My research for this project was driven by a desire to improve the area of ministry that I am involved in and hope to be involved in at some capacity for the remainder of my life. The largest problem I have seen in churches and ministry this year is the struggle to expand while not watering down the content of the gospel. It can be, for many, a hard mixture of tradition and progressiveness. My research was conducted through a series of interviews within my internship and drawing my own conclusion based on other’s research of similar topics. Generally speaking, many sources agreed that healthy things grow, if a congregation is healthy and growing then the numbers will reflect that. However, the focus of healthy churches was agreed upon by many to not be numbers. The growth was the effect rather than the cause. Healthy churches are instead inspired by increased biblical literacy, open and accountable leaders, convicting messages, and an emphasis on service. In my own interpretation of my findings, I have found that because of the history of judgment in the church has led to a decrease in church membership and a decrease in those who identify as christians or believers in Christ. The conclusion I came to was a need for authentic faith to take over our modern day churches and revolutionize the way the church and christianity is perceived. I have found in my own understanding that the most effective and achievable solution is to stay true to fundamental beliefs of the church, but be open as a congregation to the changing culture of the church. In many cases, the biggest necessity of the church is to look at itself and its history plainly, acknowledge mistakes, and move forward to the best of the ability.
