Measures of a Healthy Church

How do you know if you are staying healthy?
How do you know you are a healthy person? Weight? Height? Muscle Mass? Does walking up steps make you want to barf? Yeah, me too.

Fairhaven uses 13 measurements to see if they are standing still or moving forward as a Christ-centered community.

So I thought about my life. Because isn't that where it really starts. God wants a personal one on one relationship with you first.

Below are the measurements, but with a few questions to make it more "up close and personal"

13 measures of a healthy church or Jesus Freak

1. People are coming to saving faith in Jesus Christ. (Have you ever led one of your friends to Jesus?)
2. Our missions program is expanding locally, nationally and globally. (Have you ever been on a mission trip nationally or globally?)
3. People are making public professions of faith through baptism. (What does your baptism mean to you? Have you been baptize or are you waitin?)
4. Attendance in worship services is increasing. (What pulls you away from worship? Kid's sports? Vacation? Just don't feel like going?)
5. The worship experience is vibrant, enthusiastic and intergenerational. (What is worship like for you? Are you keeping track of the mistakes that the worship leader makes? Are you focused on how much the music stinks? Is your mind off of God and on a problem this week? Are you keeping track of what you are getting from it? Are you surrendering your heart, thoughts and self to God?)
6. There is broad participation in serving throughout the ministries. (Do you use your God given gifts to serve people? Do you even know what your gifts are? Have you ever sat down and figured it out?)
7. New ministries are beginning as God imparts vision. (Have you seen a need and thought "Hey, I could do that?")
8. Guests are being connected to church life. (Fairhaven is a big place and many come once because of the size. What do you do when you see that strange face in the row in front of you?)
9. Covenant membership is increasing. (On a scale from 1[not committed] to 10[very committed] where do you stand with Jesus and His church?)
10. Our budgetary needs are being met. (Are you spending your money wisely? Your right. It is none of my business. Is God being honored in this part of your life? Or do you have a "Hands off" opinion about that?)
11. Leaders are being developed and placed in ministry roles. (Have you ever thought that maybe God has given you a platform to live out His message of love to others? Maybe it is at your school or where you work. Maybe it is in the friendships that you have?)
12. Scripture is central to our message. (Is the bible your center? Do you turn to God's love letter when life happens?)
13. Staff relationships are healthy. (Do you have relationships that are healthy and strong? Do they celebrate God and honor Him?)

HOW TO ANNOY YOUR FAMILY

Here are some practical ways to make radical changes that will surprise everyone

There are Some Truths about Your Family

1. God CREATED families

In Genesis 4, you read about Cain and Able.  These were the first 2 brothers on earth and they had trouble from the start.

God has a plan for the family

• Growth--this is physical, mental, relational and definitely spiritual.  People were never meant to grow alone and by themselves.

• Nourishment--the family is a place where children can get fed by their parents and parents should be teaching their children to feed off the Word of God.
  

• Health--it must meet the needs of those in the family and not just that.  It must be a progressive place that exist to lead the member forward and not hold them back.

2. God uses family to COMMUNICATE our role in his family

Have you ever been embarrassed about your family?  Not me.  Even at their worst, i will stand up and say, "that's the Batsons".  I am the one who is responsible to teach, nurture and love this core group of people who influence my sense of humor, my sense of safety, my sense of fairness and my sense of love.  But you see I am the father of this family.  Just as I would look out into the crowd and identify my family as Batsons, Jesus looks out at us as his children unless we are hiding behind our sins. 

Jesus, who makes people holy, and those who are made holy are from the same family. So he is not ashamed to call them his brothers (Hebrews 2:11).

3. God has given GUIDELINES for families

What is the number one thing happening in the lives of your family?  Is the tv on all the time?  Are your kids in front of video games?  Are they being challenged to read the word of God and build some convictions about what they believe?  what influences do the friends in your life have in the growth of your family unit?  I think if you stop and take a good look with your blinders off you will see areas of your family that need to follow a different path.

I will obey your teachings forever and ever. So I will live in freedom because I want to follow your orders (Psalm 119:44- 45).

Some Basic Realizations Regarding Success with Your Family

1. Realize that a healthy family BRINGS LIFE

Children, obey your parents the way the Lord wants. This is the right thing to do. The command says, “Honor your father and mother.” This is the first command that has a promise with it (Ephesians 6:1-2).

your immediate family God’s family your future family

2.Realize that you can’t CONTROL your family

“And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. The second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these" (Mark 12:30-31).

3. Realize that you can control YOUR ATTITUDE

Each person among you must respect his mother and father . . . I am the Lord your God (Leviticus 19:3).

(Doug Fields outline-how to annoy your family)

To WIN middle school students to Jesus Christ
To BUILD them up in their daily walk
To EQUIP them to go out and fulfill the Great Commission

Matthew 28:16-20

Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go.  When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."