What do spiritually healthy churches look like?" That can be a tough question, especially when you get into the intricacies of what the terms spiritual and healthy mean. Yet growth is an essential ingredient of health in any living organism.
The church is a living organism; it is the body of Christ. A healthy church must be a growing church.
So what are key factors to measure and identify what would constitute a healthy church. What and where should importance be placed when growing a healthy congregation. Here are 6 factors for us to consider,
The pastor is important
Who the pastor is and what he or she does is a vital part of a church's health and well- being. A pastor's personal spirituality, growth, and leadership will be reflected in the congregation. God can't build a church larger than He can build you. In turn the pastor grows the people that help develop the health of the church.
The mission/vision is important
"Where there is no vision, the people perish" (Prov. 29:18). The number one need in most churches is for someone to set the vision. Without a focus, things become blurry, members go in different directions, and no one can articulate what their church is here for or how it will accomplish its purpose. Someone has to help the members believe that what their church can be it will be. That someone is the pastor.
Leadership is important
According to leadership expert John C Maxwell "Everything rises or falls with leadership."
What is leadership? Leadership is influence. Leadership is the ability to obtain followers. Leadership is some thing that is nurtured and strengthened, and not something that automatically happens or goes with the job or title.
Leadership involves more than one person; in fact, a healthy church will have a number of leaders when I started Victory Church one of my chief aims was to mentor and raise up others leaders. The pastor's job is to impact a handful of leaders who will in turn impact others. To become such an effective leader, a minister needs to develop the essential skills of communication, motivation, delegation of responsibility, management of time and resources, and training other leaders.
An involved congregation is important
A spiritually healthy church will get its people involved in areas that meet their gifts, talents, and abilities. While equipping and training the people may take different approaches in different churches, the key is providing opportunities and involvement to as many members as possible. Even new members should be quickly absorbed into the partnership of ministry. Jesus is the perfect example he takes twelve men and engages them with His ministry immediately.
Worship is important
In structuring the style and format of worship, pastors need to be conscious of the worship flow, too much singing can lead to over kill and by the time you get up to preach the people are ready to sleep not listen! Loudness does not mean its more anointed neither does how long the worship goes on for. Our worship should be Christ centred not self serving songs that just make us feel good.
A healthy church also makes the worship service family and visitor friendly, making everything said and done clear and easy to understand and respond to.
Learning is important
Finally, if you want your church spiritually healthy, keep learning. To be an effective leader, one has to be a learner. Find new ways to do old things. Find new ways to share the "old, old story." You're never too old to learn something new.
