Revitalizing Your Church’s Health
(Part 2 of 2)–USA Missions is devoted to providing resources, coaching, and training for local Church of God congregations. The apostle Paul used the analogy of “the church as the body of Christ” (I Corinthians 12). The body of Christ is one unit that is made up of many parts, with each part being essential to the overall health of the body. So it is with the church.
As a church, we fail to acknowledge the value of every church regardless of size or location. Really, all churches, pastors, and members are important to God and should be to us as well. Around 80–85 percent of churches in the USA and Canada have an average attendance of 85 or less. Many of these churches are plateaued or in serious decline. These churches have become unhealthy and don’t know it. Revitalization is not just about growing, but it is about being a healthy church.
Through USA Missions, we are committed to helping our existing churches through a revitalization process. Churches don’t have to die if they are willing to respect the past, refocus their vision, plan for success, and revitalize their church. We have developed a system to help your church do just that.
We believe that it is not the size of the church that matters, but the health of the church. When it comes to your local congregation, there are six key factors that serve as a map for church health—they are: prayer, worship, evangelism, discipleship, fellowship, and serving in the community. These factors, when biblically and consistently applied, make for a healthy congregation and a lasting mission.
Acts 2:42-47 gives us a potential model for a healthy and growing church through concentrated prayer, caring connections, committed discipleship, contagious mission, and culminating in celebratory worship. A healthy church engaged in these practices can consistently serve their community for Christ.
At USA Missions, our goal is to create and resource partnerships with existing churches to FINISH the Great Commission.
