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Before we dive into how to find a healthy church, we need to know what it is we’re searching for.

What does a healthy church look and sound like?

Size and location do not matter.  Rather, a gathering of genuine Christ-followers devoted to meeting together, to worship, preach, teach, encourage and grow God’s kingdom.

In the Book of Revelations, Jesus compliments two types of churches for being “healthy”.  Essentially, these two churches are full of faith, despite their circumstances and keep God’s commandments.

The goal in finding a healthy church is not finding the perfect denomination (or even non-denomination) but to find the most healthy place for you to plant your “spiritual roots” and grow in your relationship with Christ and His followers.

Here is a short list of things to look for when searching for a healthy church:

1.    Biblical beliefs

2.    Biblical authority and inerrancy – they teach the Bible as the sole authority and that it does not contain any errors.

3.    Love of God and a deep desire to glorify God

4.    Kingdom focus:

  1. Preach the gospel to draw non-believers to Christ
  2. Teach and equip Christians to grow deeper in their walk with God
  3. Love others through service5.    Cross-Cultural and multiple group focus – they are not exclusionary
  4. Outreach – they have clear methods on reaching out to the unchurched members of the community.
  5. Balanced Leadership – humble leaders who do not draw focus on themselves or are distracted by other projects, but instead focus on God and their congregation.

To successfully find a healthy church, you can use the acronym A.S.K., which stands for:

A – ASK.  Diligently ask God for guidance

S – SEEK.  Examine and think carefully about the church principles described here.

K – KNOCK.  Go out and check out nearby churches.  Talk to their church leaders and keep asking, seeking and knocking.

Healthy churches do exist – though they may be increasingly difficult to find.  God will put you where He wants you to be.  Trust Him and A.S.K.

For More information about Gary and Dana’s ministry, check out ToTheChurches.com