This study was first taught on November 4, 2018

Topic: Church Life (7): The Healthy Church

(use the audio to study)

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Background
When last we discussed on “The Book of the Acts of the Apostles”, we looked at prayer as the last of the primary activities that a church should be engaged in when they gather. We noted that in speaking about prayer as an activity that the church engages in, we are referring to the communing and conversing with God—essentially public praying. We, however, noted that private and personal praying must precede public praying, otherwise, we would be hypocrites!

We saw that the church ought to pray when confronted with the challenges of persecution, and to be able to express the gospel of the Lord Jesus appropriately. We also noted that the church must engage in intercession for the work of ministry engaged in by ambassadorial ministers—apostles, prophets, and evangelists. We emphasized the need for the church to pray for political leaders and systems in their immediate localities, as well as, on a national, regional, and global stage—the Lord asked us to pray for the peace of the land where we are, so that we can live peaceably there.

We noted that when the church is praying rightly as it should, we shall see the manifestation of the power of God to meet the needs of the poor, as well as, the demonstration of His power to save and heal. And, as we, as a church talk to God, we expect that God will speak to us in return and in response to our request!

Scripture Text(s)
Acts 2:41-47
In our scripture text, we see what was happening in the church in Jerusalem as a result of the primary activities they were engaging in regularly and conscientiously. There was an air of reverential fear, the apostles did miracles, the church met constantly, they shared their substance with one another, worshipped God, and held love feasts, as well as Holy Communion meetings. They had favour with the people (unbelievers), and they had people (who should be saved) added to their numbers.

So, the Early Church was vibrant, yet not odious; they were fervent, yet not destructive; and, they were alive and attractive, but in a godly sense, so people knew what they were getting into from the get-go—a godly and humble lifestyle!

One thing about every living thing, especially, man, is that they are living well. So, today, we shall be concluding on the theme “Church Life” as we look at the indices that make a church not just living, but well!
From the moment a child is born into the world, the parents seek that the child grow up healthy, and be a contributing asset to the family and Society at large. The parents achieve this by nourishing and nurturing the child to adulthood using a combination of feeding (healthy food as much as possible), education (both home training and formal education), discipline, counseling, etc. The result always shows, and we can see either a well-grounded and rounded individual, contributing to the development of Society (where all goes well) or a liability to himself and Society (where the child did not heed his parents’ training, discipline and counsel).

In a similar manner, but quite different approach, when new believers come into the church, the mature Christians, must, through the guidance and direction of the Holy Spirit, nourish and nurture them, so that they can become contributing assets to the church and Society at large. A well-grounded and rounded believer in Christ is an asset to the kingdom of God at large, and his/her local assembly, more specifically; and when all such believers come together, we can see whether the assembly is healthy. So, we want to see what makes the church healthy!
2 Peter 1:2-4; John 8:31-32; 2 Peter 1:5-15; Ephesians 4:15-16; Acts 2:44-45; 4:32, 34-37; 1 Corinthians 12:24b-26; Revelations 2:1-5; Acts 2:46; Genesis 11:1-9; Acts 5:9; 1 Timothy 2:1-4, 8; Acts 2:43; 1 Peter 2:17; Proverbs 1:7-9; 9:10; Ecclesiastes 12:13-14; Acts 2:47b; 5:14; Hebrews 6:1-8.

Conclusion
The parameters that make for a healthy church as enumerated are:
(a) Relationship with the Holy Spirit, and responsiveness to His leading;
(b) Teaching and learning, implying that believers are taught the word of God, they learn and assimilate what they have been taught, and are living out the word of God anywhere they are;
(c) Bonding and sharing, where the individuals in a church bond continually, regardless of status, nationality, skin colour, etc., and, share of their substance, amongst themselves;
(d) Caring and loving, in which the individuals in a church care for each other and manifest the love of God towards one another;
(e) Unity of the brethren, by the Spirit, in the Spirit, and in the purpose of God;
(f) Praying, including intercession, praying for the work of God, and the workers;
(g) The fear of God, which must be the basis for wisdom and understanding; and,
(h) Growth, which must be more internal and qualitative, than numeric.

A truly healthy church will have all the above parameters present. For instance, it will be led by the Holy Spirit, living by the word of God, cooperating with each other (not in competition, nor comparing amongst one another), communal, united around the plan and purpose of God, praying the Will of God, reverential of God (not of men or the man of God), and, growing to perfection.

Such is the task before the church, and its leaders today—to nourish and nurture the new believers to adhere to every word of God and grow in the knowledge and grace of God (1 Peter 5:1-10; 2 Peter 3:18).

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