What makes Small Churches unique?
For four decades, we’ve been told that if your church is not growing numerically, you’re failing. But that denies so much evidence. Evidence that very clearly indicates that growing a big congregation is not inevitable. It’s not common. And it’s not required by God to be a faithful pastor.
Growing a Bigger Congregation Is Hard, Rare and [Gasp!] NOT a Biblical Mandate Read More »
Friendliness, warmth and connection are not automatic in any church. Big churches know this. Small Churches tend to forget it. And when we forget it we can hurt people deeply.
An unfriendly Small Church can be a dangerous thing.
Big churches are aware of crowd dynamics, so most of them work really hard at overcoming the pull towards anonymity. Many of them succeed and are very friendly. It may even be one of the reasons they became big.
Small Churches need to work just as hard at friendliness, warmth and connection as our large church counterparts do. Maybe even harder, because friendliness is more expected and needed when the crowd is smaller.
Why Unfriendly Big Churches Are Bad – But Unfriendly Small Churches Can Be Dangerous Read More »
One of the ways I learned to be OK with – and now celebrate – the value of a healthy Small Church, was when I started seeing it through the eyes of people who visit Small Churches for the first time.
The front door of a Small Church is not the wardrobe to the magical land of Narnia. No one expects that a church which looked small from the outside will magically grow huge once they step inside.
People who come to a Small Church aren’t expecting a big church experience. But they have a right to expect a really good Small Church experience.
How I Stopped Feeling Embarrassed by My Small Church Read More »
Let’s stop making assumptions about all Small Churches based on bad experiences with some Small Churches. Each one deserves to stand or fall on its own.
I Don’t Like the Same Small Churches You Don’t Like Read More »
The people we now know as Pilgrims weren’t the only ones who were dissatisfied with the way things were in England. But they made a difference because they took action. Like a lot of their bible heroes, they left where they were without knowing where they’d end up. For many world-changers, action comes first. A plan comes later.
Small Church Hall of Fame: The Pilgrims Read More »
There are a lot of reasons healthy Small Churches stay small that have nothing to do with lack of faith, wrong principles, laziness, settling for less or incompetence. I’ve written about some of those reasons here already. Here’s another reason. Sometimes churches stay small because small is their only option. Today, I’m presenting two posts
When Small Is Your Only Option (A Video and a Podcast) Read More »
Discovering and embracing the fact that I am a Small Church pastor was one of the most liberating moments of my life. It took me years to get there, but once I did… Wow! What relief!. As I’ve outlined in The Grasshopper Myth and in posts on this site, I didn’t want to admit I
6 Benefits of Embracing the Fact that You’re a Small Church Pastor Read More »
Over the past two weekends my wife and I spent time with two groups of Small Church pastors who are doing work that few people would volunteer to do – and even fewer could do if they were asked. These two groups of pastors and the situations they face could not be more different from each other.
Got a Tough Job You Want Done Right? Call a Small Church Pastor Read More »
Megachurches are awesome. How could we not be grateful when thousands of people voluntarily gather together every week to worship Jesus? Everything about that is good. But… (you knew there was a “but” coming, didn’t you?) But while it’s wonderful to see 3,000 to 30,000 people meet to worship Jesus in one massive church, it
Megachurches are Not Normal – And That’s OK Read More »
“There are no Small Churches.” I’ve heard that sentiment expressed on many occasions from well-meaning people after I tell them I pastor a Small Church. I get where they’re coming from because I used to be one of them. I said “there are no small churches” for years because I believed the lie that Small
Six Reasons Why “There Are No Small Churches” Isn’t True Read More »
