Green flags in a church
16 April 2026
Bethany
A healthy church needs both right teaching and right living. No church is perfect – they’re all made up of sinful people, after all! Whether you’re looking for encouragement or trying to gauge how your church is going, here are some green flags to look out for:
1. Jesus is front and centre
Okay, you might have expected this one from us – and yet, it’s easy to take it for granted!
People don’t come for the sake of hearing a famous preacher, listening to the best in Christian music (whether contemporary or traditional), or rallying around a political cause – they come to worship Jesus and fellowship together. The church keeps the main thing (Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection) the main thing. Everything else is secondary.
2. The Bible is preached faithfully
More time is spent on the Bible than personal stories or national headlines. Both the Old and New Testaments are preached, and difficult passages aren’t avoided. The church is not ashamed of God’s word but is humbly dependent on it.
3. They’re theologically sound
Many churches list their statement of beliefs online, which is a great way to confirm if they’re aligned with the Bible. The most crucial thing is that we are dependent on Jesus for salvation. Importantly, what is preached and said from the front aligns with this too!
4. Questions are encouraged
A healthy church isn’t afraid of wrestling through hard questions. Instead, they pray and study the Bible to understand more. There are minor points that people disagree on, and that’s okay.
5. People stick around after the service to chat
This is a great sign of a deep community. We’re called to be the family of God and living that out is a beautiful sign of his transforming love! There’s a culture of grace and service, and new people are not just talked to, but warmly welcomed in, and encouraged to grow in their faith.
6. Prayer and holiness are a priority – both for leadership and members
Growth in godliness and living faith out practically is both talked about and demonstrated. People gladly show up to prayer meetings, even at awkward times, and regularly ask how to pray for each other.
7. The congregation has people from different cultural backgrounds, ages, and stages of life
What this looks like will depend on where you live, but cultural diversity is a great thing! It’s healthy to have a church that doesn’t look exactly like you.
8. An outward focus
The church is keen to apply God’s word locally and globally through mission partners. Regular people are encouraged to share their faith with friends, family, colleagues, and neighbours.
If you aren’t sure where to start, connect with your local AFES group on campus — they know the area and can point you to churches that will care for your faith and your life as a student.
