Video credit: John Crist
If you could only pick one adjective to describe what’s most important to you in a church, what would it be?
Big? Small? Friendly? Active? Innovative? Traditional? Contemporary? Culturally-engaged? Bible-teaching? Missions-minded? Young? Established? Seeker-sensitive? Kid-friendly? Cutting edge?
In reality, many of our criteria for church today are a matter of mere preference. They’re not necessarily bad things, but they’re not always biblical, and often too narrow.
So what should be the most important adjective for a church? It’s hard to pick just one word (and no doubt many words would suit). But if we had to pick just one, our humble suggestion would be healthy.
What is a Healthy Church?
Healthy things work the way they’re supposed to, according to design. Which means a healthy church is one that grows and functions the way God intended it. So what does that look like? And what will it take?
This is the question the apostle Paul was answering in his letter to Titus, whom he left in Crete so that he might “put what remained into order” (1:5) among the churches they had recently planted. In that light, Paul’s letter to Titus is kind of like a handbook for a healthy church: here’s what it looks like and what it takes for the church to grow and function according to God’s design.
Join Us
This Sunday at Westgate Church, I’ll begin teaching an adult Sunday School class on this subject, walking through Titus together in order to listen to and learn from this handbook for a healthy church. The schedule is below. I hope you can join us!
For more about Sunday morning learning opportunities at Westgate, including the class Pastor Bruce will be teaching on the Trinity, click here.
Handbook for a Healthy Church: Lessons from Titus (9:30 am, Room 302)
- April 23: Gospel Foundation (1:1-4; 2:11-14; 3:3-7)
- April 30: Godly Leadership: Biblical Offices (1:5-9; et al.)
- May 7: Godly Leadership: Character (1:5-9)
- May 14: Sound Doctrine: Constructive (1:9; 2:1, 7, 15; 3:8)
- May 21: Sound Doctrine: Corrective (1:10-16; 3:9-11)
- May 28: Good Works: From the Heart (1:16; 2:11-14)
- June 4: Good Works: Practice (2:7-10; 3:1-15)
- June 11: Discipleship: Pattern (2:1-10; et al.)
- June 18: Discipleship: Practice (Various)
