Recently I read a report by a church researcher whose research led him to arrive at a checklist or warning signs of inwardly obsessed church. Most churches will have one or two such signs as listed in the list beyond that the church has to be cautious. This is interesting in determining whether a church is healthy or not. Here are the summary :
1. Worship war - this refers to preference of music style and the use of musical instruments, when deviated members become angry and demands change.
2. Many meetings - the church spent an inordinate amount of time in meetings but forgot about the Great Commission.
3. Facility focus - spent time and money in ensuring buildings and furnishings are kept.
4. Program driven -programs become an end instead of a means to greater ministry.
5. Inwardly focused budget - larger amount spent to ensure comfort of members instead of out reaching to the communities.
6. Inordinate demands for pastoral care - when members demanded pastoral care members to vist them even for minor issues.
7. Attitude of entitlement - members feel the church owe them somethings.
8. Greater concern about change than the Gospel - members are concerned more about little changes rather than making changes in participating in works of the Gospel to change lives.
9. Anger and hostility - members are constantly angry and hostile toward church staffs.
10. Evangelistic apathy - members are more concerned for their own well being, than participating in the Great Commission.
From my own observation perhaps one point that people may not see is the lack of prayers. The church may not have a specific prayer ministry, and the members do not pray as they should.
They treat prayer as the last resort instead of the first resort.
