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“Healthy Rain”
Goodness! We needed rain, and God apparently decided to turn on the water faucets.
Though it has not rained every day over the past few weeks, it has rained often enough that many of us have learned to keep an umbrella nearby. The last two Sundays have come very close to being complete washouts. So, when worship began this past Sunday and seventy-five people were in attendance, I was both surprised and thrilled.
I know several churches that would be overjoyed to have seventy-five people in worship on any Sunday of the year, let alone on a rainy summer morning. I also know churches where seventy-five people would have been considered disappointing. That made me think. How do we define a healthy church?
For many years, worship attendance, membership totals, and annual budgets have been the most common measurements of success. Those numbers certainly have value. They help us plan, budget wisely, and be good stewards of the resources God has entrusted to us. But numbers never tell the whole story.
An empty church building serves very little purpose. On the other hand, a full church building does not automatically mean a church is healthy. A congregation of only a few faithful people can change lives. A congregation of hundreds can accomplish very little if no one is growing, serving, or caring for others.
Health is measured by much more than attendance. It is measured by compassion and generosity. It is tallied by prayer, service, and faithfulness. God seeks that we do our best at whatever it is.
The Chapel is blessed with many different ministries that reach people in many different ways. Worship, Bible studies, the Lord's Warehouse, the Paradise Center, recovery groups, fellowship events, mission projects, caring for our people, and countless quiet acts of kindness all contribute to the life of this Chapel.
Every ministry matters. Each ministry reaches different people at different times in their lives. Together they create a place where individuals can grow socially, mentally, physically, and, most importantly, spiritually. That is what makes a local church healthy.
The (worldwide) Church has never been defined simply by the number of people gathered in one room. It is defined by people who gather in the name of the Lord and then carry that love into the community throughout the week.
Whether we gather in large numbers or small ones, whether the sun is shining or the rain is pouring, our calling remains the same: To love God and love one another. To faithfully serve wherever God leads us. That is a healthy church.
I’ll see you at the Chapel this week, online or in person!
God Bless, Brock.
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