The Healthy Church.

Church Search

Dec 2

Written By Woman

by Lawson Harlow

What to Expect When Joining a Healthy Church

Many saints are beginning to see the importance of a healthy church, and when they do, they often leave an unhealthy congregation to join a healthy one. Here are a few thoughts if you are making your way out of an unhealthy church into a more healthy context:

1. You are moving from an unhealthy church to a healthy one, not from an imperfect one to a perfect one. Do not expect to find perfection. You should discover saints pursuing godliness with a longing for obedience to Christ.

2. Expect to be challenged. Healthy churches aren't easy churches. Some of the key marks of health can make a church difficult. Healthy churches have more accountability, less fluff, and more demand on the congregation to serve.

3. Your new pastors are just men. They may be more faithful, better preachers, and demonstrate great love toward you and your family, but at the end of the day, they are sinners in need of Christ just like you are. Take care not to exalt, and they will fail.

4. Prepare to submit to the elders. This is most clearly seen in disagreement. Healthy churches emphasize healthy polity. I hear people talk about how they desire a multiplicity of elders, and submission is where that desire is tested and proven one way or the other.

5. Entrance into the worship service is easy. Entrance into the congregation is hard. It requires nothing to enter a worship service—you show up. Joining a congregation requires time, energy, disappointment, forgiveness, and grace, but it's worth it.