Here are the five signs of an unhealthy church. There is no such thing as a “perfect” church. Honestly, there will never be a perfect church because the people who occupy the church are imperfect.
The only thing perfect in church is the message and purity of the Gospel. Though there is no perfect church, there is such a thing as a healthy church. Which naturally means, there is such a thing as an unhealthy church. I have been in church literally my entire life, so I have seen the great, the good, the bad and the downright ugly.
After witnessing and having endless discussions about the church culture, I have compiled a list of
5 Signs of an Unhealthy Church.
1. Leadership Does Not Have a Clear Vision.
Proverbs 29:18 states, “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” A church whose leadership has not explained or formed a vision that states, “This is who we are, this is where we’re going, and this is how we’re going to get there,” is unhealthy in the highest form.
How can a church or any organization function or truly exist without vision?
Jesus was the ultimate vision-caster. He stated his vision for not only what the church should look like, but, ultimately, what the role of the church is and its purpose.
RELATED: What Exactly IS “Vision-Casting?”
Unfortunately, I have seen churches that had no mission and absolutely no vision, and Scripture is 100 percent correct; the people did perish. If you don’t know what the mission and vision is of your church, chances are you are in an unhealthy church.
Additionally, if your church has a mission and vision statement, but you don’t see the mission and vision being executed within the church’s setup and organizational structure, programs and/or ministries that are offered, you are probably in an unhealthy church.
2. Leadership Can Never Be Challenged.
If you are part of a church where leadership can never be questioned or challenged, run!
I have witnessed this, and I can tell you this will not end very well.
Please remember, church leaders are there to cast vision and to steer the church in the direction to which God is leading. Church leaders are not and should not be dictators.
What I mean is this: Members should never fear asking a question against a proposed idea or direction from leadership in the church.
With that being said, there should also be a level of respect given when challenging church leadership. The key is to be concerned, not confrontational.
Ultimately, you should be able to ask questions regarding where your church is headed without feeling fearful of church leadership.
