11 Types of Healthy Churches That Often Stay Small

“If a church stays small, they must be doing something wrong. It can’t possibly be healthy.” This has been an underlying assumption of many in the church growth movement. (Although it’s usually more subtly stated than that.) But, as with any assumption, we must always ask one vital question. Is it true? I say no. Certainly many churches that stay small are unhealthy. Thankfully, unhealthy churches tend not to grow. But, as I’ve written in The Myth of Inevitable Congregational Growth, some healthy churches don’t experience the numerical growth we expect. So I’ve started compiling a list of the types of healthy small churches whose numbers will often stay static, even though they’re doing great kingdom work. It’s not a definitive list. Just what I’ve discovered so far. And it's not universally true. Every one of these has exceptional cases of significant numerical growth. Also, I am not offering these as an excuse for laziness or any other form of ill-health. Enthusiastic participation in the growth of the church through the Great Commandment and Great Commission is a non-optional essential for every congregation. But many types of churches do that without seeing their own numerical growth. Here are 11 of them:

August 10, 2015

by Karl Vaters

“If a church stays small, they must be doing something wrong. It can’t possibly be healthy.”

This has been an underlying assumption of many in the church growth movement. (Although it’s usually more subtly stated than that.) But, as with any assumption, we must always ask one vital question.

Is it true? I say no.

Author

Karl Vaters

Karl produces resources for Helping Small Churches Thrive at KarlVaters.com.
He's the author of five books on church leadership, including his newest, De-Sizing the Church: How Church Growth Became a Science, Then an Obsession, and What's Next. His other books include The Grasshopper Myth and Small Church Essentials.
Karl also hosts a bi-weekly podcast,The Church Lobby: Conversations on Faith & Ministry, featuring in-depth interviews about topics that concern pastors, especially those who minister in a small church context.
Karl has served in small-church ministry for over 40 years, so he speaks and writes from decades of hands-on pastoral experience. He and his wife, Shelley have three children and two grandkids.

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