Stephen Macchia, Becoming a Healthy Church: 10 Traits of a Vital Ministry. Baker Books, 2004.
Companion volume: Macchia, Becoming a Healthy Church Workbook
Referenced in: Strategies for Congregational Renewal: Diagnostic/Prescriptive
LifeandLeadership.com Summary
This is a popular planning model, now translated into four languages. It is based on an extensive study conducted by Vision New England, a large, multi-denominational, evangelical church renewal association in New England. The study included Bible reflection and prayer among key leaders and a survey of 1,899 evangelicals. From this, Macchia and his team arrived at a list of ten characteristics that are not program-based, but are generally suggestive for all Bible-believing Christians as to what constitute a well-rounded, healthy church. Macchia was president of Vision New England from 1989-2003, and is now founder and president of Leadership Transformations.
The book provides the biblical and theoretical case for each of the ten characteristics, and describes how they express three broad dimensions of congregational life.
How we relate to God:
- God’s Empowering Presence
- God-Exalting Worship
- Spiritual Disciplines
How we relate to our church family:
- Learning and Growing in Community
- A Commitment to Loving and Caring Relationships
- Servant Leadership Development
How our church ministers and manages:
- An Outward Focus
- Wise Administration and Accountability
- Networking With the Body of Christ
- Stewardship and Generosity
The Becoming a Healthy Church Workbook, when combined with the main text, is an excellent planning tool. It is a good collection of assessments, Bible study and group discussion guides, planning procedures, and guidelines for managing change. It also includes an extensive list of scripture references and sermon outlines for the ten characteristics.
As an added feature, in the opening chapter of the planning workbook, Macchia correlates the ten characteristics with Rick Warren’s five facets of church growth/health as outlined in Purpose-Driven Church. The relationship between them is strong enough that Warren recommends Macchia to every church that is serious about becoming purpose-driven. Here’s how Warren draws the correlation:
Worship (Magnification)
- God’s Empowering Presence (characteristic 1)
- God-Exalting Worship (characteristic 2)
Discipleship (Maturity)
- Spiritual Disciplines (characteristic 3)
- Learning and Growing in Community (characteristic 4)
Fellowship (Membership)
- A Commitment to Loving and Caring Relationships (characteristic 5)
- Networking with the Body of Christ (characteristic 9)
Service (Ministry)
- Servant Leadership Development (characteristic 6)
- Wise Administration and Accountability (characteristic 8)
Evangelism (Missions)
- An Outward Focus (characteristic 7)
- Stewardship and Generosity (characteristic 10)
Those who benefit from the book and workbook may also appreciate the companion volumes that expand on a few of the 10 traits. They are listed below, followed by the publisher’s description.
- Stephen A. Macchia, Becoming A Healthy Disciple: 10 Traits of a Vital Christian. Baker Books, 2004. Macchia explores the ten traits of a healthy disciple, including a vital prayer life, evangelistic outreach, worship, servanthood, and stewardship. He applies to individual Christians the ten characteristics of a healthy church outlined in his previous book, Becoming a Healthy Church. Discipleship is a lifelong apprenticeship to Jesus Christ, the master teacher. Using the Book of John, Macchia looks to the beloved disciple as an example of a life lived close to Christ. Personal experiences as well as the experiences of others bring the traits of discipleship into modern context. Each chapter ends with a prayer and questions for reflection and renewal. Becoming a Healthy Disciple is excellent for laypeople who want to grow in discipleship, as well as pastors, church leaders, adult classes, and small groups.
- Stephen A. Macchia, Becoming A Healthy Team: Five Traits of Vital Leadership. Baker Books, 2005 (onsite). Teams are difficult to create. They are tough to motivate and even more challenging to lead. They can inspire greatness but also can be filled with pettiness. They can come together quickly but can splinter apart even faster. “It’s time for someone to write about the truth of team building,” says author Stephen A. Macchia. In Becoming a Healthy Team, Macchia discusses the characteristics that produce intimacy, authenticity, and effectiveness in a team and lead to the team’s vitality. TEAMS spells out Trust, Empowerment, Assimilation, Management, and Service-the five traits of a healthy team. With biblical guidance throughout and questions for reflection at the end of each chapter, Macchia has created a valuable team-building resource perfect for pastors, ministry leaders, and anyone involved in a leadership role.
From the Publisher
In Becoming a Healthy Church, Stephen Macchia illustrates how to move beyond church growth to church health. Healthy growth is a process that requires risk taking, lifestyle changes, and ongoing evaluation. This book is a practical, hands-on manual to launch you and your church into a process of positive change. Hundreds of churches have already implemented Macchia’s ten traits and the results can be applied to churches everywhere, regardless of size, denomination, ethnic diversity, geography, or setting.
Editorial Reviews
A wonderful tool that I recommend to every church that is serious about being purpose-driven.” – Rick Warren, author of The Purpose-Driven Life
“Macchia has put his finger on the ten most outstanding characteristics of a healthy church. Cultivation of these characteristics will, through the gracious providence of God, lead to a veritable revival of Christ’s church in our time.” – Walter C. Kaiser Jr., president, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
“Few people I know care as deeply about the local church as Steve Macchia. This book makes a huge contribution to the effort of church renewal worldwide.” – Bill Hybels, Willow Creek Community Church
“Macchia’s sensitivity and spiritual passion for the strengthening of the local church is well known. You will find spiritual insight and practical profitability in this book.” – Jack Hayford, The Church on the Way
About the Author
Stephen A. Macchia is founding president of Leadership Transformations, Inc., a ministry focusing on spiritual formation needs of leaders and the spiritual discernment processes of leadership teams in local church and parachurch ministry settings nationwide. He is the author of Becoming a Healthy Church, Becoming a Healthy Disciple, and Becoming a Healthy Church Workbook.
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