THE CHURCH; GOD'S INSTITUTION FOR HELPING AND HEALING

"Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective" (James 5:16).

I have thought this for a long time, but Dr. Larry Crabb has written it eloquently, "When I was in private practice, it struck me with high-noon clarity that whatever good I was doing in my office could be done better in the Church. . .by providing real community for everyone in the Church. It seemed to me that honestly facing your hidden life in safe relationships was a pretty powerful experience" (Christian Counseling Today). Amen! Not only does one experience the blessing of a safe community in a healthy church, but one also feels remission of sin, freedom from shame and guilt, by receiving baptism and the Lord's Supper with a proper understanding. How healing it is to be part of a healthy church!

A healthy church is a healing church! Relationships with God are restored. This is the primary healing task and characteristic of the healthy church. When relationships with God are healed, then the healing of other relationships will tend to follow. Physical healing tends to follow too because many of our physical diseases are the result of grief, anger, anxiety and depression. When the relationship with God is healed one is more able to manage these emotions. Ultimately, all of our physical diseases will be healed in the resurrection.

A healthy church is a safe place for relationships. It is a place where one can "spill his guts" and still find love and acceptance.

A healthy church is a church where there is structure and discipline. It works like a healthy family works. If the structure is too rigid or too flexible there will be dysfunction whether it be a family or a church! Without an understanding of who the authority is, and without accepting and trusting that authority, there will be dysfunction in the family or the church.

A healthy church is a church in which Christ is truly the gracious authority and there is an appropriate balance between structure and grace. You will be blessed by being a part of a healthy church!

Grace&Peace;
Tom

*I will be helping a church camp next week. I'm not sure if I will be able to post at all, but will try.