By T.M. Moore
Is Yours a Healthy, Growing Church?
In Ephesians 4.11-16, the Apostle Paul shows us how to think about healthy, growing churches, and how they get that way:
And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the
pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of
ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all
attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the
Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the
stature of the fullness of Christ…
The twelve questions that follow allow you the opportunity to examine your church in the light of Paul’s insights. In each case, render a low and a high score, reflecting how you think about your church in each category as to its worst and its best rating. Your answer to each question will give you a “window” on your church in each of twelve areas.
Healthy, growing churches strive to narrow that window and to move it further along to the right in each category. By regular assessment, faithful prayer, careful planning, and diligent execution, churches can grow in the ways Paul describes, faithfully increasing in unity and maturity.
Part I: Healthy churches are characterized by unity.
1. Unity of the Faith
1.1 Creedal unity: Healthy churches share the same doctrinal views, vision for ministry, and family vernacular. The members profess the same creeds, embrace common goals and objectives for their ministry, and understand key terms and ideas in the same way.
Our church is growing in creedal unity:
Lowest score/Highest score
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Hardly at all … To …a very high degree
1.2 Practical unity: Healthy churches share in one another’s lives. Members know and care
for one another, enjoy spending time together, rejoice and weep together, and bear the burdens of one another gladly.
Our church is growing in practical unity:
Lowest score/Highest score
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Hardly at all … To …a very high degree
2. Unity of the knowledge of God’s Son: In a healthy, growing church, all the members are
growing together in their relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. They truly know and
love Him, and they encourage one another in their walk with Him.
Our church is growing in unity of the knowledge of God’s Son:
Lowest score/Highest score
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Hardly at all … To …a very high degree
Part II: Healthy churches are also characterized by maturity.
3. “No longer children” - discernment:
Healthy, growing congregations as a whole are characterized by the ability to determine right
from wrong and truth from error, and to make wise choices in every area of life. Our church
is growing in discernment:
Lowest score/Highest score
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Hardly at all … To …a very high degree
4. “Speaking the truth in love”
4.1 Inside the Body: In healthy, growing churches, preaching, teaching, counsel, and conversations are positive, edifying, seasoned with grace, and stimulating unto good works.
Our church is growing in speaking the truth in love inside the Body:
Lowest score/Highest score
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Hardly at all … To …a very high degree
4.2 Outside the Body:
Healthy, growing congregations are active, winsome, and effective in speaking the truth of the Gospel to the community beyond their walls. Church members and church ministries alike are focused on reaching the community with the Good News of the Kingdom. Our church is growing in speaking the truth in love outside:
Lowest score/Highest score
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Hardly at all … To …a very high degree
5. “Every joint supplies”:
In healthy, growing churches every member is involved in the work of building the church. All are discovering and using their gifts in ministry, looking to the Holy Spirit and working harmoniously together according to the vision of the church and the goals understood and embraced by all.
Our church is growing in the way of every joint supplying its contribution:
Lowest score/Highest score
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Hardly at all … To …a very high degree
6. “Increase in love”
Healthy, growing churches are characterized by love. Love is the constant pursuit, the characteristic ambiance, and the common currency of all they are and all they do.
Our church is increasing in love as its most characteristic fruit:
Lowest score/Highest score
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Hardly at all … To …a very high degree
7. Overall Assessment
Healthy, growing churches are characterized by unity and maturity, increasingly, year-in and year-out.
Our church is a healthy, growing church:
Lowest score/Highest score
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Hardly at all … To …a very high degree
Part III: Healthy churches grow by the ministries of their members.
8. “The ministry of the saints”
Healthy, growing churches get that way because their members are diligent and faithful in serving the Lord and others through various works of service.
The members of our church are actively engaged in various kinds of works of ministry:
Lowest score/Highest score
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Hardly at all … To …a very high degree
9. “the equipping of the saints”
Church members are prepared and challenged for ministry through the various training and teaching activities conducted by the church. Preaching, teaching, and training at our church
focus on preparing and challenging church members for ministry:
Lowest score/Highest score
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Hardly at all … To …a very high degree
10. “pastors and teachers equip”
Church members must look to their pastors and church leaders to provide the equipping they need in order to serve the Lord and others in ministry. In our church the pastors and other
leaders are fully devoted to equipping the church members for ministry:
Lowest score/Highest score
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Hardly at all … To …a very high degree
We hope you’ve found this brief questionnaire helpful in considering the overall state of your church.
You may wish to conclude this exercise by reflecting further on the following questions:
*In what ways can you see that yours is a healthy, growing church?
*Where is there yet room for improvement?
*Would your church benefit by having more people complete this questionnaire, then gather to discuss their observations?
*Should you share your observations with your pastor or other church leaders?
*How is God leading you to begin praying more consistently and more effectively for your church?
You may download this brochure in printable form here: 12 Questions That Could Change Your Church
T.M. Moore has a lengthy ministerial career that includes prolific writing, leadership in the development and expansion of Evangelism Explosion and consulting with Prison Fellowship. A prolific author, the focus of his ministry these days is in equipping leadership within Christ’s church through the Centurions Program and The Fellowship of Ailbe, a fellowship for spiritual formation for pastors. This article (c) T. M. Moore and used with permission.
