Church Health Check-up

The Characteristics of Healthy Churches: Insights from Christian Schwarz’s Natural Church Development

In his influential book Natural Church Development, Christian Schwarz identifies eight essential characteristics that mark a healthy church. These characteristics are not just theoretical ideals; they are deeply rooted in Scripture and have been shown to foster supernatural church growth and multiplication.

The Biblical Foundation of the Eight Characteristics

1. Empowering Leadership
   Biblical leaders equip and empower others, reflecting Ephesians 4:12, where the role of church leaders is “to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.” Empowering leadership encourages disciples to become leaders themselves.

2. Gift-oriented Ministry
   Recognizing and using spiritual gifts aligns with 1 Corinthians 12, where Paul explains the diversity and unity of gifts. A healthy church invites every member to serve according to their God-given gifts.

3. Passionate Spirituality
   Romans 12:11 exhorts believers to “never be lacking in zeal.” Jesus called His followers to love God wholeheartedly (Mark 12:30). Passionate spirituality fuels worship, prayer, and commitment.

4. Functional Structures
   Organization is necessary for effective ministry, as seen in Acts 6:1-7, where the early church appointed deacons to manage practical needs. Healthy churches have structures that serve their mission without stifling freedom.

5. Inspiring Worship Service
   Worship that honors God and inspires believers is vital. Psalm 95 encourages joyful, heartfelt worship. Services should engage and uplift the congregation.

6. Holistic Small Groups
   Small groups foster community, accountability, and discipleship, reflecting the early church’s meeting in homes (Acts 2:46). They are vital environments for growth and multiplication.

7. Need-oriented Evangelism
   The Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) calls followers to share the Gospel, focusing on meeting people's spiritual needs with compassion and relevance.

8. Loving Relationships
   Jesus taught that love is the mark of His disciples (John 13:35). Authentic relationships build trust and unity, critical for healthy churches.

Healthy Churches Multiply

Natural church development emphasizes an important truth: healthy churches not only grow; they multiply. This concept of multiplication permeates Scripture and church practice:

• Disciples make disciples. Jesus’ command to “go and make disciples” (Matthew 28:19) highlights that true discipleship leads to reproduction in others.

• Leaders develop leaders. Paul’s instructions in 2 Timothy 2:2 stress passing leadership on to reliable people who can teach others, ensuring a continuous multiplication of leadership.

• Small groups start small groups. The early church’s model of intimate gatherings naturally expanded as new believers formed new groups for mutual encouragement.

• Churches start churches. From Antioch to various regions, the New Testament church planted new congregations, spreading the Gospel regionally and globally.

This multiplication is a natural outcome of focusing on health rather than just size. Healthy churches are resilient, adaptable, and reproducible. Churches that embrace these principles see disciples become disciple-makers, leaders raising leaders, and groups and churches multiplying in Kingdom impact. At Marion Baptist Association, we believe that connecting churches around these biblical principles strengthens Marion County and beyond for flourishing communities of faith. If you would like to schedule a Natural Church Development training or consulltation for your church, contact Mark Weible at the MBA Missionary Resource Center.