Marks of a Healthy Church

Marks of a Healthy Church

 

As I went through my first draft of core values (see previous post) I’ve recently discovered I have another core value rattling around in my head.  Now it’s time to bring it out.  It’s still not in a draft form, but the basic principles are on the table.  I just want to comment that this is different from the marks of a healthy Christian at Chesapeake Pres. (also a previous post)

 

So, how did this come about?  I’ve been influenced through Bob Burns (Covenant Seminary) and the Pastors Summit.  In addition, several of the families and people linking up with us to help plant Chesapeake Pres. were burned in previous churches.  Now, that’s not to say that we’re all not at fault in some measure.  But, I am saying that division and broken relationships within a church can be particularly painful, as the church ought to be a place of peace and free from disunity.  In my mind, the reasons most missions fail is due to the inability of the Christians to get along.  I’m passionate about unity within the body.  Thus, a core value on a healthy church.  I’d really love your input on this one.  Please comment.

 

It seems to me that in a family when the marriage relationship is healthy, the kids will be healthy.  Similarly, in a church, when the leadership is healthy, it follows that the congregation will be healthy….I hope!  At Chesapeake Pres. we’re committing to health!  But, what does that look like exactly?

 

Know Yourself in Light of Knowing Your Creator

Calvin began the Institutes, “Nearly all the wisdom we possess, that is to say, true and sound wisdom, consists of two parts: the knowledge of God and of ourselves” and later, “Again, it is certain that man never achieves a clear knowledge of himself unless he has first looked upon God’s face, and then descends from contemplating him to scrutinize himself.” I believe it is essential, in order to be healthy, that an individual knows himself; how he projects himself, his impact in a group, his strengths, weaknesses, communication style, sin patterns, and emotions.  This list is obviously not exhaustive, but a primer.  When you know yourself, you’re able to enter into a situation or conflict and bring resolution.  However, if you are blind to self, then it is very difficult to be a peacemaker.  And, the way we learn about ourselves, is through our knowledge of our creator and how we relate to Him.  Who we are, as sinful, fallen, weak creatures, in relationship to a holy, loving God is so important.  It is here that we move to the Gospel (our foundational core value.)  The Gospel compels us to see ourselves in light of God’s holiness, all while He pours grace, mercy, compassion, and love into the gap between our sinfulness and God’s perfection.  The Gospel, both humbles us and elevates us.  We go lower, because we know that we’re broken, sinful and rebellious.  We go higher because in the Gospel of Christ, we’re elevated to the living room, throne room, and freed from the court room.  We’re made sons and daughters (living room) of the great King!  We’re made perfectly holy (throne room) in His presence.  And, finally, through the cross of Christ, we’re forgiven (court room) for all our sins, and declared not guilty only because of Jesus.  We begin to be a healthy church when we rest in our union with Christ and begin to know ourselves in light of God.

 

More thoughts next week.  What are yours?

~ by chesapeakepc on March 2, 2009.