"Seven Indicators of Church Health" by Dan Reiland

Lists can be good and bad. I don't use a list when I go to the grocery store and I should. I come home with stuff that apparently isn't useful unless someone calls out "Who's got the party snacks!?" Then I'm your man! When I get home my wife gives me that loving, but "Oh well, he can't help it, he just doesn't know any better" look. However, I also buy her flowers nearly every time I'm there. I would never put flowers on a list. When I see them, I think of her, and so I get them. This seems to make up for a lot!

The church can have the same kind of good news bad news when it comes to lists. There is a kind of science involved in the church and we need lists. We need lists of people, budgets, calendar items, prioritized values, and lists of things to do. That's just for starters. There are however, an equal number of things that you can't implement, capture, sustain, or create just because they are on a list. I'm referring to things like the power and anointing of God, the heart of someone caring for another person, raw momentum, a positive culture and ministry environment, or burden for the lost.

With those thoughts as a sort of condition or qualification, I'd like to offer you a list of seven essential qualities of a local church. The stronger each of them is, the stronger and healthier your church is overall. Take a look at this list and think about how you would evaluate your church in each area. Which ones are strong? Which ones need improvement? Which one will you commit to work on this month?

VIBRANT SPIRITUALITY

This list isn't in order. But if it was, I'd have to start here. Vibrant spirituality involves things like passionate worship, robust prayer and a genuine eagerness to live the life of Christ.

Dependency upon God is the overarching theme. When we truly know that God is really God, we know we are not in control and He is. We also know that He is a loving God who cares about us and wants what is best for us. We gain significant experiential clarity in all this through worship and prayer. Ultimately our lives continue to conform more and more to the likeness of Christ. This allows your discipleship process to grow deeper and have greater impact.

Does your church have set-aside and dedicated times of prayer? Do you experience a God-centered intensity in your worship? Do you have a sense that your congregation, in general, desires to live a biblical lifestyle and shows evidence of the fruit of the Spirit? Does your process of discipleship carry the passion to infuse vibrant spirituality in the lives of people?

ENTHUSIASTIC VOLUNTEER SERVICE

This is the muscle of your church. The more volunteer service is exercised, the stronger your church becomes. You probably have read a number of books and articles on this subject, but let me encourage you not to let up on the intentionally focused energy that you invest into raising up volunteers.

Volunteer recruitment isn't about getting the work of the church done. It's about developing the people by helping them find their sweet spot of service in God's Kingdom. Nothing is more fun that watching a volunteer get excited and become productive in things that matter for eternity. The key components included in volunteer service are recruiting, training, encouraging, setting expectations, communicating, shepherding, and expressing gratitude.

Let me ask a blunt question. How many volunteers are active in your church? Benchmarks are changing some in this arena, but a good rule of thumb is to aim for 50% or better of your adult worship attendance involved in volunteer service. Do you make it easy for people to get involved in ministry? Do you train your people well so they are equipped to be successful in ministry? Do you place good leaders in charge of ministries so people will want to be on their teams? Two great questions to ask about your volunteers is 1. Are they happy? 2. Are they productive?

TRUSTED LEADERSHIP

In this election year we all know what it means to feel trust or lack of trust about political candidates. You don't have to be a leadership expert to get that. Your entire congregation intuitively knows, at all times, if they trust you as a leader. By leader, I'm including not only pastor, but the staff, board and key leaders.

Leaders can and will make mistakes, but a violation of trust is different and difficult to recover from. Integrity, character, morals, ethics are all in play when it comes to trust. But so is competence. People will trust you only so far if you are a good and Godly leader. They also want to know that you are leading with wisdom. They want to know that you are headed in the right direction, and know how to get there. The people need to know that you are making good decisions.

Do you experience the freedom (and commensurate responsibility) that comes with being trusted as a spiritual leader? As you empower the people to lead, do you sense an equal empowerment from the people for you to dream, cast-vision and lead on? Are you living a life of full integrity? Are you a good leader and continuing to become a better leader? Are you confident about where you are headed and how you will get there?

EXPRESSION OF COMPASSION

Helping the poor, the hungry, and people in need is just the tip of the iceberg. There are nearly limitless possibilities to show compassion to those outside your church. It's not so much about which cause(s) you choose to help, (you can't choose them all), but the heart behind your choice. God honors all your efforts to help those in need. It is likely that God has blessed you greatly, and He desires that you do the same for others.

The healthy church is motivated and fully engaged in these matters of giving itself away to others in need. As you follow God's lead, you step into the gap where perhaps no one else will. It's not just about writing checks. The more people who get involved personally the better. These ministry endeavors are life-changing in both directions. Those who give and those who receive.

What organizations is your church supporting both financially and with people who show up to serve? Do you sense that you are making a measurable difference in the community because of your efforts? Does your congregation get excited about these opportunities and eagerly respond?

GENEROSITY IN FINANCES

There is no getting around the reality of money. At the writing of this article the government is debating and attempting to close the deal on a 700 billion dollar bailout. That decision will dramatically shape our country's economic future no matter which way it goes. You will not be making decisions for that much money in your church, but you carry just as much responsibility.

Leading a congregation to become a generous church is a monumental task. In some ways (I acknowledge this is a generalization) your church's giving is a statement of its overall maturity and discipleship investment. Let's be blunt. Mature Christians give. In many churches, they give generously. Some of the generosity is connected to vision and momentum - the people believe in what's going on. But even in average churches, mature believers help shoulder the load financially. They give not as if it's a bill to pay, but because they love the Lord and follow the scriptural direction to give.

The state of the economy impacts all churches, and this is a rough economy. But God's people can come through, and in generous churches they do. The more generous you are as a leader, and committed to give yourself away as a church body, the more people will be inspired in their generosity.

What are you doing to inspire your people to give to Kingdom work? In what ways are you teaching about the blessing of seeking to find and live God's heart in this matter? As a leader, are you personally generous? Is good stewardship a matter of serious and devoted prayer in your church?

GENUINE COMMUNITY

Loving relationships in a local church not only reflects the heart of God, but also attracts people who are spiritually searching. Love is a universal language. Caring about people is something everyone understands. Finding a place to belong is something everyone wants.

Negotiating life alone is difficult. Experiencing life without being loved is nearly impossible. Regardless of what kind of church you are, authentic relationship is something you can offer the world. Some churches meet this need through Sunday School. Many churches meet this need through small groups. The method doesn't matter as much as the core value and leadership behind the effort.

Does your congregation demonstrate a loving and caring attitude toward one another? (An attitude that leads to action.) Do you observe honesty, trust, laughter, and generally happy people? Is there an overall sense of unity and quickness to forgive? Is gossip at a minimum?

SALVATION ANTICIPATD

It seems like I've saved the best for last. As I mentioned, this list of seven qualities is not in order. But with the same passion I began with spiritual vitality, I'm closing with the bottom line - evangelism. Call it by whatever name you want. Go after it however you like. When it's all said and done your church's purpose, in essence, is the Great Commission.

Your congregation should get excited about nothing more than people coming to Christ. It's a party in heaven, so why not here on earth? I hope your people clap and cheer as people say yes to Jesus! Every baptism, though a beautiful and meaningful sacrament, should be cause to celebrate!

If you anticipate that people will be saved, you begin to live that way, pray that way, direct finances that way, and people will be saved. Teaching the gospel clearly, giving invitation, and praying like crazy are the basics. How are you doing? How is the visitor flow in your church? The number of visitors is a strong evidence of your church's heart for evangelism. Are your people inviting unchurched people to church? Do you have a great class for new Christians? Do you put effort and energy to continued discipleship for growing Christians?

I've never seen a church with all seven of these factors in good shape not grow at least at a modest rate. And the people love the church! It's not about a perfect church, but one that is alive, healthy, and living for the purposes of God. How is your church doing?