The Revd Graham Tomlin is Dean of Saint Mellitus College in London and Principal of St Paul’s Theological College. His work is closely associated with the Alpha course, and he is currently developing a new resource on the Theology of Alpha, to be released next year.

In his book ‘The Provocative Church’, Tomlin writes about the key marks exhibited by effective, kingdom-focused churches. For Tomlin, individual lives and churches that are being transformed by Jesus should exhibit a new relationship with God through adoration; a new relationship with others through belonging and community; a new relationship to God’s creation through compassion for people; a new relationship with the self through discipleship; and a new relationship with communication through the use of words for evangelism. He suggests that churches might benefit by using these characteristics to gauge their own effectiveness in the outworking of the kingdom of God.

5 marks of effective churches – A, B, C, D, E

Adoration – Do regular members find that Sunday worship feeds their own spiritual life, enabling them to draw close to God? One place where Christians have always looked to cultivate a closer, more fulfilled and intimate relationship with God has been in the act of worship. What a church does when it gathers together each week has a large bearing upon its ability to usher people into a new relationship with God.

Belonging – Is our church one where every member can give and receive care? Do most people feel they have a contribution to make, or are they mainly passive recipients? Personal and spiritual growth normally happens in relationship, not in isolation. Jesus brought people into new relationship with others. We can see in the Gospels that he intended small communities of disciples to continue after his ascension, centred upon himself and the life of the kingdom. A church modelled on the Kingdom of God will be able to draw people into relationship with each other, based on the acknowledgement of the value of every person.

Compassion – Does the church do anything that expresses practical concern for its local community? God normally does his work through things, and especially people. A church that wants to be like Jesus will in some way be involved in the restoration of creation. God is calling people like you and me to be transformed into the kinds of people who are part of the solution of the world’s ills. He is gathering a community of people, who out of their joy of knowing God and his grace, are busy showing God’s grace to others – visiting and praying for the healing of the sick, giving time and money to the poor, cleaning up local communities.

Discipleship – Is there a structure in the church that enables Christians to be accountable to each other for their growth? Does teaching give practical strategies for developing life under God’s rule? When people met Jesus, they were never quite the same again. Jesus changed people, like Peter and Zacchaeus, and they began to see themselves very differently. The main way in which Christians’ lives are shaped in church life is through the regular preaching and teaching that they receive. Teaching in church will aim to give people two things – (1) A theological framework that gradually reshapes their view God, the world and themselves, and (2) Practical ways and means to develop those qualities of a person who lives under the rule of God.

Evangelism – Does the church have a place for searchers to explore and ask questions – Alpha or something similar? Finally evangelism. Jesus did not simply perform signs of the coming kingdom, he explained them and invited people in to the kingdom. Few churches are growing today that do not have some kind of group for those enquiring about the Christian faith. Churches need some forum where Christian faith can be explained in appropriate words, where enquirers can ask questions and hear some answers. Such courses are ideal ways to enable people to experience the life and the kingdom.

Building a church like this is not always easy. To build these characteristics into church life takes time, sensitivity, humility and not a little skill. In short, it needs wise leadership.

For further Reading:  ‘The Provocative Church’, third edition, by Graham Tomlin, published in the UK by SPCK.