Session 1: Redefining Success In Ministry
What is The Grasshopper Myth?
The false impression that our Small Church ministry is less than what God says it is because we compare ourselves with others.
All the people we saw there are of great size. …We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them. – Numbers 13:32-33
Three undeniable realities of pastoral ministry:
- Reality #1: 80-90% of churches will never be larger than 250 people
- Reality #2: 99.9% of pastors will pastor a small church for at least some time in our ministry
- Reality #3: You can lead a small church well, without settling for less
Don’t fall for IKEA Envy
Over 1 billion people choose to worship Jesus in small churches
Small is not a problem, a virtue or an excuse
Big changes come from small places
Session 2: Big Or Small? What’s the Difference?
Many big church principles don’t translate well to a small church context
The law of large numbers: the bigger the crowd, the more predictably they behave
The smaller the crowd, the more impact each person has – for good and bad
Big church principles center on process, systems & curriculum
Small church principles center on relationships, culture & history
A Simple 5-Step Discipleship Process for Any Small Church (That Won’t Wear Out the Pastor)
- Meet with every new believer and potential leader
- Determine how they learn and grow
- Connect them with a mature believer and the right resources
- Help them plug Into an active ministry that utilizes their gifts
- As people mature, call on them to start leading others
New generations will not build the kind of churches their parents built
There will always be a place for great small churches
Session 3: Becoming a Great Small Church
People will come to small churches, but they won’t give up quality to do so
Discover what your church does well, then do it on purpose
Use the “closet rule” for ministries: Don’t add a new one until you’ve dropped an old one
- What does your church do well, that you would like to do more of?
- What does your church do poorly, that you would like to do less of?
Move out of a destination mindset and into a process orientation
- Churches can handle change, but they don’t like to be surprised
Don’t let your experience stifle your adaptability
Challenges for the current and future church
- The way people giveis changing
- The way people commit is changing
- The way people attend is changing
- The way people trust is changing
- Brand loyalty is dead
When thinking small saved the world
Karl Vaters • CornerstoneFV.com
NewSmallChurch.com • ChristianityToday.com/Karl-Vaters
Facebook.com/NewSmallChurch • @KarlVaters
