A healthy church is not a perfect church; it is one that keeps the apostolic marks: faithful teaching of the word, the gospel at its center, love among its members as a real body, prayer and the Table practiced together, and care that reaches both inward and outward. It grows as every part does its work under Christ the head.
Not a summary of these passages: the passages themselves. Read them, then come back to the study below.
The study
What the Scripture says
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It is a word-and-grace community
The first church kept four clear marks: 'the apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and prayer.' Paul entrusted the elders to God 'and to the word of his grace, which is able to build up,' and he told a young pastor to preach the word in season and out of season. A healthy church is built on the teaching of Scripture and on the gospel of grace; when the word is faithful, the church has a spine.
They continued steadfastly in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and prayer.And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
Now, brothers, I entrust you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build up, and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.
preach the word; be urgent in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with all patience and teaching.Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
Every Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness,All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
Paul is blunt: 'Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.' When one member suffers, all suffer with it; when one is honored, all rejoice. Christ gave shepherds and teachers to the church so that the whole body, fitted and knit together, grows up into Him who is the head. A healthy church is not a room of spectators; it is a working body in which every member has a place.
For as the body is one, and has many members, and all the members of the body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ.For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.
When one member suffers, all the members suffer with it. Or when one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.
He gave some to be apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, shepherds and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, to the work of serving, to the building up of the body of Christ;And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
but speaking truth in love, we may grow up in all things into him, who is the head, Christ; from whom all the body, being fitted and knit together through that which every joint supplies, according to the working in measure of each individual part, makes the body increase to the building up of itself in love.But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
Jesus gave one sign by which His disciples would be known: 'By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.' Paul names what that love looks like in the church, bearing with one another and forgiving as Christ forgave. And the greatest of the three enduring things, Paul insists, is love. Programs may come and go, but a church that loves is unmistakably Christ's.
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, just like I have loved you; that you also love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
Put on therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, a heart of compassion, kindness, lowliness, humility, and perseverance; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, if any man has a complaint against any; even as Christ forgave you, so you also do. Above all these things, walk in love, which is the bond of perfection.Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
But now faith, hope, and love remain—these three. The greatest of these is love.And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
Healthy churches keep gathering. The first church broke bread and prayed together, praising God, and 'the Lord added to the assembly day by day those who were being saved.' Hebrews urges us not to forsake meeting together but to stir one another to love and good works. And Paul pictures the word of Christ dwelling richly in the assembly, teaching and admonishing with song. The gathered life matters.
Day by day, continuing steadfastly with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread at home, they took their food with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God, and having favor with all the people. The Lord added to the assembly day by day those who were being saved.And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.
Let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good works, not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as you see the Day approaching.And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your heart to the Lord.Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Paul's charge is weighty: elders are to shepherd the flock of God, the assembly 'which he purchased with his own blood.' And the church's mission is outward as well as inward: Jesus sent His disciples to make disciples of all nations, baptizing and teaching all that He commanded. A healthy church cares for its own and does not forget the world; it guards the sheep and goes to the lost.
Take heed, therefore, to yourselves, and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the assembly of the Lord and God which he purchased with his own blood.Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.
Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, exercising the oversight, not under compulsion, but voluntarily, not for dishonest gain, but willingly;Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;
Go,and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
They continued steadfastly in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and prayer.And they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
Let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good works, not forsaking our own assembling together, as the custom of some is, but exhorting one another; and so much the more, as you see the Day approaching.And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
but speaking truth in love, we may grow up in all things into him, who is the head, Christ; from whom all the body, being fitted and knit together through that which every joint supplies, according to the working in measure of each individual part, makes the body increase to the building up of itself in love.But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.