What are the hallmarks of a healthy church congregation? How can they be measured—and if they’re found lacking, how can they be cultivated?
Church innovation leader Matt Engel says the health of a church depends on its ability to do five things well: attract, get, keep, grow, and multiply people. Every activity or program within a church should serve one of those goals. By understanding what the goal is, a church can then measure the effectiveness of each ministry.
In the church, Engel explains, we often “assume that an activity equals an outcome. We may say, ‘We’ve done this backpack drive, therefore we must be doing good.’” But if the backpack drive was meant to keep attendees returning to your church and all it did was attract people to a one-time event, was it successful?
“Churches are great at measuring activities while assuming outcomes,” warns Engel. But it doesn’t have to be that way.
Instead, Engel advocates for a know-and-match mentality where church leaders see ministry gaps and strategically choose how to fill them. Thinking in terms of the five goals isn’t just strategic—it’s an effective pastoral framework that supports relational disciple-making.
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Source: Christianity Today
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