Redefining Success In Ministry (by Karl Vaters)
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
Small is not a problem, a virtue or an excuse
Big Or Small? What’s the Difference?
Many big church principles don’t translate well to a small church context
Big church principles center on process, systems & curriculum
Small church principles center on relationships, culture & history
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
Discover what your church does well, then do it on purpose
The man who saved the world by thinking small
Want to get regular posts and updates? Click here to subscribe to Karl’s blog posts for free.
Karl Vaters • CornerstoneFV.com