Toolbox Tuesday: The Church Circle — The 9 Parts of a Healthy Church

What makes a church healthy? Buildings? Budgets? Programs? A packed calendar?

If you've ever planted a church in a living room — or wondered whether your small group really counts as a church — you need today's Toolbox Tuesday tool. It's called the Church Circle, and it answers the question with a drawing you can make in sixty seconds.

You know the drill by now. Every tool in this series has to be three things:

Simple. Biblical. Reproducible.

The Church Circle passes all three — because it's not a human invention. It's simply a summary of what the first church in Acts 2 actually did.

Where the Church Circle Comes From

After Peter's first sermon, three thousand people believed and were baptized. And then Luke tells us exactly what happened next:

"And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers... And awe came upon every soul... And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need... And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved." (Acts 2:42–47)

Look at that list. Teaching. Fellowship. Communion. Prayer. Worship. Giving. Evangelism. Add baptism (v. 41), repentance, and the love Jesus commanded, and you have nine functions that show up wherever God's people gather.

The Church Circle simply draws those nine parts as a circle divided into nine wedges — like slices of a pie. (Our friends at Sentones print it as a sticker with a simple icon for each part — more on that at the end.)

Here's why that matters: a church is not defined by its structure, its staff, or its building. A church is defined by its function. Wherever believers are living out these nine parts together, there is a church — whether it meets in a sanctuary, a school cafeteria, or an apartment living room.

The 9 Parts of a Healthy Church

1. Baptism — New believers publicly identifying with Jesus' death and resurrection. The first act of obedience after belief (Matthew 28:19).

2. The Lord's Supper — Sharing bread and the cup together, remembering Jesus' body and blood until He returns (1 Corinthians 11:23–26).

3. Making Disciples — Teaching new believers to obey everything Jesus commanded — and to teach others, who teach others (Matthew 28:19–20; 2 Timothy 2:2).

4. Repentance and Confession — Keeping short accounts with God and one another. Turning from sin quickly, confessing honestly, forgiving freely (1 John 1:9; James 5:16).

5. Love — The "one another" commands: love, serve, bear with, encourage, honor, forgive. Jesus said this is how the world will recognize His disciples (John 13:34–35).

6. The Word — Hearing, reading, and obeying Scripture together. Not just hearing — obeying (James 1:22; 2 Timothy 3:16–17).

7. Worship and Prayer — Praising God and praying together as a regular rhythm, not a special event (Acts 2:42; Colossians 3:16).

8. Fellowship and Shepherding — Real, shared life — burdens, meals, accountability — cared for by shepherds who know the flock (Hebrews 10:24–25; 1 Peter 5:2–3).

9. Giving and Stewardship — Holding possessions loosely, sharing generously with those in need, and stewarding time and money for the Kingdom (Acts 2:44–45; 2 Corinthians 9:7).

Nine parts. One circle. That's the whole blueprint — and every one of them is rooted in the New Testament, not in a denominational tradition.

How to Use the Tool

Draw a large circle and divide it into nine wedges. Label each one with its part.

Now, use it two ways:

First: as a mirror. Evaluate your own gathering — a Bible study, a discipleship group, a house church, a congregation. For each part, ask honestly: are we living this out? Shade in the wedges that are healthy. Leave the gaps blank.

Most groups discover something humbling: we're strong on the Word and worship... and blank on making disciples or giving. The gaps aren't a verdict — they're a to-do list.

Second: as a map. For each blank wedge, ask: what would it look like to take one step toward obedience there? Not a program. One step. If baptism is blank, talk about it with the new believers in your group. If giving is blank, practice meeting one concrete need this month.

This is exactly how the early church lived — devotion (Acts 2:42) — the slow, faithful, daily practice of ordinary believers.

Why This One Tool Changes Everything

It settles the question, "When is it a church?" The answer stops being about budgets and buildings. A group of baptized believers obeying Jesus together in all nine parts is a church — no matter where it meets.

It keeps groups healthy instead of busy. It's easy to drift into meetings without function. The circle keeps the functions — worship, love, witness, stewardship — in front of you.

It's infinitely reproducible. A brand-new believer can draw it on a napkin and lead their own group through it. Any tool a five-day-old Christian can use is a tool that multiplies.

It de-centralizes the church. No building required. No seminary required. This is why simple churches are multiplying in houses, dorms, and refugee apartments around the world.

This Week's Toolbox Tuesday Challenge

1. DRAW — Draw the Church Circle with your group — all nine wedges, labels and all.

2. EVALUATE — Shade in the wedges you're genuinely living out. Be honest, not optimistic.

3. CHOOSE — Pick one blank wedge and agree on one concrete step of obedience this week.

4. MULTIPLY — Teach the Church Circle to one other believer or group. If they can draw it, they can use it.

And if you want the circle in your pocket, Sentones prints the Church Circle as a sticker — nine simple icons, one glance, everything a healthy church is. Put it on your notebook or water bottle as a regular check-up reminder for your group.

→ Get the Church Circle sticker here

Want to practice tools like this with a community of laborers? The MTC Nashville residency trains bi-vocational disciple-makers in the core missionary task — and helps the groups you lead grow into healthy, multiplying churches. Learn more here.

Jesus is building His church — and He told us exactly what it looks like. Draw the circle. Find your gaps. Take one step of obedience this week.

Back to Field Notes