I had the all-American Church family in Windom, Minnesota, at the American Lutheran Church (“ALC”). I started Sunday School at age five! My Mom and Dad were the very best parents ever! They made sure us kids got a solid foundation of the teachings of JESUS!
I will always be thankful for my Sunday School teachers, Irene Hartberg, Orville Fredrickson and Mrs. Erpstead! My Christian foundation was built by my parents and my teachers and Pastor at the ALC in Windom! So many children in America were not raised up as I was, which is why I have such a passion for children and to make sure they get the opportunity to attend Sunday School!
I am so ever grateful for Pastor Sarah Tade for allowing me to preach at the Church in which I grew up. God is so very, very good to me. I have also returned to Windom to officiate two funerals at the ALC for my best friends Pat and Mike Fisher. God Bless the memories of Pat and Mike. THANK YOU, LORD, for allowing me to be there for Pat and Mike’s son, Michael. I am forever grateful! I weep tears of gratitude, Lord.
The following message is on the heels of a report I published earlier today: New Barna Research: How Much Do Americans Trust Christian Churches?
Got Questions tells us that God established the church to be the primary agent for carrying out His purposes on earth. The church is the body of Christ—God’s heart, hands, feet, and voice reaching out to people in the world. Healthy churches come in every shape and size. While numerical growth may be an indicator of health (Acts 2:47; 5:14; 16:5), it does not guarantee the well-being of a church. The healthiness of a church is measured in spiritual and biblical terms rather than numerical.
While no denomination or congregation is perfect, the Bible does present several characteristics to help us recognize a church that corresponds with God’s standard:
A healthy church teaches sound doctrine based on the whole counsel of God’s Word (Titus 1:9; 2:1; 1 Timothy 6:3–4; 2 Timothy 2:2). When believers meet together, both for corporate worship and small group study, the Bible ought to be the center of the teaching. Faithful interpretation and everyday application of sound biblical doctrine will produce wholesome Christian living (1 Timothy 1:10; 4:6; 2 Timothy 3:15–17). The centrality of scriptural truth preserves the well-being of the local church as well as its leadership (2 Timothy 1:13–14; Titus 1:6–9). And when biblical truth and sound doctrine are prioritized, safeguarded, and taught without compromise, then all other traits of a healthy church will naturally follow. More Here
