Healthy Churches
commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Mat- thew 28:19-20).
LESLIE HOLMES Moderator
Conversion and church growth A
re you surprised to know that the Bible never tells the Church of Jesus Christ to make new converts or to grow larger congregations? What’s more, the Bi- ble never tells people to go to church. Rather, it tells the Church to go to people and take the Gospel message. My last Moderator’s Challenge column followed up on our 2019 Synod theme, “Building Healthy Churches – Birthing Healthy Chris- tians.” It outlined the three vital principles that make for a healthy Church. They are “Exalting the Lord in Worship,” “Equipping the Laity for Work,” and “Evangelizing the Lost through Witness”. Today, we follow up further and think about “Birthing Healthy Christians.” How does the Church go about “Birthing Healthy Christians?” It is, in fact, true that scripture never— not even once—says that the job of the Church is to make new converts or even grow a bigger congregation. I’m not against conversion or church growth. I am, in fact, very much in fa- vor of those things provided we keep them in proper context. What our Lord does tell us to do is “make disciples.” This is how He puts it, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, bap- tizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have
are good but alone not enough. What does it mean for a healthy Church to birth healthy Christians? It means that you and I are to focus on making disciples for Jesus and His Church. My grandfather, Nathaniel Holmes, raised Clydesdale horses on his farm in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. He was commissioned by King Ed- ward VII of England to breed and train the horses that would pull his Clydesdales for Adolphus Busch. Just as a well-broken horse re- sponds faithfully to its master’s voice, we as disciples are to respond faithfully to the voice of our Master, Jesus. Discipline and discipleship come from the same Greek root. The Greek word is mathités. It comes directly from the lectionary of the horse-training world and means “one who follows faithfully.” That is what it means to be a healthy disciple, and that is our charge from Jesus, both individually and as Church members. Healthy Church- es intentionally intersect their lives with unbelievers in hopes of making healthy disciples who will, in turn, follow the voice of Jesus. Jonathan Edwards played a critical
role in shaping America’s First Great Awakening. As he wrestled with what brings about true revival, he noted some marks of healthy discipleship.
Humility
humility means to think less of oneself and more of Jesus and
Building Healthy Churches! Birthing Healthy Christians! November/December 2019 3
other people. Next to humility comes meekness.
Meekness
Meekness is not a synonym for weakness, as some people think. True meekness is gentle readiness to forgive others. As we display meek- ness, Jesus says, we “will inherit the earth” (Matthew 5:5).
Wholeness
Third for Edwards comes whole- ness or integrity. Healthy disciples are balanced and whole persons. They bear Christ’s image in all things. Spiritual hunger is another mark of healthy disciples. Jesus says, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall vital mark of healthy discipleship, according to Jonathan Edwards, is perfected love. Does this sound oth- erworldly to you? Think again. This - ible and palpable. Jonathan Edwards found these marks of healthy discipleship in the Beatitudes, eight easy-to-understand principles in Matthew 5:3-12. Study them. Write them out. Make them your check marks for your own healthy dis- cipleship. After that, encourage others to do the same thing. That way, you will be making healthy disciples. Pray with me for a new Great awakening in North America and the Lord’s blessings be on you until the next time.
Moderator’s Challenge
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