What makes a congregation healthy? Lyle Schaller, in his Inform newsletter, says:
1. They present Jesus Christ as the way to find meaning in life.
2. They help people build and maintain a strong spiritual connection with God.
3. They encourage people to connect with other people in caring ways.
4. They affirm the Bible’s power for telling people about God and how to live a meaningful life.
5. They develop a faith community thinking and behaving differently from the surrounding culture, but interacting with the culture.
6. They organize small groups of many kinds.
7. They create a variety of service projects.
8. They encourage participation in community betterment groups.
9. They select leaders willing to accept the changes that new members bring.