4 Unusual but Effective Ways to Identify a Healthy Church

There are all sorts of markers people use to find a good church… the preaching, the friendliness of the people, the size, etc. Those are helpful in their place but here are a few ways to cleverly get at whether a church is REALLY healthy.

1. Intergenerational and Intra-family Gathering

If you’re visiting a church, ask older people if they have children at the church. Ask young families if they have anyone in their extended family that attends.

A healthy sign is multiple generations from the same family worshipping together.

The reasons this doesn’t happen is often tied to rebellion, problems with theology, discipline, and enmity between generations – all can sometimes have their root in the church.

2. Congregational Singing

I do love when a music director artfully orchestrates the songs so the music supports vocals rather than overwhelming them. But I’m speaking not just of a stylistic preference but more-so is everyone singing and with energy.

It is a bad sign when specifically men aren’t singing. You’ll find this pretty typical if you visit a squishy evanjellyfish church with Jesus-is-my-boyfriend song lyrics amidst a 10x bridge.

You should be able to look around and most people, young and old, male and female, all be singing praises and meaning it. Lack of participation or wooden and perfunctory participation are bad signs.

3. Post-Service Mingling and Talking

Most churches devolve into some sort of social hour after the service. You’re looking for one that instead of devolving into trivial chatter has a natural next step of the family of God gathering together.

There should be relationship building – people sharing their struggles and victories and together encouraging one another. There should be talk of the things of Christ, questions and epiphanies about the sermon. Even confession and honesty with how the sermon hit them.

A church where people only chit-chat reflects a people who like each other.
A church where people press in and engage in real conversation, sometimes difficult, reflects a people who love each other.

4. Leadership Isolation?

Can you tell if the pastor(s), eldership, leadership are isolated or integrated and part of the congregation?

Do they mingle and chat or are they isolated and protected from interaction? You’re looking for Pastors who greet and interact before and after the service. Are their families part of the congregation and not rebellious?

What else do you use to attempt to judge the health of a church?

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