Healthy churches aren’t unicorns. Healthy churches exist, and you can be a part of one. Maybe you are part of a healthy church today. If so, then the steps listed in this post will help you to keep your church healthy. If your church isn’t healthy, you can be part of making it healthier. Try these steps today to begin making your church healthier.
- Pray for your pastor. On one of his visits to the Continent, Charles Spurgeon (pastor of the large Metropolitan Tabernacle in London, 1853-1892) met an American minister who said, “I have long wished to see you, Mr. Spurgeon, and to put one or two simple questions to you. In our country there are many opinions as to the secret of your great influence. Would you be good enough to give me your own point of view?” After a pause Spurgeon said, “My people pray for me.” Do you want a pastor filled with the Holy Spirit who makes a difference in the world and builds up your church? Pray for your pastor and recruit others to do the same.
- Participate in a small group. Healthy churches have healthy small group ministries and there is no better way to grow as a believer than by being a part of a good small group. But, by participating in a small group, you make your church healthier. You can grow in your faith, but you can also help others grow in their faith. Get out of the pew and get into accountable relationships in your church.
- Volunteer in the ministry. Does your children’s ministry still rely on felt boards? Is your music ministry stuck in the 90s? You could complain about it, or you could volunteer in that ministry. If you see an area that can be improved, it may just be that God is calling you to volunteer in that area and make it better.
- Encourage other church members. It is difficult to imagine a church more unhealthy than the one at Corinth, but when Paul wrote to them, he made sure to urge them, “Seek to abound for the edification of the church.” The church is a corporate body, but one of the greatest ways to build up the body is by building up individuals. Find someone to encourage. Pat them on the back for their solo on Sunday morning or for the way they greet at the front door. Be an encourager. The health of your church will improve with every encouraging word you speak.
- Invite a guest. It can be easy to complain because there are never any new people in your church, but it is better to be part of the solution. Invite someone to join you for worship this week. Then, invite someone next week, and the next. When you begin bringing guests to church, you start changing the culture. When those guests hear the gospel and get saved, the church culture changes a little more. When those new believers start bringing other lost people to hear the gospel, you are well on your way to a healthy, missional church.
Healthy churches are made up of healthy Christians. That means that moving your church from unhealthy to healthy might start with you. As you grow in godliness and in your commitment to your church, you make it a little healthier and you have the opportunity to bring others along with you.
A while back, one of my kids responded to an apology this way, “Don’t be sorry, be better.” Is your church unhealthy? Have you contributed to the sickness? It’s OK to be sorry about it, but sorry isn’t enough. Don’t just be sorry. Be better. And bring someone else along with you.
Photo by Lindsay Henwood on Unsplash
