“What’s the main difference between big and small churches?”
It’s a question I get a lot. And it’s an important one for pastors who want to serve their congregations well.
The biggest difference, from the pastoral viewpoint, is how the lead pastor interacts with members of the church.
Small church leadership is primarily focused around the pastor’s presence, while big church leadership is primarily delegated in the pastor’s absence.
Pastoral Presence / Pastoral Absence
In the very small church of 50 people (give or take 50) the pastor is expected to be at virtually every meeting, and know everyone in the church. And, aside from the challenge of bivocational schedules, it’s doable. Pastoring means presence.
In the small-to-midsize church of 150 people (give or take 50) the pastor can be at all the main meetings, and can know all the regular church members/attenders. The pastor can usually be full-time, so their availability can stretch to meet that need. Pastoring means presence.
But when the church grows to more than 200 in average Sunday attendance the church becomes too big for the pastor to be at every event or to know everyone. This is when they start pastoring in absence.
By “pastoring in absence” I don’t mean the pastor is disconnected or unconcerned about the life of the church or the care of its people. It’s just physically impossible for the pastor to be as available anymore.
This is where most of the big-church teaching kicks in, helping leaders understand how to delegate the more time-consuming pastoral duties (visitation, counseling, and so on) to pastoral team members. It’s the move from shepherd to rancher, from pastor to manager.
In the small church, most leadership happens in places like the church lobby, the fellowship hall, and so on. But in the big church, about the only time the average attender sees the pastor is when they’re preaching from the platform.
This transition from presence to absence is not necessarily a bad thing, it’s just in the nature of size. But it’s not an ideal to strive for, either.
Embracing The Small-Church Specialty
Pastor, if your calling is to shepherd the flock in a more hands-on way, the church you lead will likely stay under 200 — probably under 100. That’s not something to push back against, it’s something to lean into, specialize in, and celebrate.
Small churches are not a problem to be fixed. Big churches are not an ideal to be strived for.
Both have value, but each requires very different callings and skillsets.
When a church gets bigger it has some benefits (more finances, skilled team members, and so on), but it also has some downsides (if you’re a hands-on pastor, you’ll lose the chance to do that).
One of the most important things for a pastor to know is which setting (large or small) they’re called to minister in. Then, instead of trying to be something you’re not, give your all to the church (and church size) where Jesus has placed you.
(Photo by Loren Kerns | Flickr)
