What A Healthy Church Looks Like

1. What we believe will have a strong effect on our behavior.

2. Our creeds will determine our conduct.

• That’s why criminals break in and steal things… they don’t think they will get caught so they go for it anyway.

• That’s why sin seems so attractive to folks, because they don’t believe it will hurt them… until it does.

It brings to light the powerful truths taught to us by Jesus:

Matthew 7.16 "You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thorn bushes or figs from thistles?

Luke 6.45 "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks.

• David understood this connection 1000’s of years earlier.

Psalm 19.14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart Be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer.

SO SPIRITUAL HEALTH in a believer comes from within.

• The key questions to ask are not, what do you look like on the outside? How do present yourself at church? No rather…

• How’s your heart? How’s your belief? How’s your doctrine?

• Answers to those questions will reveal just how healthy we are.

• The collective answers reveal the health of any given church.

NOW health is a good thing to the human body

• A healthy body will purge out poisons, naturally & powerfully.

• And just as a normal body purges itself of poisons, a healthy church will naturally purge out false doctrines & false teachers.

• So it’s important to find in any local church:

• Sound Doctrine which makes Solid Believers.

• Serious Commitment which leads to Strong Fellowship.

FOR young Pastor Titus, it didn’t’ take long for false teachers to show up in the church there… and they caused serious problems.

• They were creating havoc & confusion among the believers.

• So Paul lays out the solution… giving Titus a few ingredients of what makes a healthy church… He starts with the pastor!

I. (2:1) PASTOR/LEADERS: Sound Doctrine

1. (1) Teach them the truth.

a. This is what you’re to be doing Titus, speaking sound doctrine, feeding the flock, giving them the truth.

b. Surrounded by error, make sure you don’t get sidetracked!

NOW we read in 1st Timothy that there is a time coming…

2 Timothy 4.3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers;

• People just won’t want sound doctrine. Folks in churches will no longer be interested in BIBLE TEACHING… instead looking for teachers who give them what they want to hear.

• It’s happening all over the country… The Bible no longer being taught, Doctrine not really being emphasized.

• Programs & Policies, Business Models & Church Growth Techniques!

APP: BUT, gang, there’s nothing that will satisfy you more than His Word.

• A walk through Psalm 119 will convince you of that!

• Victory over sin will convince you. Spiritual strength!

• Hearing, studying, drinking in the truths of God.

NOTE: I commend you guys for having ears to hear and taking in Sound Doctrine week after week…

• It’s not just a pastor who can communicate them, but a body of believers who will receive them.

• Teachers require anointed listeners… and you guys sure are!

• That’s what Titus was told to do and now I believe it’s what I’m supposed to do… speak things concerning Sound Teaching.

II. (2.2-8) MEN/WOMEN: Be Obedient

1. (2) Older Men

a. So notice, Sound Doctrine will affect people’s lives.

b. God’s not interested in us becoming people who just have theories… He wants to see His Word in action.

NOW: There’s a place, a need for every age group in the church.

• It’s not enough to start a church and say, we will only reach Generation X or Generation Y or Generation Z.

• There is a great need for mature, older, seasoned believers.

• There is a great blessing in having younger, and newer believers too. The church is a picture of heaven…

• And in heaven there will be GREAT VARIETY for sure!

So OLDER MEN… be:

Sober – the idea of not drunk, but clear headed & sincere.

Reverent – respectful & helpful

Temperate – Exercising self-control; not careless.

Sound in faith, love & Patience – the older men should know what they believe and extend it to those around them that need them.

2. (3-5) Older women.

a. Likewise, the older women in the fellowship have a ministry to fulfill too.