Revelation 2-3. Overview: How Jesus Judges His Churches

What is a healthy church?

Over the next few weeks, we will move into a new section of Revelation. We are looking at Jesus’ evaluation of the churches in Revelation 2 and 3. In this section, Jesus gives the seven churches in Asia Minor a 360-degree review.

The central question we will wrestle with is how does Jesus evaluate His Church?

Each year new books come out that seek to distill the marks or principles for church growth and church health. The lists usually contain anywhere from 6 to 12 key principles and features of church growth and health. It should come as no surprise, but from my study of scripture and church history, I believe there are 3 essential marks of a healthy church:

1. Sound doctrine

2. Continual renewal of the Holy Spirit

3. A Contextualized Ministry (a ministry that is biblically faithful and appropriate to your specific location.)

Here is the message outline:

1: Call to Love and Vitality (2) 

2: Call to faithful endurance; hold on; keep going (3) 

3-5: Call to fight false teaching (1) 

6: Call to faithful endurance; hold on; keep going (3) 

7: Call to love and vitality (2) 

Overview of all 7 

1. Ephesus: 
   1. Praised 
   2. Severely Criticized 
   3. Praised 
2. Smyrna: 
   1. NC 
   2. NC
   3. Praised: Call to faithfulness 
3. Pergamum:
   1. Severely Criticized 
   2. NC
   3. Praised 
4. Thyatira: 
   1. Severely Criticized 
   2. Praised 
   3. Praised 
5. Sardis 
   1. Criticized
   2. Criticized 
   3. Criticized 
6. Philadelphia 
   1. Praised 
   2. NC 
   3. Praised: Call to faithfulness 
7. Laodicea 
   1. Criticized 
   2. Severely Criticized 
   3. Criticized