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What Are the Marks of a Healthy Church Logos Q

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Imagine that you are either building or purchasing a new home. What ... Wanton disregard for Scripture (1 Cor 5:1-7) Toleration of unholy living (1 Cor 5:9-11) ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: What Are the Marks of a Healthy Church Logos Q


1
What Are the Marks of a Healthy Church?Logos QA
  • Logos Bible Fellowship
  • February 7, 2007

2
Introduction
  • Imagine that you are either building or
    purchasing a new home
  • What kinds of things are important?
  • What criteria would you use?
  • What do you look for and
    think about?
  • Its an important decision
  • Building/finding a church
    has eternal ramifications
  • How can you contribute?
  • Remember, no church or church member is perfect

3
A Firm Foundation
  • Matthew 724-27 The wise man builds upon rock
  • When storms come, the stability of the foundation
    determines the direction and durability of the
    structure
  • Acts 242 Doctrine, fellowship, breaking bread,
    prayer
  • A proper view of Scripture
  • How does it view the Bible?
  • Inspired and inerrant? Sufficient?
    Authoritative?
  • The Bible is the only rule of faith and practice?
  • Emphasis on Bible teaching and preaching
  • What kind of preaching?
  • Expository? Topical? Evangelistic?
  • Commitment to the Word?
  • Balance indicative/imperative?
  • God centered and gospel centered?

4
A Firm Foundation (cont.)
  • Doctrinal soundness
  • Doctrinal stance Biblical?
  • Essentials of the Christian faith?
  • One God in three
    persons
  • Sinfulness of man
  • Person of Christ
  • Work of Christ
  • Salvation by grace
    through faith alone
  • Christs return and
    judgment
  • Doctrinal practice
  • Practice what you preach (James 122)

5
A Strong Structure
  • Structural components provide strength and
    dictate the character / direction of the ministry
  • Church government
  • New Testament principles (elders/deacons)
  • Christ as head of the church
  • Plurality of godly men in leadership
  • Church discipline
  • Order (1 Co. 1440)
  • Stewardship of the Lords resources

6
A Strong Structure (cont.)
  • Functional goals and objectives
  • Doing the Lords work in the Lords way
  • Vision and direction
  • Knowing how to reach goals? (1 Co. 926)
  • Size
  • Leading of the
    Holy Spirit
  • How are you
    going to be
    used
    by God

7
A Fitting Function
  • Does it fulfill its purpose?
  • Emphasis on worshipping God
  • Stress glorifying God in all things (1 Co. 1031
    Col. 317)
  • Involvement of the members
  • Emphasis on evangelism
  • Inclusion of foreign missions
  • Characterized by love
  • Emphasis on discipleship
  • Must be concerned about spiritual growth, not
    just numerical growth (1 Tim 22)
  • Teaching/living Gods design for family (Eph
    522ff)

8
An Authentic Environment
  • High view of God (Prov 910)
  • Focus on glory/majesty of God?
  • Is God the focus of worship?
  • Presence of sincere faith and
  • trust in God (Heb 111,6)
  • Spirit of sacrifice
  • Sacrifice time, talent, treasure (Rom 121-2
    Matt 633)
  • Sacrifice for other people (Philippians 23-4)
  • Proper attitudes toward pastors and leaders
  • Appreciate and esteem (1 Thess 513)
  • Spirit of unity
  • Has a great effect on the testimony of the church
    to the community (Philippians 22)
  • Spiritual Fervor (Rev 315-16)

9
Am I Right for this Church?
  • Am I willing to give of my time, money, energy,
    and prayers to contribute to the success of this
    church (Mark 1230)?
  • The decision you make about what church to attend
    will greatly affect your spiritual life and the
    lives of your children.
  • Remember, no church will perfectly fulfill all of
    these criteria and no church member is perfect.
  • A balanced ministry is a Spirit-controlled
    ministry

10
When to Leave a Church
  • God may place you in a church that is weak in one
    or several of the above areas to help grow that
    church, but He would never place someone in a
    church that is deficient in a foundational area
  • Membership in a church is something that is to be
    taken seriously
  • Leaving is not something that should be done
    lightly or for petty reasons
  • Should not ever leave a sound Bible-believing
    church over preference

11
When to Leave a Church
  • There are times when leaving a church is
    necessary for the sake of conscience or to obey
    God rather than men, including
  • Denial of a fundamental doctrine truth (Gal.
    17-9)
  • Toleration of serious error (Rom 1617)
  • Wanton disregard for Scripture (1 Cor 51-7)
  • Toleration of unholy living (1 Cor 59-11)
  • The church is seriously out of step with the
    Biblical pattern for the church (2 Thess 36,14)
  • Characterized by gross hypocrisy (2 Tim 35)

12
Small Group Discussion
  • Church Case Studies
  • Marks Group The Church in Ephesus Revelation
    21-7
  • Ricks Group The Church in Pergamum Revelation
    212-17
  • Drews Group The Church in Thyatira Revelation
    218-29
  • Nates Group The Church in Thessalonica 1
    Thess. 13-10, 213, 519-22
  • Which marks of a healthy church did they exhibit?
  • Which marks did they lack?
  • What was Gods command to them?
  • What can we learn and apply from them?

13
References
  • Study mainly adapted from
  • What should I look for when choosing a new
    church home http//www.gty.org/resources.php?sect
    ionissuesaid176396
  • Study partly adapted from
  • When should people leave their church
  • http//www.gty.org/resources.php?sectionissuesa
    id176395
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