Subscribe to our newsletter
“How Will We Measure Our Success?” – The Question the Disciples Forgot to Ask Jesus
“If it’s OK for a church to be small, how do you suggest we measure a church’s success?” Since starting the ministry of New Small Church, I’ve been asked that question more than any other. Maybe more than all other questions combined. At first I didn’t know how to answer it. Now I answer that
Megachurches are Not Normal – And That’s OK
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
Three Self-Evident Principles of Christian Leadership (A Guest Post)
We learn more through our failures than our successes. I don’t want that to be true. But it is. Today’s post was written by a long-time friend who, like me, has had his share of frustrations in ministry. Lee Fruh (pronounced Free) has the rare gift of taking those frustrations, hurts and downright failures and,
The Myth of Inevitable Church Growth
A healthy church does not inevitably mean a growing church. I used to believe that it did. After all, I’ve read about the “truth” of inevitable church growth in every church leadership book written in the last 30 years. I even taught it myself.
I don’t believe it any more. It’s a myth. The reason I no longer believe that numerical growth is inevitable for a healthy church has to do with one problem that kept presenting itself…
The evidence stubbornly refuses to back it up.
5 More Principles Small Churches Can Learn from Megachurches
No one in ministry can afford the sin of arrogance. We miss out on too much when we think our way is the only way to do ministry, or that we can’t learn from others who do ministry differently than we do. That’s certainly true for pastors of Small Churches. While Small Church ministry is
Does Jesus Want Every Church to Be a Big Church?
“Jesus wants the church to grow!” I agree. How can I not? Jesus was the one who said, “I will build my church,” and I’ve found that arguing with him is not a recipe for health or happiness. “Jesus wants your church to grow!” Wait just a second. We often make that second statement as
Six Reasons Why “There Are No Small Churches” Isn’t True
“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
“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
It’s Time for Small Churches to Become Great Churches
Where are all the great Small Churches? Would you know one if you saw one? They exist. There’s no doubt about that. There are great Small Churches in every country, serving every ethnic group and virtually every language. They worship in every imaginable style of music, and they meet in every type of building – including
Follow, Contact or Subscribe
Author
-
Karl Vaters 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. He has served in small-church ministry for over 40 years, so he speaks and writes from decades of hands-on pastoral experience.
You can follow Karl on Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, and LinkedIn, or Contact Karl to inquire about speaking, writing, and consultation.
View all posts