Book review: What is a Healthy Church? (Mark Dever)
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What is a Healthy Church? by Mark Dever is a short, easy to digest book. It is written primarily for those in the congregation rather than those delivering the sermon, although by no means is the minister or church leader neglected. After all, as Dever, slightly confrontationally, asserts early in the book, “you and all the members of your church, Christian, are finally responsible before God for what your church becomes, not your pastors and other leaders–you.”
But Dever’s heart is always in the right place. His desire is for the reader “to see something of the urgency of the need for a healthy local church in the Christian’s life and to begin sharing the passion for the church that characterizes both Christ and his followers.”
At all times, Dever uses Scripture to back up his position, leaving the reader having to do the same if they do not agree with him. So be prepared to have God’s Word, not just Mark Dever, challenge you.
After a short preface (with an amusing parable to make a point) and introduction, the book is divided into three main parts.
About mid-way through the first part, Dever answers the question of “What is a healthy church?”, by defining it as “a congregation that increasingly reflects God’s character as his character has been revealed in his Word.” He then works through a number of Biblical passages to support his definition.
In the second part he covers what he believes are three essential marks of a healthy church, which if not present, will cause the “church’s health (to) decline quickly and radically. In fact, expect it to expire soon (even if its doors are technically open).”
In the final part he works through a further six marks, which are less essential yet still important. As Dever says, “Churches without these important marks can be places to pray, to be patient, and to set a good example in your life.”
Dever concludes his book with a challenge to the reader: “Our churches are to display God and his glorious gospel to his creation. We are to bring Him glory by our lives together. This burden of display is our awesome responsibility and tremendous privilege.”
I believe this is a book HBC can greatly benefit from. You may not agree with everything Dever says, but this book may be a spark to loving conversations within our own church about what we are all doing to ensure we are focused on displaying God’s glory as we accept the responsibility and privilege to which we have been called.
You can find the book in our church library.
Gary Taberner (August 2025)