Karl Vaters

Grasshopper Myth: My Church Can’t Compete With Megachurches

OK, so technically, this one’s true. My church can’t compete with megachurches. Trying to do what they do on a Small Church scale would, did, and does lead to disaster and burnout. What makes the statement a myth is that it’s built on a faulty premise. The premise that we’re supposed to be like megachurches, […]

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Surprising Insights About Church Growth from Small Church Members

People love Small Churches. It’s pastors who have a problem with them. The Grasshopper Myth book has been in the hands of the members of my church for about a month. And I’m currently teaching through the principles of it on Sunday mornings. (They’re being recorded and will be podcast here soon.) So the feedback

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How Your Small Church Can Do a Great Community Service Day (Video)

Serve Day. Share Day. Community Service Day. Whatever you call it, getting your congregation to take a Sunday afternoon to go out into the community to serve people in practical, agenda-free ways is valuable to your church and your community. This video was recorded at a recent Share Day at our church, and it can

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The #1 Leadership Key to Spark Innovation in a Small Church

If you want to increase your chances of working with innovators who need guidance, instead of heel-draggers who need motivation, this is the best piece of advice I can give you. I now consider it to be one of my main roles as a church leader.

Find a way to say “Yes”.

Yes to people. Yes to their crazy ideas. Yes to their passion. Yes to something God may be trying to do through them that I just can’t see yet.

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Small Churches Are the Next Big Thing – With One Condition

Some people have written off the current generation spiritually. That is a mistake – for the church and for the Millennials. There’s growing evidence that this new generation will bring the greatest opportunity for Small Church ministry in 2,000 years. Why? Because, as the first generation with a majority born and raised outside traditional marriage,

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