What Does A Healthy Church Look Like

“What Does A Healthy Church Look Like?”

2 Thessalonians. 1:1-4

It is hard to know what it takes to be healthy these days. Almost every week we hear how some-thing is either good or bad for us. I don’t know either good or bad for us. I don’t know whether to eat gluten or not eat gluten. In fact, I am not sure what gluten is. Do I go low carbs or should I load up on carbs? Should I be a vegetarian and give up all meats or go even further and be a vegan and even give up all animal products such as milk and eggs? And after all what is a healthy weight? I look-ed on the charts for what it says I should weigh and the last time I weighed that I was 17!

The same can be said of a healthy church.

“Churches in the West today increasingly take pride in the beauty of their buildings, the quality of their music, the dynamic (or not) personalities of their preachers, and above all their numerical size. More biblically minded churches take satisfaction in doctrinal faithfulness (fidelity), commitment to world missions, and sound biblical leadership.” [Richard D. Philips. “1 & 2 Thessalonians.” Reformed Expository Commentary. (Philipsburg, NJ: P & R Pub., 2015) pp. 271-2.)

Before we turn to the text and since this is the beginning of a new study we need a little back-ground to this letter. This letter is addressed to believers living in the city of Thessalonica, Thessalonica is in the northern part of Greece. In Paul’s day it was the capital of Macedonia. In our day the city is called Thessaloniki and it is the second most important city of Greece. It was a major city located on a chief highway between Rome and Constantinople.

The church in Thessalonica was established by Paul during his second missionary journey (Acts 17:1-9). We do not know how long Paul was in the city but it could have as little as three weeks (“three Sabbaths”- 17:2), as a result of his visit, many Jews believed as did a number of Greeks and a local congregation was established. Because of opposition Paul was forced to leave the city going through Athens and ending up in Corinth. It is from Corinth that Paul writes the first and second letter to the church in Thessalonica.

Paul’s first letter sent by Timothy was written to encourage these new believers to remain faithful and give them practical encouragements for Christian living in the light of Christ’s return. After delivering the letter Timothy returned to Paul with a report that these believers have additional questions concerning the Lord’s return and the second letter was written to answer these questions.

“Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other, 4 so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure.”

Since Paul says that He uses the church of Thessalonica as an example to other churches of a church worthy of emulating (v. 4). In noting what Paul praises about this church we can see What A Healthy Church Looks Like.

First, Keep On Gathering with the Church. (1:1-2)

“Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

The letter is addressed “to the church of the Thessalonians.” The word “church” is one of the most common words in the New Testament occur-ring over 100 times. It appears first in Matthew 16 where Jesus says, “upon this rock I will build my church” (Matt. 16:18). The last time the word “church” appears on the last page of the New Testament in the book of Revelation where Jesus says, “send this message to the churches, ‘I AM the Root and Offspring of David, and the bright and Morning Star.” (Rev. 22:16).

The Greek word for church is (ecclesia) and means “the called out ones.” Believers are called out to live a different kind of life. God is of course everywhere but there is a special sense of His presence when His Church gathers together. We have the promise of God that “where there are two or more gathered in my name, there I am with them.” (Matthew 18:20)

There are people who are continually leaving one church and joining another. They find fault everywhere (except with themselves). Most of these people have been part of MANY different churches because they are never happy. The healthy Chris-tians are the ones who stand fast in hard times. If they have a problem with the leadership of the church or a member in the church, they work it out rather than run away or bad-mouth the church or people in it.