What Is a Great Church?
“And David said, Solomon my son is young and tender, and the house that is to be builded for the LORD must be exceeding magnifical, of fame and of glory throughout all countries: I will therefore now make preparation for it. So David prepared abundantly before his death.”
I Chronicles 22:5
God gave you His best – His only begotten Son. Jesus Christ gave you His best – He died on a cross in the prime of life. They deserve the best church you can give them.
David loved God more than others. When he had defeated all his enemies, he came up with the idea of building God an exceeding magnifical temple, because the palace would be for God, not men, so he prepared for it with all his might (I Chr 22:5; 29:1).
Once David told God his desire and plan to build Him a temple for fame throughout the world, God gave David the blueprint for what He wanted. If you want to help build a church to God’s glory, He has given you His blueprint in the New Testament.
All churches are not equal. They vary greatly, and the only measuring criteria that count are in the Bible. How great is your church? And what are you doing about it?
Here is a table of the marks of great churches:
| Christ centered | Peaceful, not strife | Civil obedience |
| First love – hot | Unity in heart, mind | Christian liberty |
| Born again members | Self-correcting | Passionate |
| Spirit-filled | Church discipline | Joyful and happy |
| Doctrinal dogmatism | Holiness in practice | Hospitality |
| Preaching emphasis | Reverent worship | Welfare for poor |
| Due-order details | Zealous discipleship | Work ethic by all |
| Oppose perilous times | Attendance | Liberal and generous |
| Praying emphasis | Every joint valued | Pastoral support |
| Brotherly love | Giving of thanks | Ancient landmarks |
| Forgiving one another | Evangelism |
How does your church measure up by these God-given standards in the Bible?
God does not care about churches growing in numbers, buildings, programs, popularity, or fashion. He wants churches growing in grace and love for His Son.
What are you doing to make your church better for it to please Jesus Christ more?