Healthy Church (Growing Together In Christ)

Healthy Church

Growing Together in Christ

Introduction

A healthy church isn't merely a gathering of individuals under one roof but a living organism where every member functions in harmony toward a divine purpose. In Ephesians 4:15-16, Paul uses the metaphor of a body to describe the church, emphasizing how each part contributes to the whole. Like our physical bodies, which require all systems to work properly to thrive, the church needs every member to be actively engaged and functioning according to their design. When we examine the characteristics of a truly healthy church, we discover it's one where truth is spoken in love, Christ's message dwells richly, and every member recognizes their vital role in the congregation's growth and spiritual health.

1. Speaking the Truth in Love for Spiritual Growth (Ephesians 4:15-16)

Evangelism is most effective when the truth is proclaimed in love. This can only be accomplished by a spiritually mature believer who is thoroughly equipped in sound doctrine. Without maturity, truth can be cold, and love can become mere sentimentality.

The truth recommended by the apostles is the whole system of Gospel doctrine. They are to teach and preach, in direct opposition to deceit. Since this doctrine is rooted in God’s eternal love for mankind, it must be preached in love. Scolding and abuse from the pulpit or press in matters of faith are truly monstrous. A person who possesses the truth of God has no need for manipulative or coercive methods to defend or spread it. Love—both for God and others—provides the only means necessary.

Evidence of Spiritual Maturity Godly, biblical church growth results from every member of the body fully using their spiritual gifts in submission to the Holy Spirit and in cooperation with fellow believers. The gifted leaders are tasked with equipping the saints for the work of ministry and building up the body of Christ. The saints do not simply call a pastor and expect him to do all the work; rather, they follow his leadership as he equips them through the Word to carry out their calling (2 Timothy 3:13–17). The church grows when its members feed on the Word and minister to one another.

The first evidence of spiritual growth is Christlikeness. The second is stability. A maturing Christian is not easily swayed by religious novelties. False teachers seek to lure God’s children into deceptive cults, preying on immature believers. They do not focus on winning lost souls or serving in rescue missions because they lack the true Gospel message. Instead, they target Christians who are poorly nourished by the Word of God. Many of their followers come from churches that fail to provide proper teaching and spiritual nourishment.

The third evidence of maturity is truth joined with love: "Speaking the truth in love" (Ephesians 4:15). It has been rightly said that truth without love is brutality, while love without truth is hypocrisy. Young children struggle to balance truth and love; they believe that shielding a loved one from painful truths is necessary. However, maturity enables believers to share truth with their fellow Christians in love. As Proverbs 27:6 states: "Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful."

Another essential mark of maturity is cooperation (Ephesians 4:16). Believers are interconnected as members of one body. We belong to each other, affect each other, and need each other. Every believer, no matter how seemingly insignificant, plays a role in ministering to others. The body grows as individual members grow, and they, in turn, grow by feeding on the Word and serving one another. Love is repeatedly emphasized:

a. "Forbearing one another in love" (Ephesians 4:2)

b. "Speaking the truth in love" (Ephesians 4:15)

c. "The edifying of itself in love" (Ephesians 4:16)

Love functions as the circulatory system of the body. Studies show that isolated, unloved babies do not grow properly and are vulnerable to disease, whereas those who are loved and nurtured develop normally and grow stronger. Likewise, isolated Christians cannot minister effectively, nor can they be ministered to. Without connection, spiritual gifts cannot be fully exercised.

Unity in Christ Spiritual unity is not something we manufacture—it already exists in Christ, and it is our responsibility to protect and maintain it. Truth unites, while lies divide. Love unites, but selfishness divides. Therefore, by "speaking the truth in love," let us equip and edify one another so that we may all grow to be more like Christ.

2. Truth in Love: The Foundation of Church Health

"Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ." (Ephesians 4:15)

A healthy church creates an environment where honesty and love coexist. Truth without love can be harsh and destructive, while love without truth lacks substance and direction. When we commit to speaking truth wrapped in genuine love, we create the fertile soil where spiritual growth flourishes.