We have a love-hate relationship with the Church. We love our church when things are going well, yet we get easily frustrated at almost everything that happens from the preaching to the colour of the wall. Recently, I heard a few churches (including ours) look at a bible study series focusing on why church is important and how we are to practically love our church despite its flaws and imperfections.

Paul speaks about Christ’s relationship to the church as he discusses the role of husband and wife:

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.” (Ephesians 5:25-27)

I came across this helpful list of questions which helps to consider if you have the right attitude about church, and if your church is putting Gospel at the centre (courtesy Jared Pickney). Have a read and I hope these questions are challenging and stimulating as you think about your church, what its doing, where its going, and how you think about it.

• Are your people growing to love and enjoy God more?
• Are they becoming more fluent in the gospel, understanding how it impacts their everyday life (Their parenting, marriage, finances, conflict management, anxiety, etc)?
• Are new leaders being raised up from within, or does the church always have to hire from outside to fill spots?
• Are individual families healthy?
• Does your church have authentic relationships where confession and repentance is common?
• Do people in the church live as a family? Do you hear stories of people sharing their belongings and meeting each others needs?
• Are people becoming more and more generous when it comes to their money, time and spiritual gifts?
• Are you seeing new people enter into the Kingdom of God? Or are you just seeing people transfer into your church from another church in town they got tired of?
• Do your people talk about Jesus with others?
• Are people doing the ministry (hospital visits, phone calls, reaching out to guests, checking in on the sick, etc) or expecting the paid staff to do it all for them?
• Do church members believe the Great Commission is for them? Could they tell you how to make a disciple? Could they name at least one person they are personally discipling?

If there are any question marks from these answers, consider what is your role in helping and being an example to love and grow and care for your church?