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6 New Year’s resolutions to promote church health

by: Church Central

Church Central has compiled a list of six resolutions that will set your congregation on the path toward becoming a healthier body of Christ. They will help you to accomplish the six purposes for the Church set out in the second chapter of Acts: 1. worship, 2. discipleship, 3. prayer, 4. evangelism, 5. fellowship, and 6. ministry.

Introducing healthy change in a church is not easy. Neither is keeping a New Year’s resolution. However, both are worth the effort. Here, then, are our suggestions for resolutions that can help your church thrive in 2007:

1. Preach better sermons.

Challenge churchgoers with sermons that are relevant to their lives, yet deeply spiritual. In his book, "Between Two Worlds," John Stott illustrates the dilemma of ministers who struggle to follow after God while relating to the common person.

Despite the effort involved in this conundrum, it is essential that every message a church leader proclaims be relevant to listeners’ lives.

Understanding the Bible must come in the context of relating it to every-day reality. People cannot grasp the meaning of Scripture without seeing the practical working of it within the world.

In an era of jam-packed schedules and demanding jobs, it may be difficult for some people to focus their hearts and minds on a message. Ironically, amid this hectic pace it is the call to a meaningful alternative—a lasting and eternal message—that brings many worshippers together.

To reach them, balance sermons between Scripture and stories of application.

2. Deepen discipleship efforts.

Commit to help your congregation’s members grow spiritually through better discipleship this year. Introduce new Bible study classes. Start a new Sunday school class or small-group program, or strengthen an existing one. Implement sessions aimed at teaching individuals how to study the Bible more effectively.

You can also promote a congregation-wide plan to help members read through the Bible this year. Many people don’t know where to start, so they randomly flip through the Scriptures with no direction.

Stay in touch with the leaders who start classes, small groups and Bible reading plans to help you measure the change in discipleship within your church in a year, two years or a longer span of time.

3. Encourage more prayer.

Set a goal to increase the time each person in your congregation spends in daily prayer to between 30 and 60 minutes.

Start with monthly prayer challenges. During the first month you can ask members to commit to one method or act of prayer, such as saying grace before meals.

Each month add a new challenge, such as bedtime prayers, family prayers, tacking a list on the bathroom mirror or praying for a person to come to Christ. In such small increments you can develop the prayer life of your church.

Another way to increase prayer activity is to take an inventory of existing prayer groups. Evaluate whether any have lost their purpose and what kind of new groups may be needed.

4. Schedule ongoing community outreach events.

Every church should be outwardly focused to win the world for Christ. The first step in reaching unchurched people is to create an awareness of them within your congregation.

Communicate information about the number of unchurched people in your area. Teach on the eternal importance of people knowing Christ as their personal Savior. Then create opportunities to introduce nearby residents to your church.

The latter can be special events or ongoing visitation programs. Block parties, Vacation Bible School or give-aways that send members into the community are important. The community should be able to tell what your church is about without ever stepping inside its walls.

5. Fight loneliness.

Statistically, Americans are increasingly becoming socially isolated. Fight this trend by encouraging your congregation not only to reach out to those outside the church, but to those inside the building.

Be intentional about providing fellowship times outside of regular services. These enjoyable moments can create a sense of unity in the church and present opportunities for building friendships within the church.

Church-wide events are important for meeting new people, but close friendships emerge over time in small groups. As part of this effort, find a way to track involvement to ensure that everyone has been given an opportunity to join a small group.

6. Empower lay ministers.

The majority of avid church members believe the pastor and staff should do most of the ministry. This belief is symptomatic of a weak and faulty understanding of ministry.

You can help correct it by presenting a biblical model of church ministry. Then put people in positions to do ministry. Don’t just recruit volunteers, train them and empower them.

Once your people learn to enjoy acts of ministry and can see the impact they make for God’s Kingdom, their natural response will be to do more.

Adapted from the Church Health Encyclopedia.

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