Church Health Is The Result Of Balance

Rick Warren, Author and Pastor, says that a healthy balance occurs when a church has a strategy and a structure to fulfill what he believe are the five New Testament purposes for the church: worship, evangelism, fellowship, discipleship, and ministry.

He states that if a church doesn’t have a strategy and a structure that intentionally balances the purposes, the church tends to overemphasize the purpose that the pastor feels most passionate about. When a church emphasizes any one purpose to the neglect of others, that produces imbalance – it’s unhealthy. It stunts a lot of churches.

Warren believes that for a church to be balanced, four things must happen. First, you’ve got to move people into membership. Second, build them up to maturity. Third, train them for ministry and Fourth, send them out their mission.

Saddleback Church uses a baseball diamond to illustrate that. They have a scorecard to evaluate progress. Just like when you go to a doctor and he checks all your vital signs, the health of a church is quantifiable. It is possible to measure how many more people are involved in ministry this month than last month.

It is also possible to discern the attitudes and perceptions of church members in each of the five purposes plus prayer using the Church Health Survey. This process allows your church to ‘look in the mirror’ before embarking in any new direction.

Your church can also utilize the Church Health Survey to discover why you are not growing, or why your church’s spirit seems to be less excited. Some churches conduct the survey annually just to be informed and ready for new opportunities.

Another tool that is similar to a complete physical exam for the human body, is the Comprehensive ChurchHealth+Plus Consultation that provides a complete assessment of the health of your church body. Conducted on-site by a professional church consultant, using tested ministry analysis tools, you receive a comprehensive evaluation of the strengths and areas of growth for your church. Specific and practical recommendations are part of the ChurchHealth+Plus Report, so you can begin taking steps immediately to strengthen your ministry effectitiveness

Rick Warren believes a far better focal point than church growth is church health. He encourages pastors to focus on helping their church become balanced and healthy.

Warren says, “If churches are healthy, growth is a natural occurrence. I don't have to command my kids to grow. If I provide them with a healthy environment, growth is automatic. In the same way, if you provide your church with a healthy, balanced environment, growth will occur naturally.” To read Rick Warren’s full article follow this link.

God is ready to do ‘a new thing,’ but is your church? God promised us in Isaiah that he has a new path planned for our lives and our ministry: “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland” (Isaiah 43:18-19).

To schedule a Comprehensive ChurchHealth+Plus Consultation Contact William E. James and Associates