How do I know my church is healthy? 
It’s a question that pokes the edges of our minds. When uncomfortable things happen, we wonder if it’s just a normal people-kind-0f bump in the road, or if there is something deeply wrong. Every wondered about your church?
First, it is important to remember that a church is a living, always-developing organism made up of people. Hopefully, many of them have received the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ AND, hopefully, there are a good number of pre-Christians hanging around, too. One thing both have in common is that they…OH! IT’S WE… are all sinners, some saved by grace and others not yet saved. Doesn’t it stand to reason that there will always be relationship challenges? So, it’s not whether a church has challenges or some moments of discomfort. It is HOW a church handles those things while obeying the commands of Christ that reflects its health.
In the Northern Plains Region, we have a good number of resources to help you measure your church’s health and to address areas in which the challenges are causing negative results. We invite church leaders to enter a spiritual discovery process that can bring renewed focus and effectiveness to their ministry. Churches that align themselves and their ministries with the sovereign purposes and plans of God can experience the restoration of hope. Healthy churches can become even more focused and spiritually productive.
An enriched church is healthy enough to reproduce new life (i.e., new believers, new small groups, new congregations, new churches). In the church enrichment process, your church will answer questions like these:
- What are Christ’s promises and purposes for His church?
- What is God’s vision for the future of our church?
- What are the priorities of our church?
- What is our preferred future for the next three to five years?
- How will we accomplish the vision?
- And, during pastoral searches, leaders will join the congregation in determinging: What kind of pastor do we need to fulfill God’s purposes for our church?
Y0ur Regional Minister is trained to help leaders find their way in the enrichment process.
Getting Started
For most churches, the best way to start is with the Natural Church Development (NCD) survey. This survey provides a view of the church that will allow the pastor and church leaders to visualize the current level of ministry qualities. The next step is to mobilize a task force (Church Health Team) to evaluate the results and make recommendations. Many tools and resources are available to address areas of need.
Check out NCD info at:
USA Churches: ChurchSmart (Five Steps)
Canadian Churches: NCD Canada (NCD Cycle Manual)
Then Contact:
Rev. Phyl Putz
Northern Plains Regional Minister
3550 Pierce St. S.
Fargo, ND 58104
701-323-0110
Email Phyl