From a book titled The ABC's of Natural Church Development by Christian A. Schwarz the following qualities of healthy and vibrant congregations...how's your congregation doing?

A quote from the book can serve as an introduction:  Our research taught us that no church that wants to grow can neglect even a single one of these quality characteristic.

1.   Empowered Leadership

Leaders of growing churches do not try to build up their own power-to become all-powerful.  Exactly the opposite.  They consider it as one of their most important tasks to help Christians develop greater degrees of empowerment, which according to God's plan already belongs to them.

2.   Gift-oriented Ministry

The role of church leadership is to help its members identify their gifts and integrate them into ministries that match their gifts.

3.   Passionate Spirituality

The fact that faith is actually lived out with commitment, fire and enthusiasm.  A church that lives its faith with passionate fervor will experience vibrance and health with many a method.

4.   Functional Structures

The most important criterion for forms and structures in the church is if they fulfill their purpose or not.  Is the structure of our organization (i.e., boards, committees, voters, etc.) the best for accomplishing effective ministry?  Does is need to be reshaped considering the time people have available, the needs of the people in the parish, and the strong emphasis on local mission work?

5.   Inspiring Worship Service

Research indicates that the question is not whether our services target Christians or non-Christians, whether they celebrate in the language of Canaan or in a more secular language, or whether we worship using a liturgical or a more free-flowing approach.  These are not the deciding factors.  The key criterion is: Is the worship service an inspiring experience for those who attend?  Opposition to this area of inspiring worship comes from Christians who attend the worship service to fulfill a Christian duty.

6.   Holistic Small Groups

Vibrant and healthy churches have developed a system of small groups where individual Christians can find intimate community, practical help and intensive spiritual interaction.  Transformation happens in the small groups.

7.   Need-Oriented Evangelism

It can be shown that pushy manipulative methods of evangelism represent the exact opposite of the practice we learn from vibrant, healthy churches.  Their secret is the way they share the Gospel in a way that meets the questions and needs of non-Christians.

8.   Loving Relationships

Vibrant, healthy church manifest a measurably higher love quotient than stagnant or declining churches.  How often do church members invite one another over for meals or a cup of coffee?  How generous is the church in doling out compliments?  How much laughter is there in the church?  Marketing the church can be compared to artificial flowers.  They may look deceptively real, but they have no fragrance.  Real love spreads that mysterious scent that few can resist.