Healthy Church

Church Definition: 1. a building used for public Christian worship

2. a Christian organization, typically one with its own clergy, buildings, and distinctive doctrines

3. institutionalized religion as a political or social force

Organization vs Organism

Becoming a Healthy Church

1. Humanity gets in the way of Healthy

2. To be Unhealthy is Human. To remain Unhealthy is dangerous

Acts 6:1 ESV

Now in these days when the disciples were increasing in number, a complaint by the Hellenists arose against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution.

3. Tribalism, Clicks, Preferences, Picks and Chooses, etc. happen in churches because church is made up of humans

Acts 6:2–3 ESV

And the twelve summoned the full number of the disciples and said, “It is not right that we should give up preaching the word of God to serve tables. Therefore, brothers, pick out from among you seven men of good repute, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we will appoint to this duty.

4. Healthy leaders deal with issues head on and Healthy members are willing to be solutions

5. Healthy churches are filled with members who are full of the Spirit, Full of Wisdom, and Responsible

Acts 6:4 ESV

But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”

6. Healthy churches have Leaders who priortize Prayer and the Word

Ephesians 4:11–12 ESV

And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,

Acts 6:5 ESV

And what they said pleased the whole gathering, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch.

7. Healthy churches have full or majority buy in on the most important issues

Acts 6:6–7 ESV

These they set before the apostles, and they prayed and laid their hands on them. And the word of God continued to increase, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.

8. Healthy churches see God’s message spread. They see believers increase and they see conversions happen