What is a healthy church?

What is a "Healthy Church"?

In my opinion, a healthy church is a church that put the Lord Jesus Christ FIRST and lets all the assorted NONSENSE fall by the wayside.

A healthy church is one absent the funny handshakes; the eye winks; the gentle head nods; the code words; the favoritism; the stuffed shirts; etc.

A healthy church is a church that tends to ALL of the members needs..., not just the family members. Those who are sick; old and unable to cut their grass; the widow's; a ride for the one who needs to make a doctor's appointment; a hair dresser's appointment for that elderly woman with the walker; the member that needs help with any of the various addictions; etc., and the list is endless.

With all due respect for those "Nine Marks"..., I see nowhere any reference being made to those members in need as described in the above paragraph.

 

Charles Spurgeon, "Work for Jesus":

"I remember that when Andrew Fuller had a very severe lecture from some Scotch Baptist brethren about the discipline of the church, [the Scotch Baptists were a splinter group, now extinct: "A plurality of elders or pastors in every church, is a distinguishing feature in their order. . . .they consider a church incomplete without a plurality."] he made the reply, "You say that your discipline is so much better than ours. Very well, but discipline is meant to make good soldiers. Now, my soldiers fight better than yours, and I think therefore that you ought not to say much about my discipline." So the real thing is not to be for ever calculating about modes of church government, and methods of management and plans to be adopted and rules to be laid down, which it shall be accounted a serious breach to violate. All well in their place, for order is good in its way. But come, now, let us go to work. Let us have something done."

 

The expositional preaching is a personal preference and cannot be defended by scripture.

Anyway a healthy church understands that the great commission is far more than simply telling someone the good news.

A healthy church makes disciples, understands the true purpose of prayer, knows God not just knows about Him.

Biblical theology is great but a healthy church knows how to take that theology and turn it into life.

A healthy church lives the word of God not just knows it. Living it does not just mean following rules it means being transformed.

If we are not serving others and God we cannot know God and we cannot live the faith.

 

I don't think that the 9 marks you listed cover the full spectrum of indicators by which one should assess a healthy church. As one poster has already noted, loving each other sacrificially in close-knit community is also, I believe, a very vital mark of a healthy church. I have been in a number of churches where biblical knowledge and careful adherence to doctrine are the main focus, but the churches were cold, hard and dead. "Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies." It seems it is very difficult for churches to maintain a good balance between promoting a full understanding of the tenets of the Christian faith and fostering deep, holy and sacrificial love among its members. Churches seem to end up either pushing love at the expense of truth or pushing truth at the expense of love. But having them both in full operation in the church is, I think, one of the most crucial things to look for in a truly healthy church.

Selah.

 

Do you believe that the sound preaching and teaching would take care of this? That is, by the way, where we get all of our teachings and direction on these issues, from the Word of God. But you brought up a good point, I just feel that teaching and preaching does address this and take it on.