How exactly do we measure the spiritual health of a Church? Every local congregation of the church of Christ needs to be healthy in its life and labor. The Church will always grow God’s way when it’s healthy. Make no mistake about it, a weak, feeble, and sickly church is destined for decline – perhaps even spiritual death. This is how the Lord Jesus Christ assessed the church at Laodicea: “Because you say, “I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing – and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked.” (Revelation 3:17). Jesus is rightly describing what a sickly church looks like!
This must be the urgent and constant prayer lifted up in every church: “Lord, work in our minds and hearts to help us be a spiritually healthy church.” This is the point, establishing a culture of thanksgiving and gratitude is one of the ways that God guides a church to get healthy and stay healthy. This is Paul’s inspired instruction to the churches: “Giving thanks always for all things to God in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Ephesians 5:20). As we express genuine thanksgiving to God, He guides us to also express thanks for and to one another. At Waterbury, we need to measure our spiritual health by the many ways we declare and demonstrate thanksgiving and gratitude for God and for every member of our church family. Let’s be a thankful and grateful church!!!
– Van Hardin
