UPDATE: We did it! A bunch of Small Church pastors got together, heard from great speakers, worshiped, then left inspired and better prepared to fulfill our calling. All by ourselves, without grown-up supervision.
Thank you to everyone who helped put it together, to those who attended in person and to everyone who watched the live-stream.
Individual videos of each of the talks are available here.
Why do we need a workshop for Small Church pastors?
I’ve asked myself that question a lot. As the workshop gets closer and the deadlines get tighter, I’ve been asking it even more.
After all, I’m out on a limb here. As far as I know, no one has ever done anything like this before, so I have no one to lean on or learn from. That’s not a complaint. It is what it is.
In many ways, I’m making it up as I go along. No, not the content. Or the guest speakers. We have some great stuff planned for you.
But I could create and upload all that content here, like I’ve been doing for almost a year, without holding an all-day event and dealing with all the logistical issues that go along with it. Including the gas you’ll burn and the time you’ll spend getting here. So why go through the hassle of a live event?
Why Are We Holding this Workshop?
Here’s a starter list of reasons. Feel free to add more in the comment section.
- Small Churches are different
- Small Churches need to understand and take advantage of how and why we’re different
- A Small Church Workshop can help us celebrate and utilize those differences
- Some ideas taught at other church conferences apply to the Small Church
- Many ideas taught at other church conferences don’t apply to the Small Church
- It can be hard to tell the difference between what applies and what doesn’t
- Small Churches are normal
- Too many Small Church pastors feel abnormal
- Pastoring a Small Church is hard
- Pastoring a Small Church doesn’t need to be this hard
- Pastoring a Small Church is easier when we learn from each other
- There are some things I can only learn from another Small Church pastor
- There are some things I can only learn face-to-face
- Small Church pastors need to spend less time alone
- Small Church pastors aren’t going to find much of what we need – so we must create a lot of what we need
- The world needs great Small Churches
- The church needs great small churches
- Small Churches need to stop following and start leading
- The task of reaching the world for Jesus is too big and too important for big churches to do alone
- We need to do Small Church better
Because Getting Together Matters
So yes, we need a Small Church Pastors’ Workshop for all the above reasons and more.
But mostly, I think, we need it for the same reasons we go to church. It’s about more than uploading relevant information. You can’t get everything you need from a book, a DVD or a website.
We were created to be in the same room with people. Especially fellow believers. And fellow Christian leaders.
- To hear each other’s voices and laughter
- To hug and shake hands
- To sing together in worship
- To hold hands as we pray for each other
- To chat over a good meal
- To answer hard questions that you can’t just log off and avoid
Bottom line, We Need Each Other.
Be Here If You Can
On Saturday, November 9, 2013, I’m going to do my best to put on the best workshop I can.
But the true success of it won’t be up to me. Something special happens when Small Church pastors hang out like this.
- Relationships will begin that aren’t on the agenda
- Conversations will spark ideas that are better than anything in any speaker’s notes
- Pastors will leave feeling better about their ministry than they have in a long time
- And Jesus will smile along with us
Please pray for me, the speakers, the pastors and church leaders who come tomorrow.
If you haven’t registered yet, click here to register.
If you plan to watch the live-stream, click on the logo at the top-right corner of this page (under the countdown clock) at 9am Saturday, November 9 (Pacific time) and watch along.
You’ll also be able to interact with us in three ways:
- The New Small Church Facebook page
- On Twitter using #SCPWorkshop
- Follow my live tweets @KarlVaters
If you want to be here, but can’t, we’ll remember to pray for you before we’re done.
So what do you think? Do you have any other good reasons why we need a Small Church Pastors’ Workshop?
We want to hear from you. Yes, you!
Enter your comment right below this post and get in on the conversation.
