For more than a week now, I've been engaged in multiple conversations with people about the elements that comprise a church, what's important in a church, and in essence, what makes a great church great? I've been able to talk to people with different views about how church should be run, and I've heard that a lot of people these days are either dissatisfied with church or don't know what to look for in a church. But then there are others who are very satisfied with church but wondering what is going on. So if you're someone who has been thinking about church lately, whereever you are, know that you are not alone.

For myself, I would say that preaching is a big part of church. This is one of the main avenues through which we are addressed by God, through the Word of God. I put a strong emphasis on Sola Scriptura (by Scripture alone), and to see and hear the Word revered and respected in a local church is not only important for me, but also inspiring and encouraging.

I also humbly believe that the Gospel of Jesus Christ should be evident in all aspects of the local church. From the Sunday morning preaching, down to the children's prorgram, it should be evident that "“We never move on from the cross, only into a more profound understanding of the cross”" (David Prior). This is probably the one thing that I tried to emphasize when I was leading worship

I don't have all the answers, or even most of the answers. Survey any number of people about what they think about what a healthy church should have, and you'll get any number of responses. It's probably gonna be hard to find one person who has ALL the answers. Here are a couple of resources that I think are helpful in thinking about church:


Nine Marks of a Healthy Church , by Mark Dever


Stop Dating the Church, by Joshua Harris


And finally, because we should base all our decisions and beliefs on scripture,
Why Scripture Matters: Reading the Bible in a Time of Church Conflict
by John P. Burgess

It's important that we base everything that hear, believe or feel on the ultimate authority of Scripture.