Measure of Church Health

I have pastored in churches for many years and I’ve often wondered how I could measure not only my church growth but also church health. There are many parameters that we use today from personality test to emotional intelligence and the like but is there a measurement for church health?

Experts will tell us that we can measure our churches impact on church growth. Often churches have become event oriented in an effort to draw people in but during the lock down of the corona virus this past spring and throughout the summer it has caused many churches to reevaluate their impact. Going online and attracting more individuals just left church with an uneasy feeling and many ask themselves if truly they are making a difference?

When I pastored I worked hard at getting people involved in the ministry. One of the the strategies came as a result something I was passionate about. I was interested in engaging others in the process and seeing them rise to the leadership level and be involved in ministry. As they made great strides it also raised the level of impact of the church. Even today, my ministry context in a para-church organization once again is looking for ways to involve others. I’d like to see peoples stepping up and taking on the ministry that they can lead. Perhaps that’s a way to measure church health is by getting people involved?

Today I want to offer yet another idea on church health. I believe that the level of compassion for the church has toward others, especially those outside the church, could be a great measurement tool. The church's “compassionate intelligence ratio” could be perhaps the most important quality in the life of the church. Jesus spoke of this over-and-over by how He demonstrated through His life but also what He said about love. Jesus had compassion and His example, I believe is a measurement instrument and has a direct impact on the way we measure our church health.

As church encourages their people to reach out and love others in the name of Jesus, it raises the tide for the church to a place that we can measure its impact. Having loving and compassionate ministries while at the same time engaging others in the process is a terrific measurement.

More basic than that is a simple question of how we treat those less fortunate than ourselves? Perhaps it’s a question for our church; about the way in which they treat the least in the lost of our community? I believe that the care for the orphans and widows as recorded in the book of James gives us a biblical reference point and a measurement tool.

Foster Care and the ministry to those serving this sector is one way of activating the compassion intelligent ratio. How often does the church talk about and engage the church in the ministry to the orphan of today (those in foster care and at-risk youth)? 

Perhaps God would have put community of the faithful to also be people of compassion? It is just as important to be compassionate and caring as to be concerned about the attendance as just numbers or the financials as ways to measure health. 

I defer to the heart of God who saw the multitudes as sheep without a shepherd. (Matthew 9:36) He said that our light should shine in darkness so that others can see the face of God! (2 Cor. 4:6)

I look to the scripture that tells me that God is interested in the care and welfare of the least and the lost of our communities as recorded in Proverbs 31:8-9 which reads; “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed. Yes, speak up for the poor and helpless, and see that they get justice.“

I marvel at the message that is a repeated theme over-and-over to love and care for the orphan. James makes it clear that true religion is the care for the orphan as recorded in James 1:27 Which reads; “Pure and genuine religion in the sight of God the Father means caring for orphans and widows in their distress and refusing to let the world corrupt you.“

In summary we can understand the heart of God as recorded in Psalms 82:3-4 which reads; “Give justice to the poor and the orphan; uphold the rights of the oppressed and the destitute. Rescue the poor and helpless; deliver them from the grasp of evil people.“