Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4
Personal vitality
We all want to be part of a healthy church. But what indicators show a vibrant, healthy congregation? There's no question that church health is a work of God. But there's also no question that He uses people to accomplish it. As a healthy person gives attention to proper diet, adequate rest, and regular exercise, healthy churches give attention to those things that are most important for their vitality. This is the second article in a four-part series on key characteristics or signs of church health.
Sign #7
The church is adaptable and flexible - willing to change. They don't compromise or seek the latest fad, but they are teachable. They have an unselfish spirit and are pliable in the Master's hands. Leaders and members each have preferences, but they forgo their "rights," desiring what's best for the church and for the lost.
Sign #8
The church emphasizes the positive and never dwells on the negative. They celebrate victories. Even where there have been disappointments, they don't allow that to monopolize their focus and permeate their thinking. But they learn and benefit from mistakes.
Sign #9
The church practices accountability and maintains high expectations - for themselves and for others. In healthy congregations, members help one another mature as Christians. They never lower the requirements of membership or discipleship to appeal to the uncommitted or to draw larger crowds. Their growth may not be immediate, but it is certain. And it is both numerical and qualitative.
Sign #10
Don't try to do everything, but what they do they do well. They utilize a team approach, using the gifts of individuals. Healthy churches prioritize, and they intentionally neglect those things they should not do or that they cannot do well.
Sign #11
The church has focus and purpose. They're intentional and only do those things that move them toward the fulfillment of that vision. They understand and distinguish between the essential and the extraneous.
Sign #12
The church is proactive, not reactive. Healthy churches help create their future. They do not wait passively to see what will happen. They're constantly praying and assessing their present and their potential.