Church should be an environment where people can grow and flourish in life. In Paul’s letter to Timothy, he describes four stages in the growth and maturity of a Christian’s life that contribute to building a healthy church.

“Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.” 1 Timothy 6.18

1. Enjoyment – A new Christian’s life is marked by the joy of salvation and the excitement of sharing it with others. A flourishing church will have a healthy proportion of newly saved people and will reflect happiness and joy. I have always believed that church should be enjoyed, not endured!

2. Servanthood – A willing heart committed to serving in God’s House will flow out of your enjoyment and sense of belonging.

3. Giving – Enjoyment and a servant heart lead to a desire to contribute. It’s a revelation of Matthew 10:8, “Freely you have received, freely give.”

4. Sharing the Load – An earmark of a mature Christian is that they willingly sacrifice their time, money and effort, beyond what may seem logical to an outsider. They willingly take ownership and share the load of their church and the Cause of Christ in the earth.
“Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.”

3 John 2 describes how prosperity and health are the result of a prosperous soul. Those who are planted in God’s House and share the load, constitue the healthy soul of a church. Your commitment and contribution to your local church not only allows you to thrive, but it causes your church and the Church as a whole to flourish.

SCRIPTURE: Eph 4:12 (AMPLIFIED)
His intention was the perfecting and the full equipping of the saints (His consecrated people), [that they should do] the work of ministering toward building up Christ’s body (the church)…

PRAYER:
Lord, I want to truly grow and mature in my Christian life and to be a source of strength and support to the Church You so greatly love. Grant me a prosperous soul so that I can live a full and productive life in Your House. Amen.