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Factor 2:  Biblical Behavior

As church leaders, we believe and teach that God’s Word is the sole authority for faith and practice, both in life and in the church.  The importance of sound Biblical teaching in every aspect of church life cannot be overstated.  We must make the teaching and preaching of God’s Word a high priority in our groups, our classrooms, and our pulpits.  If we fail in that endeavor, the foundation of our faith will crumble.  “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” (Romans 10:17) 

The writer of Hebrews reminds us that the Word of God is “alive and active,” which means that we do not need to make it relevant.   God’s Word REMAINS RELEVANT because the One that inspired it is eternally relevant.  Our only job is to help the church to see how it is relevant to their daily lives.

While I firmly believe we must offer more avenues for people to study, learn, and grow in their knowledge of the Word, I feel the need to make a potentially controversial statement.  Churches rarely die due to a lack of Biblical teaching—they die due to a lack of Biblical behavior! 

I believe that we have been taught far more of the Bible than we are currently applying to daily life.   Our problem in the church isn’t the amount of teaching—our problem is the amount of LIVING OUT what we’ve been taught!

In my experience, most pastors are very committed to preach and teach the Bible to their congregations, but we often focus solely on what it says and fail to help our listeners understand what it means to apply it in their daily life.

Can you imagine what church life would be like if we actually behaved like the Bible teaches to behave?  What if we managed relational conflict the way God’s Word teaches us?  What if deacons and elders served in the same way it shows us in the New Testament?  I contend that we already know the answers to these powerful questions.  The results would be a healthy and vibrant church in the heart of every community in which they serve. 

If you want your church to thrive, Biblical Behavior must become a priority.  As teachers and preachers of the Word, we must help our people know how to live (i.e. behave) Biblically at home and in the marketplace.  We must help them know and apply what it means to “live by the Spirit” in the way that Paul teaches in Galatians chapter 5.  It’s not enough to tell them what it says—we must teach them how to apply it to daily life.

In part 4 of this series, we will look at the third factor needed for your church to thrive.  Be sure to share this with a church leader and check out the other blogs and resources available at SMDHealthy.Church.