Session 1: 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
Don’t fall for IKEA Envy
Small is not a problem, a virtue or an excuse
Over 1 billion people choose to worship God in small churches
New generations will not build the kind of churches their parents built
- Previous generations had relationships and needed structures
- This generation has the structures and needs to build relationships
Breakout: Casting Vision and Building a Leadership Team In The Small Church
Vision-casting is different in the small church
Don’t put a mission statement into words until you’re already doing it
- The Sweet Spot: God, the Church & the Pastor’s Hearts Meet
- The Default: God & the Pastor, but not the Church
- The Listening Place: God & the Church, but not the Pastor
- The Danger Zone: The Church & the Pastor, but not God
It’s OK for a pastor’s vision to be helping people fulfill their vision
Build discipleship around relationships, not curriculum
Use the Jethro system to raise up leaders
- 10, 50, 100, 1,000
- Look for Level 10 leaders, first
- Find leaders by looking for servants
A Simple 5-Step Discipleship Process
- Meet with every new believer
- 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
Put friendliness front-and-center (The GIFT system)
- Greet
- Introduce
- Follow up
- Thank
Be willing to haul rocks in your Volkswagen
- Use the building to serve people, not vice versa
Do ministry from the church, not just in the church
Session 2: Big or Small? What’s the Difference?
Over 90% of churches are under 200, over 80% are under 100
- First Reaction: Oh no!
- Second Reaction: So what?
- Final Reaction: Now what?
People will come to small churches, but they won’t give up quality to do so
- Quality looks different in a small church than a big church
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
- This is why metrics are harder in a small church
Big church principles center on process, systems & programs
- Small church principles center on relationships, culture & history
Ask for help
Session 3: Yes, Your Church Can Handle Change
Most stuck churches look like the neighborhood used to look…
…either when it was built, or at the last great pastorate
Churches can handle change, but they don’t like to be surprised
- Move out of a destination mindset and into a process orientation
- Give the leaders time to ponder big decisions
Discover what your church does well, then do it on purpose
- Front-load the value: feature what you do well
Use the “closet rule” for ministries: Don’t add a new one until you’ve dropped an old one
Challenges for the current and future church
- The way people give is 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
NewSmallChurch.com • ChristianityToday.com/Karl-Vaters
Facebook.com/NewSmallChurch • @KarlVaters • CornerstoneFV.com
