Another Small Church Christmas Eve – Was Yours Not So Merry And Bright?

Christmas Eve has come and gone. As you scroll through social media, you’re seeing all the rave reports from fellow pastors about full churches, beautiful productions and salvations. But, while you’re happy for them, you don’t respond. Because, in the small church you serve, yesterday was hard. Again. Instead of a bigger-than-usual crowd, your church building was downright barren because the church members who left for the holidays were not replaced by visitors. Instead of a lavish musical production, the one or two musicians you do have (if you have any to begin with) were among those who left town to visit family. I don’t have any answers for you. But I do feel what you’re going through. While our small church had a great Sunday this year, I remember those sparse years when there was more to dread about church at Christmas than to look forward to.

December 24, 2017

by Karl Vaters

Christmas Eve has come and gone.

As you scroll through social media, you’re seeing all the rave reports from fellow pastors about full churches, beautiful productions and salvations.

But, while you’re happy for them, you don’t respond. Because, in the small church you serve, yesterday was hard. Again.

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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