Healthy Church week 2

“Alignment”

Church health sign #2: A healthy church is in proper alignment.

Opening:

Last week we began our new series that I have entitled: “Signs of a Healthy Church.”

We discussed the difference between church growth and church health.

We stated that our first sign of a healthy church is: “The health of a church depends on the health of its individuals.”

In order for us to grow in health as a church we must therefore grow in health as individuals.

I asked you to assess your current level of health and discover how you can move to your next level of personal health.

Today, I want to continue our thoughts by investigating what Scripture has to say about church health.

What does God have to say about His Church, and what does He expect to see as we gather together in His name?

Text introduction:

Jesus has ascended to heaven.

He returns in appearances to the disciples.

He instructs them to wait for the promise of the Holy Spirit.

The disciples receive the Baptism in the Holy Spirit and the 1st century church is launched.

Now we read the description of the church in its infancy stage as the disciples proceed to live and minister in the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.

[Act 2:42-47 ESV] 42 “And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.”

Notice with me the primary activities of the church . . .

Teaching

Fellowship

Prayer

Generosity

The result of these activities was; “the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.”

Consider with me what happens when one of these is missing from the church:

Without teaching there is a lack of understanding.

Without fellowship, people feel disconnected.

Without prayer, the church lacks spiritual power.

Without generosity, needs go unmet.

On a surface level, we could conclude that if we have these characteristics present in our church we will experience the same results.

If we are not experiencing the church health desired then we must increase our levels of teaching, fellowship, prayer, and generosity.

When we increase the level of these activities then we will also experience “the Lord adding to our congregation.”

But remember with me that I made the comment that “big is not necessarily healthy.”

We can grow in numbers and conclude that we are healthy. I

t is a simple cause and effect approach, but one that I believe lacks foundational health factors needed to enable us to experience church health.

Let’s take a closer look at some potentially subtle characteristics also listed in our text:

Devotion

Awe

Favor

Devotion . . .

to adhere to one, be his adherent, to be devoted or constant to one

to be steadfastly attentive

to continue all the time

What are we devoted to?

One way to measure devotion is to assess where we spend our time and money.

There is no quicker way to determine devotion than by looking at our calendars and checkbooks.

Devotion goes deeper . . . changing the tires but not fixing the alignment

I can change my tires but unless I address misalignment, my new tires will wear out.

I can discipline myself to pray more, give more, and witness more, but if I am out of alignment a disconnect will occur between head and heart. (Legalism)

I can respond to external force for a while, but internal force will always win in the end.

Until I address my misalignment at a personal level and our misalignment at a corporate level, we will never experience true church health.

Awe . . .

We read that “awe” came upon them as they witnessed signs and wonders.

Heaven came down, lives were transformed and the evidence of this transformation came into full view.

When we gather on a Sunday morning, what do we expect?

Is there an anticipation in our hearts that God will show up?

We get what we expect . . .

When we expect God to work in our lives and in our church, we’re more likely to be actively engaged.

We come to church with a sense of anticipation and purpose, looking to see how God will move.

Healthy churches have a culture of growth, where people expect to be changed and transformed.

Expectations act as a foundation for how a church lives out its faith, mission, and values.

When a church experiences decline:

Decline can cause members to lose the sense of awe and expectancy.

Decline can lead people to question if their service or giving will make a difference.

Decline can lower the church’s overall vision, shifting the focus from mission and outreach to maintenance and mere survival.

Decline can lead members to lose sight of the church’s purpose and identity.

Realigning expectations . . .

“All who believed were together”

Physically: attendance

Mentally: agreement

Relationally: accountability

“Had all things in common”

If you want to know the health of a church, listen to the conversations in the hallway.

Jesus said, “from the heart the mouth speaks.”

Our speech reveals the level to which we have the alignment of “commonality”

The observable fruit of commonality is:

Unity

Mutual support

Generosity

“They received their food with glad and generous hearts.”

One sign of church health is laughter.

“Glad hearts”- do we have glad hearts?

When a church is healthy, there’s an atmosphere of genuine gladness that often overflows in laughter, mutual encouragement, and warmth.

This joy isn’t superficial; it’s rooted in the deep satisfaction that comes from being in relationship with God and in fellowship with one another.

Favor . . .

In Acts 2:47, we read that the early church enjoyed “favor with all the people,” and as a result, God “added to their number day by day those who were being saved.” God’s favor influences every area of church life—from outreach and growth to unity and purpose.

When a church has God’s favor, it finds unexpected openings in the community.

Favor attracts others to see the church as a vital, uplifting presence.

Churches experiencing God’s favor often see more people drawn to their community.

Favor shines as a testimony to God’s goodness and faithfulness, making people curious and open to joining.

They see lives that reflect hope, healing, and joy, which speaks to the authenticity and vibrancy of life in Christ.

It’s easier to overcome differences and focus on shared purpose when people recognize God’s hand on their church.

How can we align with God’s favor?

God’s favor makes needed adjustments . . . Our spiritual chiropractor

The Holy Spirit functions as our "spiritual chiropractor," consistently working to bring us into alignment with God’s favor by adjusting our inner lives and redirecting us toward spiritual health.

Just as a chiropractor realigns the spine for optimal physical function, the Holy Spirit makes necessary adjustments in our hearts, minds, and actions, enabling us to walk in God’s favor with clarity and strength.

Correcting Our Posture

Revealing Misalignments Through Conviction

For lasting alignment, chiropractors often work on core stability.

Similarly, the Holy Spirit strengthens our spiritual core by developing the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23), such as love, joy, peace, and patience.

By listening to the Spirit’s guidance, we make small, daily adjustments that keep us aligned with God’s favor and purpose.

Renewing Our Mindset

The Holy Spirit transforms our thinking, aligning it with God’s truth (Romans 12:2).

By renewing our minds, He helps us see life from God’s perspective, helping us make choices that align with His favor.

Call to action:

How’s your alignment?

Take a look at the “tread” of your emotions, attitudes, and relationships.

Take a look at your expectations.

Ask yourself: “where am I experiencing spiritual pain?”