Assessing the most important thing your church needs right now for greater fruitfulness requires a certain attitude of heart:

Jesus said: “I will build my church.” (Mt. 16:18). Pastors are called to be God’s Co-Workers in that project (1 Cor 3:9). That means: Jesus gave you responsibility over his church, so your role is ‘stewardship’.

As good ‘stewards’, we need to re-evaluate what Church is about, according to Jesus’ modeling and instructions to his disciples. Will you agree that it is about…

1. Worshipping our God,
2. Edifying our believers,
3. Caring for and relieving people’s pains and problems,
4. Proclaiming the Good News?

Now, what are usually our concerns, say: when one pastor meets another leader?

– family matters / health issues

– the last conference you attended

– how your church is growing in number

– your ministries and programs

– your building project

– your church finances…

Isn’t it?

In comparison, what was Jesus’ main concern? Wasn’t it to build up his 12 disciples with certain QUALITY characteristics? When is the last time you thought, or spoke, about the quality of your church -and not of its quantity?

In the years 1986-1990, the Natural Church Development approach was established from the study of 1000 churches all around the world, in 37 countries of 5 continents. Churches of all sorts: in towns and countryside, with educated and not-so-educated members, wealthy and poor, and of various cultures.

This study revealed that growing and fruitful churches -healthy churches- have 8 Essential Qualities:

1. Enabling Leadership (as per Luke 9:1-2 for instance)
2. Gift-Based Ministry ( “   “   1Pet 4:10 among other scriptures)
3. Passionate Spirituality   “   “    Matt 22:37     “        “        “
4. Effective Management Mark 2:27
5. Inspiring Church Services 1Thess 5:16-19
6. Holistic Small Groups Heb 10:24-25
7. Need-Based Evangelism 1Cor 9:20-22
8. Loving Relationships John 13:34-35

These are 8 universal principles given by God. If any of these 8 qualities is missing, a church tends to stagnate or to decay, as that international study found out.

Let us recall that Jesus said: “I will build my church” (Mt. 16:18), and that we are God’s Co-Workers. (1 Cor 3:9). So, in your next leaders’ meeting, will you ask yourselves:

• Are we satisfied with our church as it is?
• Are we fulfilling the Lord’s wishes for his church?
• Are we curious to know our quality levels?
• Are we willing to improve?

For over 25 years, the ‘Natural Church Development’ approach has helped churches in very practical ways to develop the essential qualities (the spiritual and moral health) that Jesus developed in his disciples, to whom he gave the task to continue his work. To date, NCD has been used by over 70,000 churches in 86 countries around the world!

If interested in implementing NCD in India,

Please contact the Church Growth Association of India (CGAI), in Chennai,
National Partner for NCD

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044 2671 1313

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Reverend J. Watson is the Executive Director of Church Growth Center (CGAI). This is a premier research and training center. Our vision is holistic community transformation, through healthy reproducing churches.