3 Proven Marks of a Healthy Church

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Before Jesus left, this was one of his last words to the church.

Where does the power and wisdom come to preach the gospel and make disciples? It comes from the Holy Spirit. How then do you lock into the power of the Holy Spirit? That only comes through prayer.

If there was one marker of the early church in the book of Acts, it was their commitment to prayer. When they were threatened, they prayed. When Peter was in prison, the church prayed. When they wanted the message of the gospel to advance with boldness, the church prayed. When Paul and Silas were chained in prison, they prayed. In fact, Acts 6:4 tells us the disciples devoted themselves to the teaching of God’s word and to prayer.

It does not matter how wonderful the worship is or how fantastic the preaching is, if the church is not focused on prayer, that church has no real strength. As the old expression goes, seven days without prayer makes one weak. The strength of the church in Acts and the marker of any healthy church is there must be a commitment to prayer. Without the power, strength, and influence of the Holy Spirit, all that is left is a reliance on your own ability.

As gifted and talented as the leaders of the church may be, unless the Spirit of God enables them, there is only so much they can do. What made the early church we see in Acts work and what was the glue that held it all together was their dependence on the Holy Spirit through their commitment to prayer.

So how does your church measure up? Now, if these things are not present in your church that does not mean you need to leave. Maybe it’s time for you to have a conversation with the leadership of the church and see how they can start implementing these things.

One of the things you will also notice in the book of Acts, is that God didn’t just give power to the apostles to work, it was given to all who believed. So if your church is not healthy then it’s possible God may want to use you to help it to become healthy. Whatever is lacking, God may want you to be the one to make the difference. As the expression goes if you see something, say something. Your voice and commitment could be the thing that moves the church from unhealthy to healthy.

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Photo credit: Unsplash/Robin Spielmann

Clarence L. Haynes Jr. is a dynamic speaker, Bible teacher, and co-founder of The Bible Study Club, dedicated to helping people live with purpose and clarity. In addition to his ministry work, Clarence has spent the last 13 years as a trusted financial educator, guiding thousands of people across the country—including employees at many Fortune 500 companies—toward lasting financial wellness. His unique ability to blend practical wisdom with spiritual insight equips people to thrive in every area of life.

He is the author of The Pursuit of Purpose, which helps readers understand how God leads them into his will, and the author of The Pursuit of Victory: How To Conquer Your Greatest Challenges and Win In Your Christian Life. Clarence is also committed to helping 10,000 people learn how to study the Bible and has released his first course, Bible Study Basics, to achieve that goal. To learn more about his ministry and resources, please visit clarencehaynes.com.