I’m not sure that there’s that many people reading here these days ;-), but I have a question to ask. I’d actually love to hear answers from church-attenders and from not-attenders.
When you think of a healthy church, what makes that church healthy?
Discuss.
I'm a church "not attender" (nice label, Pat :-). When I think about a healthy church, I didn't start with an assumption that it's a Christian or Catholic church, so a love for "Father/Son/Holy Spirit," or even the masculine "Him." didn't come foremost to my mind.
When I think about a healthy church, though, I'm equally subjective. I think about:
Membership comprised of people with common, or at least compatible, beliefs.
A church organization that is structured to help its congregation/membership in ways that they need (sometimes this is spiritually, but at many times it is also help in a very practical nature, through tough times).
Tolerance of others indicates health to me; welcoming interaction with people of other faiths, and respect for the global community of churches.
Much like "work / life balance" being talked about so much in workplaces these days, I think a good "church / life balance" is an indicator of health; I know there is a wide gray line between healthy balance and cult status, and I won't profess to know the right definition, but I think that a good integration with society is an important aspect of a healthy church (and I don't mean this to suggest that a church's principles are subject to trends).
Jeff
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A further thought to clarify… I didn't mean 'at any cost', rather 'even if there is a cost'.
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Hmmm… well, I’ll admit that my answer is completely subjective, but when I think of a healthy church I think of:
-a group of folks in love with Father/Son/Holy Spirit and pursuing/building a relationship with Him.
-a group of folks who love each other well, despite the cost.
-a group of folks who love their community well, despite the cost, and see Jesus everywhere.
That’s it. Simple thoughts from a simple girl. 🙂
Nothing to do with numbers, or location, or resources.
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Great feedback so far!
I too am a “not attender†and I simply consider a healthy church to be one whose:
– members have genuine relationships with one another
– Show forth "good fruit" within the church body and outside the walls in the community
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I agree with Kyle. I would have said two things off the bat:
1) authentic community; genuine, kingdom-oriented relationships between members of the church community and leadership
2) missional; the aforementioned community recognizes the need for the church to go out and "do its thing" in the world
Sorry, Kyle for regurgitating your words, but I think you hit the nail on the head.
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Thanks for the comments, folks. I'm looking forward to hearing more.
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good question. one i guess we should ask more regularly.
i enjoy reading acts 2:42-27 – the apostles' teaching, breaking of bread, fellowship and prayer. the general theme here is community and fellowship – one another and with God. but the word i love the most in that context is the word 'devoted.'
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Great question! (coming from THE MASTER INQUISITOR)
I think a healthy church is completely wrapped up in RELATIONSHIP. At any given time, anyone can rub each other the wrong way or miscommunicate and get angry over the slightest of things.
I believe God has instilled in every born again believer a devise called The Holy Spirit which is
showing us how we are to properly respond to each
other.
So, If I am upset at a person in my church and I am grumbling at my pastor for not focusing more time on the Childrens' Ministry, there is a small voice that is also telling me to give up that upset feeling to Jesus and maybe I am too focused on Children's Ministry and need to ask my BUSY PASTOR what I can do to help him and the church, trusting that God will handle my pet project.
When we all filter our relationships through the Power Of the Cross and the one who made it possible to break all the walls down, we see each other the way Jesus sees us and his Church.
It is very cool when we truly are walking this life in God together with the love and understanding of God.
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I think a key element to the devotion of the church is a commitment to be present with the faithful outside of our neighborhood churches. For myself, describing "church" with a primary focus on a congregation in one time and place, gets me really off center.
I think a healthy local congregation is one that is vital and loving piece of God's commitment to the world, a commitment that stretches across national and ethnic boundaries, generations, economy, and centuries.
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Hello,
Passionate about the common good, human flourishing, lifelong learning, being a good ancestor.
Things I do: Engineering leadership; Grad Instructor in spirituality, creativity, digital personhood, pilgrimage.
Powerlifter, mountain biker, Gonzaga basketball fan, reader, urban sketcher, hiker.
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pat loughery 
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