Building Healthy Churches: Operation Rebuilding the American Church
By
James Taylor (US) | January 06, 2008
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BHC: Building Healthy Churches
Vision:
The Church of inner-city America is in a state of desolation. We as members of the healthy church of Jesus Christ, with healthy being defined as every part functioning and supplying the others, are obligated to step up and be a model and help those members (churches) that are under unhealthy leadership.
Goal
Each Church will possess Healthy Leaders that are built upon the 5 "C" model created through the four dynamics of transformation.
Strategy
Integrating the ConneXions model principles and aspects of the New Testament Church as ministered in the book of Acts.
Acts 2:42
The Fellowship of the Believers
42 They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
A healthy church needs to posses all components of the New Testament Church:
1. Servant Leaders that lead with Christ being at the core of every aspect of the church
2. A Core leadership team that is comprised of the leaders of individual ministries. This is a governing body made up of the people for the people. The senior pastor has cast the overall Christ-centered vision and then he/she presents it to the core to see if they are for or against and then the general population is then informed.
3. Fellowship of the body: The church needs to meet on a personal level and not just for Sunday meetings.
This can happen in various ways, including:
A. Community group meeting- A meeting that member meet in each others homes to eat and fellowship
B. Church Parties or Fellowship of the entire body as a whole. These events will be theme parties with food and fun and fellowship at the forefront. “i.e.” Fiesta style or soup contest
C. Outreach efforts- Motivate the church family to go out and do something within the community. Faith must be coupled with work. Work from Faith not Faith from Work.
D. Focused Outreach- The fellowship needs to seek the Lord on a unique niche to reach out to its target. "i.e" Hip-Hop music/Culture, Skateboard culture, BMX culture, Surfers etc.
4. Member Operated ministries- Members must take ownership of the basic service and function of the church. We must promote and encourage the body to build itself.
5. Mission: In one form or another, a mission ministry needs to be instituted. The missions trips could be right here in the states, however the church needs to get involved in some kind of outreach therefore fulfilling Matt 28:19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."
A focus on international ministry is not the only mission that a church body can be part of. America and its' cities have ample opportunity for outreach and missions. These short stateside missions could allow for members of the body to serve at a lesser cost than that of overseas trips.
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