The four "pillars" of a good church will be balanced in these areas such that one does not significantly overshadow the others.  As Acts portrays them, they are:

(i) Teaching

(ii) Fellowship

(iii) Worship

(iv) Prayer

A good church will include all of these important elements.  Teaching is vital to the growth of the church.  We need to steer away from the simplistic moralisms that are too often delivered on Sunday mornings (2 Tim. 4:2-3).  It should never be the case that one only hears how to be a good father, neighbor, or comforter.  And neither should the pastor cite Scripture only to underscore these points - as if the passages of the Bible are incidental to the overall lesson(s).  The Apostle Paul emphasized greatly that teaching the Scriptures and training others to study the Bible are fundamental to feeding the flock (Eph. 4:12-13).  We wouldn't dream of training others in the discipline of law or medicine by giving simplistic lessons would we?  Nay, we need to train others to be equipped to do God's service in a way that promotes one's knowledge of how to stand firm in the faith (Jude 3; 1 Peter 3:15).

Fellowship does not tend to be something churches tend to lack, but of course we want to emphasize here that the church is an extension of Christ.  We, in effect, are His "body" as He is our "head."  Since Jesus cannot directly wrap His arms around people, we need to be engaged in this way to comfort and counsel those who undergo trials - particularly those within our church (Rom. 12:13). Moreover, this will promote the unity of Christians that is so desparately needed in our divisive culture!

Worship is vital in empowering the church with the Holy Spirit.  If a church neglects the inner move of the Holy Spirit as the "skeleton" that holds the church up, then we have missed the point.  Only by the power of the Holy Spirit can we successfully minister to others and proclaim the gospel with boldness.  Proper worship will bring one into the presence of God in a moving way so that the Spirit can immerse Himself in the life of the believer.

And last, but certainly not least, is prayer.  Only a church that is committed to acknowledging God in prayer will be successful in carrying out its mission to serve others and herself.  If we do not rely on God and are not open to His direction, our fleeting human passions will steer us in the wrong direction.  Some churches tend to be too cerebral (though this does not dominate the scene) and lack reliance on God in whom we live and move and have our being.  If we fail to pray for others and their salvation and needs, we will literally amputate the only means God has to direct us.

Well, here we can only briefly mention those things that constitute a viable church in the eyes of God.  I pray that we never shirk the mission God has bestowed to us as caretakers of His "body."

Questions for Further Reflection:  What have you found to be successful in your church?  How would you improve your current church?  Do you find any of these pillars to be significant in your own life?  Do you think a Christian can "make it" if she fails to assemble at church?  How has modern technology posed challenges to these "pillars"?  How has technology helped?