A necessary question for analyzing the health of your church is: “What are the authoritative instructions that are followed by your church?” Every church follows some set of rules or guidelines. Some churches are very committed to careful adherence to their constitution and bylaws. In some churches, Roberts Rules of Order are the ultimate authority. In newer churches, the church might be following a church planting model or the individual church planter’s vision. The rules and guidelines may be an unwritten set of traditions – “the Baptist way” or “the way we have always done things.”