Midweek Meditation: "10 Diagnostic Questions"

Those of us who go to Church regularly will be quick to say that we are all trying to be good and responsible Church goers.  Most of the time, we can only take these words at face value. There is little to show, especially when there are different standards to what it means by "good," and what "responsible" means to various people. Chances are, no two persons can easily agree. One of the best ways is to ask ourselves frankly some probing questions to diagnose our Church health. Here are ten statements taken from Peter Scazzero's "The Emotionally Healthy Church." Read through them and apply this first to yourself before thinking about anyone else in the church. Perhaps, you play multiple roles, or you have seen others in the statements below. Do not be too quick to point your finger. Be quick to pray, and to ask the Lord to work a mighty work.

"Do any of the following people remind you of someone in your church?

1. The board member who never says "I was wrong" or "Sorry."
2. The children's church leader who constantly criticizes others.
3. The high-control small-group leader who cannot tolerate different points of view.
4. The middle-aged father of two toddlers who is secretly addicted to pornography.
5. The thirty-five-year-old husband busily serving in the church, unaware of his wife's loneliness at home.
6. The worship leader who interprets any suggestion as a personal attack and personal rejection.
7. The Sunday School teacher struggling with feeling of bitterness and resentment toward the pastor but afraid to say anything.
8. The exemplary 'servant' who tirelessly volunteers in four different ministries but rarely takes any personal time to take care of himself or herself.
9. Two intercessors who use prayer meetings to escape from the painful reality of their marriage.
10. The people in your small group who are never transparent about their struggles or difficulties.

They may present themselves as spiritually mature, but something is terribly imbalanced about their spirituality." 

(Peter Scazzero, The Emotionally Healthy Church, Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2003, p17)

Pray.

conrade