Hi friends,
We’re excited to relaunch Church Health Thursdays! Every other week, I—or someone from our Church Health Department and various teams—will share a video or resource focused on strengthening and encouraging churches at key moments in their journey.
In mid-January, the newly formed Church Health Team—a volunteer group that includes members of the National Prayer Team, FM pastors, and lay leaders from across the country—held its inaugural retreat, joined by Bishop Linda. Our time together centered on prayer for the denomination, as well as learning, sharing stories, and examining key denominational trends. The team has now begun preliminary work on revitalization plans and pathways, collaborating with our coaches, Bishop Linda, and me to develop and pilot strategies with selected churches. More updates, team details, and next steps will be shared soon!
For today’s post, I’ve invited Rev. Luke Haggit, Lead Pastor at Chapel Ridge and a member of the new Church Health team, to share his final thoughts on Jesus’ letters to the Seven Churches as we conclude the week of prayer and fasting. He weaves together themes from Revelation 2 and 3, offering insights we can apply as we assess Church health through Jesus’ own lens.
Our recent Week of Prayer and Fasting was an incredibly uplifting time, and I’m deeply grateful for the meaningful participation across our churches. Special thanks to the National Prayer Team for their dedication and countless hours in making this week a success!
Here are a few highlights from the week:
220+ people attended the Sunday night opening service—the highest attendance so far!
P4R (Pray for Renewal), which normally averages 20 participants, jumped to 60 people per session.
130+ people joined a prayer meeting outside of the Sunday evening service.
29+ different churches were represented, along with faithful participants from India, Uganda, the Magdalen Islands, and a visitor from Ghana.
On Sunday, we had a viewer from Brazil, and our online services reached 121 views on Facebook and 299 views on YouTube.
As we move forward, my prayer is that we continue to cultivate a life of communal prayer, fasting, and deep engagement with Scripture—not just during dedicated weeks but as an integral part of our everyday lives and ministries. Church health is deeply spiritual. As we step into this year’s plans, let’s prioritize our own spiritual vitality, making space for Jesus in settings of accountability, coaching, and friendship.
A good friend once told me, “Love is a perishable commodity; it must be renewed daily.” Just as a healthy marriage requires constant nurturing, so does our passion for Jesus. Let’s take time, unrushed and unguarded, in His presence—allowing His Spirit to fan the flames of our devotion as we serve together as an interconnected body.
