August 4, 1999
GRACE & PEACE: Texas Baptists
work to promote healthy churches
___"And he went through Syria and Cilicia, confirming the churches" (Acts 15:41).
___Church health is high on the list of priorities of Baptists in Texas--for a number of reasons. For example, the New Testament describes a church as the Bride of Christ; surely we want his bride to be healthy. Furthermore, the basic organization God has established for reaching a lost world with the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and ministering to people in his name is a church; the healthier churches are, the more effective they are in helping to fulfill the Great Commission. The great missionary Paul realized this truth and went about strengthening as well as starting churches.
___Another reason for interest in church health is the number of churches that apparently are unhealthy. Although as a whole churches related to the Baptist General Convention of Texas have enjoyed record growth in the past few years, many churches show signs of being less than robustly healthy. Some churches, terminally ill, disband. Others become embroiled in internal conflict to the neglect of ministry and evangelism. Still others suffer from apathy and lethargy, never fulfilling the potential God has provided for them.
William M. Pinson Jr.
Executive Director
BGCT Executive Board
___The Baptist General Convention of Texas has as its purpose to "encourage and assist churches" and provides resources for church health. In the past decade, new ministries have been added to assist churches, such as the Texas Baptist leadership center and the minister/church relations office. Texas Baptist institutions also have initiated help programs for churches.
___In fact, most of what the convention does through its commissions and institutions is devoted to developing healthy churches, effective in sharing the gospel and ministering to people in Christ's name.
___In order to evaluate what is being provided and to determine if there is a better way to organize and deliver resources of the convention, I have named a task force on church health.
___People from many aspects of Texas Baptist life serve on the task force. Input is being sought from a wide variety of Texas Baptists. Please send suggestions to: Task Force on Church Health, 333 North Washington, Dallas, 75246.
___Each church function will be examined to determine how it can be resourced by Baptists. The Bible serves as the basic guide for church health. Power and direction are being sought from the Holy Spirit through scripture and prayer.
___Church health is related to church growth, but the circumstances of some churches are such that numerical growth may not even be possible. Yet the church can experience healthy growth in ways other than numbers, such as in depth of discipleship and extent of outreach and ministry.
___Church health ought not be seen as a substitute for numerical growth when such growth is possible. In fact, church health can contribute to church growth and will do so when numerical growth is possible. Healthy churches will be better able to reach the mission field of Texas, our nation and the world than unhealthy churches.
___Please pray for churches to be healthy. Pray for the task force as it searches for ways to improve church health. And pray the result of this effort will be more people trusting Jesus as Lord and Savior and being ministered to in his name.
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