have actually heard a few pastors say that a healthy church is one that is growing in at least one of the four big M's: membership, ministries, money or missions. Clearly there are different cultural understandings of what a healthy church might be, but when the rubber hits the road, what does God care about what the culture thinks is good? When has God ever judged something from a worldly perspective? Name one time. I can't find one. Or how about this thought: When has almost doing the right thing been the right thing. Given those thoughts I suspect that God might think a healthy church would be more along the lines of the definition derived from His Word -- especially that found in 1 Corinthians 12. And all ya'll (Southern plural pronoun) who might be reading this, the sad fact of the matter is that there is NO healthy church. Church health is a collective choice made individually. Each member of the body makes its' own decision whether or not to do what God made it to do. If your liver ceases to function then you are sick. If fingers ache from arthritis then one has a disease and is not healthy. If you fail in your purpose as a follower of Christ then the whole church is sick. If your best friend and fellow choir member fails in their responsibility as a follower of Christ then the whole is sick. So is your church healthy? Might you be the reason for the disease?
There is a big problem with that thought. There are no churches that would fit that description -- none -- anywhere. Yet, some churches -- not many -- but some are considered quite healthy, so there must be some other definition. I wonder if a healthy church might be one that is financially stable? Perhaps a healthy church is one that has well kept buildings and grounds. It could be that a healthy church is one where large crowds gather. I have actually heard a few pastors say that a healthy church is one that is growing in at least one of the four big M's: membership, ministries, money or missions. Clearly there are different cultural understandings of what a healthy church might be, but when the rubber hits the road, what does God care about what the culture thinks is good? When has God ever judged something from a worldly perspective? Name one time. I can't find one. Or how about this thought: When has almost doing the right thing been the right thing. Given those thoughts I suspect that God might think a healthy church would be more along the lines of the definition derived from His Word -- especially that found in 1 Corinthians 12. And all ya'll (Southern plural pronoun) who might be reading this, the sad fact of the matter is that there is NO healthy church. Church health is a collective choice made individually. Each member of the body makes its' own decision whether or not to do what God made it to do. If your liver ceases to function then you are sick. If fingers ache from arthritis then one has a disease and is not healthy. If you fail in your purpose as a follower of Christ then the whole church is sick. If your best friend and fellow choir member fails in their responsibility as a follower of Christ then the whole is sick. So is your church healthy? Might you be the reason for the disease?
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