Marks of a Healthy Church Member
- Jul 17
- 13 min read
Date: 19 Jul 2026, 9.30 am
Speaker: Deacon Lee Pak Choon Sermon Text: Ephesians 4:15-16; Colossians 1:9-12
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TRANSCRIPT
Introduction
Every church desires to be healthy. We long for unity, maturity, love, and fruitfulness. We want a church where the gospel is preached, disciples are formed, and Christ is exalted. But a church is never healthier than the spiritual health of its members.
When you walk past a construction site, you often see towering cranes, heavy machinery, and workers in helmets. But the most important part of the building is the part you never see. That is the foundation. Foundation building is slow work.
Quiet work. But if the foundation is weak, the entire building will eventually collapse.
In the same way, the health of a church is not found in what is most visible — the programs, the events or the stage. The strength of a church lies in the unseen faithfulness of its members: their prayers, their humility, their obedience, their commitment to Christ.
Pastors can preach faithfully. Elders can shepherd diligently. Leaders can plan wisely. But none of these guarantees a healthy church. Because the strength of a church is not found in its programs, its structure, or its leadership — it is found in its people.
A church becomes healthy only when its members embrace their calling. When ordinary believers take seriously the privilege and responsibility of belonging to Christ’s body. A church is healthy when members commit to walk in obedience, pursue holiness, love one another, and depend on God in prayer.
So today we ask a simple but searching question: What does a healthy church member look like?
Last week, Pastor Daniel walked us through 5 marks of a healthy church member.
Today, I will share another 5 marks by taking reference from our scripture texts in Ephesians 4 : 15 – 16 and Colossians 1 : 9 -12.
1. A Healthy Church Member Is a Committed Member
Let us turn to our scripture text in Ephesians 4 : 15 – 16
15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.
Ephesians 4: 15 - 16 is Paul’s portrayal of how the church grows — not through a few gifted leaders, but through every member doing their part under the leadership of Christ.
Paul begins with Christ. The church does not grow from human effort, clever programs, or strong personalities. It grows from Him — from Christ’s life, Christ’s power, Christ’s grace. He is the Head. We are the body. All growth flows from Him.
Paul also emphasizes connection ( “The whole body is joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped “). No Christian grows in isolation. No member is meant to be detached, independent, or floating. Every joint represents every relationship, every ligament refers to every connection and every part is the equivalent of every member.
The church grows when members are deeply connected, not loosely attached.
Now, Paul comes to the heart of the verse when he says “ When each part is working properly…” meaning that every member has a role. In other words, the church grows when every believer does what God has called them to do.
What does this mean? it means that members must be committed to the local church and to Christ by playing their part in the church.
What does commitment mean?Commitment is belonging. It is saying, “This is my church. These are my people. This is the body Christ has placed me in.”
Commitment thus means:
Staying rooted — choosing to belong , not moving from place to place. Not a church hopper, but a committed member.
Contributing — using your gifts, time, and energy for the edification of others
Being accountable — allowing others to speak into your life, correct you, and encourage you
Persevering — staying even when things get hard, inconvenient, or uncomfortable
A committed member is someone who says, “I am part of this church, and I will not detach myself from it.
Paul says the body grows only when each part works properly. If parts are not working properly and keep detaching, the body becomes weak and unstable.
Commitment is the soil where discipleship grows. You cannot grow deeply if you are not planted firmly. You cannot build relationships if you keep uprooting yourself. You cannot mature spiritually if you treat church as optional.
A church becomes strong when its members stay, serve, and love consistently.
When members commit, relationships deepen, accountability strengthens, ministry becomes stable and unity flourishes
Hermon Application
For to be healthy, Hermonites must commit to the following :
Weekly Worship. Worship shapes us, anchors us, and unites us.
Cell Group Community . Discipleship happens in circles, not rows. A CG is a “circle”—a place where people can talk, share, ask questions, pray for one another, and apply Scripture together. Commit to a CG because discipleship is relational, not just instructional.
Serving in a ministry. Every member has a gift. Every gift has a purpose. Every member should commit to using their gifts for the purpose of strengthening the local church which is the Body of Christ.
Church membership. If Hermon has become your spiritual home after journeying with us for a year or more, I would like to urge you to take the step of becoming a member. Membership expresses belonging, shared responsibility, and unity as we participate together in Holy Communion and the life of the church. It signifies commitment on your part to the faith community to which you belong.
2. A Healthy Church Member Is a Submissive Member
Ephesians 4:15
Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ
What does this mean?
If commitment connects us to the body, submission aligns us with the Head who is Jesus Christ.
Submission is not a popular word today. We live in a culture that celebrates independence, personal preference, and self‑expression. But Scripture teaches that spiritual health begins with yielding our will, our desires and our preferences to Christ and His Word.
What does submission mean? Submission means:
Submitting to Christ as Lord — He leads, we follow
Submitting to Scripture as authority — His Word shapes our beliefs and behaviour
Submitting to leaders as shepherds — not blindly, but biblically and humbly
Submitting to one another in love — putting others before ourselves
A submissive member is someone who says, “Christ is my Head. His Word is my guide. His church is my family. I will follow Him.”
Why Submission Matters?
Paul says we grow when we “grow up into Christ.” Growth happens only when the body listens to the Head.
A church becomes unhealthy when members follow their own preferences, ministries run on own agendas, people resist correction, Scripture is treated as optional and unity is sacrificed for convenience
But a church becomes healthy when Christ’s voice is obeyed, His Word is honoured, His commands are taken seriously and His authority is embraced
Paul paints a picture of a Healthy Submissive Church in Ephesians 4.
Christ is the Head — He rules, directs, and nourishes
The body listens to Him — not culture, not trends
Truth is spoken in love — correction is welcomed, not resisted
Members grow together — not individually, but collectively
Unity is preserved — because everyone submits to the same Lord
A church that submits to Christ becomes a church that reflects Christ.
Hermon Application
For Hermon to be healthy, Hermonites must learn to be submissive — not to human agendas, but to Christ and His Word. Hermon can do the following:
Submit to Scripture - Let God’s Word confront, correct, discipline and comfort you.
Submit to shepherding - Allow pastors and elders to guide, teach, and care for your soul.
Submit to one another - Yield preferences for unity. Choose love over convenience.
Submit to Christ’s mission – Being and making disciples. Share the gospel. Build the body.
3. A Healthy Church Member Is a Growing Disciple
Commitment connects us to the body. Submission aligns us with the Head. But connection and alignment must lead somewhere — they must lead to growth.
A healthy church member is not only committed and submissive, but also growing in maturity, knowledge, and Christlikeness.
Healthy churches require healthy, growing Christians. You cannot separate the condition of a church from the condition of its members. If members stop growing, the church’s health inevitably suffers.
The biggest problem in many churches today is the lack of spiritual growth.
Many Christians experience two kinds of spiritual slowdown:
Temporary ruts
Temporary ruts are short, normal seasons when you feel spiritually dry, distracted, or discouraged. Every Christian experiences them. God often uses these moments to humble us, refine us, and gently draw us back to Him
Chronic stagnation
Chronic stagnation is long-term spiritual numbness. You stop desiring God, stop hungering for Scripture, stop growing in holiness, and start believing you’re already “good enough.” It’s a dangerous state of spiritual sleep
This second category is dangerous because it’s easy to miss. Someone can attend church for years yet remain spiritually stagnant. Why? Because today many people treat faith as private and individual. They drift quietly, struggle silently, and stop growing because no one notices and no community steps in to help.
What Scripture Says About Growth?
Scripture does not treat growth as optional. It treats growth as normal Christianity.
Hebrews 5 : 12 – 14 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, 13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. 14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.”
Believers are called to move from milk to solid food, from infancy to maturity. Paul exhorts the Hebrew believers to stop being spiritual infants, but grow into mature believers who can feed on solid truth and help others grow.
Philippians 3:12–14 12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Paul, the apostle, says he has not arrived. He keeps pressing on. He keeps striving. He keeps growing. If Paul needed continual growth, how much more do we?
Colossians 1:10 10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.
Paul prays that believers would “grow in the knowledge of God.” Not knowledge about God. But knowledge of God — that is relational, experiential and transforming.
Mature believers think this way: “I have not arrived. I must keep growing.”
Normal Christianity is ongoing growth. But growth isn’t automatic. Real growth takes intentional effort. What do growing disciples do to grow spiritually?
feeds on Scripture — God’s Word becomes their daily nourishment. They open the Bible and meditate on it, and let the Word shape their thinking, desires, and decisions. Scripture becomes their anchor and their food.
practices spiritual habits — They build rhythms that keep their heart close to God—prayer, worship, fellowship, confession, and rest. Through them, the disciple stays connected to God, aware of sin, strengthened in faith, and rooted in community.
learns doctrine — They learn the truths of the faith—who God is, what Christ has done, how salvation works, why holiness matters. Doctrine stabilises their soul, protects them from error, and gives them confidence in what they believe.
applies truth — They take what Scripture says and put it into practice—changing attitudes, habits, relationships, and choices. Obedience is where transformation happens. Truth becomes visible in their character.
bears fruit — You see it in their love, humility, patience, generosity, purity, and perseverance. You see it in how they serve others, share the gospel, and reflect Christ. The fruit of the Spirit is the outward evidence of inward growth.
Hermon Application
Hermon has many opportunities for growth: Sunday sermons, CGs, Equipping classes, Prayer meetings, Youth and young adult discipleship and serving in ministry. But growth requires participation. Opportunities do not produce growth — engagement does.
So, let us seek to do the following:
read Scripture daily - Even one chapter a day builds spiritual muscle.
join a CG if you’re not in one - Growth happens best in community.
attend equipping classes - Learn doctrine. Strengthen your foundation.
ask questions, seek mentors - Don’t grow alone.
practice obedience, not just knowledge - Truth becomes transformation only when lived out.
Hermon becomes spiritually vibrant when Hermonites grow intentionally.
4. A Healthy Church Member Is a Humble Member
Let us turn to our text in Colossians 1:11–12 :
11 being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light
And to our supporting Text in Philippians 2:3 :
3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
Humility is the posture of a heart that knows it is saved by grace, strengthened by grace, and sustained by grace. A healthy church member is a humble member — someone who lowers himself or herself so Christ may be lifted up, and others may be built up.
In Colossians 1:11–12, Paul describes humility through two key traits:
Endurance and Patience (verse 11)
Humility accepts that growth takes time. It endures hardship without complaining. It remains gentle even when circumstances are difficult.
Gratitude (verse12)
Giving thanks to the Father. Humility recognizes that everything we have is from God. Gratitude is humility expressed in worship.
A humble member is someone who says: “I am not the Star. Christ is. And I will treat others with the grace He has shown me.”
Why Humility matters?
Humility is essential for church health because pride, even spiritual pride is deadly.
Pride divides. It insists on its own way. It refuses correction. It creates conflict.
Humility unites. It listens. It forgives. It serves quietly. It builds peace.
Humility is the glue of Christian community. Without humility, commitment becomes stubbornness, submission becomes legalism, and growth becomes arrogance.
The Picture of a Humble Church
Christ shows us true humility in Philippians 2: He emptied Himself, became a servant, put others first, obeyed the Father fully, and humbled Himself even to death. A church or believer who reflects this is Christlike — because humility is simply living the way Jesus lived.When humility fills a church, conflict fades, unity strengthens, love deepens, and Christ becomes visible.
Hermon Application
For Hermon to be healthy, Hermonites must walk in humility together. Humility is not just a personal virtue; it is a community posture. When members of a church choose humility, the entire body becomes stronger, gentler and more united.
Here’s what that looks like in Hermon’s context.
Practice gentleness across generations
Hermon is multi-generational. Our church comprises of children, youth, young adults, families and seniors. Humility helps us understand one another, not judge one another.
Assume the best of one another
Humility gives others the benefit of the doubt. It chooses grace, not suspicion. This creates a culture of trust instead of tension.
Support leaders even when decisions are difficult
Humility trusts God’s design for shepherding. Leaders are not perfect, but they are elected to guard, guide and care for the flock. Humility strengthens leadership and stabilises the church.
Yield preferences for unity
Church life involves countless preferences, for example music style, ministry approach, program format, service length. Humility says: “It’s not about me. It’s about us.”
Serve quietly and faithfully
Humility shows itself in quiet, unseen acts of service; the kind that rarely get attention but always strengthen the church. Whether it’s setting up chairs, cleaning, preparing materials, caring for children, visiting the sick, or praying behind the scenes, these hidden acts form the backbone of a healthy church.
When Hermonites walk in humility, Hermon becomes a place of peace.
5. A Healthy Church Member Is a Prayer Warrior
Colossians 1 : 9 “ And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding “
Ephesians 6:18 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,
But what is prayer?
According to the theologian Graeme Goldsworthy, true, confident, non‑sentimental prayer only becomes possible when it is grounded in the gospel — specifically in the finished work of Jesus Christ, our Great High Priest.
How you understand the Son Jesus shapes how you relate to the Father, and that relationship determines how you pray. Everything flows from the gospel.
We don’t come to God as strangers. We come as His children, because Jesus has opened the way. That relationship shapes how we pray.
Prayer then becomes not a sentimental emotion, not an entitlement, but confident access to God’s presence because Jesus, our High Priest, has brought us into the heavenly sanctuary.
What constitutes a healthy Christian prayer life ?A healthy Christian prayer life is shaped by two biblical commitments — praying constantly and praying in the Spirit — both of which express our dependence on God and our confidence in His help.
Pray Constantly — because the Christian life is full of need
Paul repeatedly commands believers to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thess 5:17), “be constant in prayer” (Rom 12:12) and “continue steadfastly in prayer” (Col 4:2)
Why? Because the Christian life is full of temptations, dangers, and spiritual battles. A healthy believer stays spiritually alert by praying continually.
Pray in the Spirit — because we are weak and need divine help
Romans 8:26–27 shows we are weak , we often don’t know what to pray , the Spirit intercedes for us and He prays according to God’s will
This means praying “in the Spirit” is not about emotion or technique. It is prayer that is guided, and empowered by the Holy Spirit, who aligns our prayers with God’s will.
Why Prayer Matters ?
Prayer isn’t just for the Pastor and the Elders. It’s the calling of every believer. A praying Christian is a healthy church member. Healthy members pray for the church, for their leaders, for unity, for the lost, and for revival.
A praying church is a powerful church. A prayer-less church is a powerless church.
Hermon Application
You may ask how you can pray for Hermon. You can join the Church Prayer Meeting and pray for the church’s ministry needs. You can pray before Sunday worship for the service and for the Word to be preached. You can pray for your pastors, elders and church leaders. You can pray for your CG , pray for the next generation, pray for God leading in Henderson 2.0 , and pray for gospel to bear fruit in the Henderson’s community. Hermon grows spiritually strong when its members pray faithfully.
CONCLUSION
Church, here is the portrait Scripture gives us:
A healthy church member is committed, submissive, growing, humble, and prayerful.
This is not a checklist. This is a picture of a disciple shaped by Christ.
When members grow in these five marks, the whole church becomes stronger, holier, more united, more loving, and increasingly like Christ.
In closing, healthy members build a healthy church. May the Lord make us such members. And may He make Hermon such a church.
Amen.
Reflection Questions After the Sermon
In what ways am I actively contributing to the health of the local church, not just benefiting from it?
Which of the five marks is God most clearly calling me to grow in right now?
What is one concrete step I will take this week to respond to God’s Word? Who can I share this with for encouragement and accountability?
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