Healthy Church Check-Up

I am a part of the I.F.C.A. International (Independent Fundamental Churches of America). It is a great organization where Bible churches can fellowship and cooperate together under the banner of the fundamentals of Christian doctrine. Since the strength of the fellowship will be dependent upon the health of the churches that are fellowshipping together, the I.F.C.A. is always striving for the health and maturity of churches. To help churches evaluate their health, the I.F.C.A. has put together a list of healthy church qualities. Few churches will have all of the 21 vital signs, but every church should be striving for them.

1. Doctrinal Purity
2. Holy Living
3. Fervent Prayer
4. Expository Preaching
5. Relevant teaching
6. Servant leadership
7. Intentional equipping
8. Leadership development
9. Pastoral Mentoring (pastor apprenticeship)
10. Evangelistic zeal
11. Missions Involvement
12. Church extension (planting, establishing, and nurturing local churches)
13. Compassionate concern (toward the physical, material, and emotional needs of those inside and outside the church)
14. Unified purpose
15. Effective communication (to clearly, thoughtfully, and sensitively distribute useful data)
16. Biblical conciliation
17. Sensitive separation (separation and church discipline excersized with humility and grace)
18. Multi-generational ministry
    
19. Multi-cultural/ethnically diverse ministry
20. Financial Stewardship
21. Continual Improvement
    

Business meetings and the grace of forebearance

Our church just conducted our one and only annual church-wide meeting a while back. Most people cringe at the thought of church business meetings. Not the case for our church. Our body is very blessed to be filled with people who aren't divisive and contentious. There are no heated arguments or unkind words. This is probably a rarity, but it is a blessed thing. We thank God for it.

Why is this the case? I am sure there are multiple factors ranging from the example of our leaders all the way down to how the meetings are conducted. For this post, however, I would like to highlight the grace of forebearance. Forbearance is that attribute which allows you to put up with people. What they are doing or what they are not doing drives you crazy but you tolerate it. You suffer long with them. You bear up under what you see as irritating.

Oh, how important this virtue is. And never more so than business meetings. Why is this? For the simple reason that we are all different. We have different maturity levels, different personalities, and different ways of handling things. So many differences means that at any given point, someone would be doing it differently if they had it their way. This is what makes congregational meetings a mine field of conflict. The nature of a congregational meeting is an openness that allows the voice of the flock to be heard. That generally means anyone can say anything at anytime. The irritation of difference is to be expected by everyone. But without forbearance, a blowup is just around the corner. And when that happens, if there there is not a response of forbearance in return, that church has just entered the vicious and painful cycle of blowups.

Has your local body of believers been taught forbearance? Have they had forebearance modeled to them? It is something we look to the Spirit to produce in us. It is a mix of humility, love for others who are different than ourselves, and patience. If a shepherd is going to attempt to save time by having a congregational meeting, this is a grace that needs to be prayed for, grasped and modeled by leaders, and taught to the people.

May the Lord grant you forebearing brothers and sisters.

Are You Ready For Church Growth??

Not long ago we took our youth group to the annual fall retreat that is put on by local Bible churches. I invited a new youth pastor and his newly formed youth group and they were able to attend. It was a good retreat with many memorable moments. Yet, there was one thing that stood out to me as a needful reminder.

The new youth pastor had the unusual blessing of having his new youth group grow very quickly. What was unique about this growth was that most of the youth that were coming were unchurched youth. This means that most did not have parental connections to the church or any background about behavior in the church. So the way they interacted at school was pretty much the way they interacted at church. If you have stepped into any schools lately you will know that it isn't pretty. Selfishness, unkindness, laziness, lack of care, and general worldliness abounds.

Now imagine what this means for my youth pastor friend. It means his job just got a lot harder. This was very clear at the retreat. At every turn there was another issue that had to be dealt with. This was not fun.

But it was redemptive. What I am getting at is if you really want to reach the world and bring them in, that means you are going to bring in all of their issues with them. It is going to mean a whole lot of painful and perplexing work for you. It is going to mean a whole lot of selfless love will be demanded. And it is also going to mean that biblical ministry will happen. That's right, the church was never intended to be a country club of stable and mature Christians, but a hospital where sin can be amputated and worldliness can be dealt with in truth and love.

To do this means that you are going to have to deal with conflict, die to your desires, and love those who don't even know you are loving them. So, are you ready for this? Are you ready for church growth?