200churches

  • Blog
  • Podcast
  • Home
  • About
  • Podcast Series
  • Blog
  • Podcast
  • Home
  • About
  • Podcast Series

Yet Another Perspective On Small Church Ministry and Small Churches

10/25/2013

 
Happy Friday from Jeff and Jonny at 200churches! We have spent the week talking about the bigness of small church ministry, and we will end the week talking about it.

Do you think that the smaller sites of a multi-site megachurch have inferiority complexes because they are smaller? Ever consider if the staff in the larger venues struggle with pride because their site has more people? Ever wonder if the leaders of the smaller worship venues in a church with multiple services ever stew because another venue with a different worship style or service time is attracting more people?

Yeah, us neither. We’re too worried about how many people are in our small church, or how many are in the church across town. We may be wondering why our church is not growing as fast as Mark’s or Susan’s or Bill’s.

Picture
Do we spend the same amount of time concerning ourselves with our walk with God? Or, the spiritual growth of our people? Or, the poor, orphan, or widow in our community? Wow, talk about a guilt trip! Let’s change direction before this plane hits a mountain…

Are you ever glad for the small church you pastor? In the part of our conversation this week with Karl Vaters that did not get recorded, we talked about the following dynamics in larger churches:

Karl told us about his friend’s church of 3,000 people that had multiple sites, multiple venues, and multiple services. He said that in that church of 3,000 no group ever met for worship with more than about 350 people. Some of the services had 50 people in them! Listen, in a church of 3,000, some services have 50 people!

Now, how do you feel about your church of 50?  Pretty good, we hope. What if the ten churches in your community that total 3,000 people pretend you are just one big church in your town and that each of the buildings are just another “site”. Yeah, so there, what if?! Now how do you feel about your church of 100?

Do you see how it’s all so relative – size of congregation?

Finally, what do the big churches have to do – break themselves down into smaller groups so that they can do ministry effectively. Yes, it’s called, multi-site, multiple venues, multiple services, etc. In fact, so many churches have what we call “small groups” so that they can do life together. Something they can’t do on a Sunday morning in the bigger crowd, whether that’s 40 or 40,000.

So you see, having a small church simply means you can do ministry with people and cut out the part about breaking everyone into smaller groups.  Get to know the other pastors in your town, all of them, and just make pretend they are all on your staff and pastoring the other sites in your multi-site church!

Enjoy your small church ministry. It’s the only kind of ministry Jesus ever did. Your leadership and shepherding matter HUGE in your 200church.


Comment below on just one thing you like about pastoring a small church...


Comments are closed.
    Picture
    Welcome to the 200churches blog! We have hundreds of posts covering every issue imaginable. So pull up a chair, pour a cup of coffee, and stay awhile.
    Picture

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    April 2021
    February 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    May 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013

200churches.com | all rights reserved

contact  |  podcast  |  about 

Photos used under Creative Commons from Just a Prairie Boy, aaron_anderer, Robbie Grubbs, Rubbermaid Products, Carolyn Coles, Russ Neumeier, iz4aks, marfis75, laura271GSD1, The Car Spy, Rob Ellis', TheJRB, Andrew_D_Hurley, jseliger2, Renaud Camus, Ken Wilcox., tiarescott, www.audio-luci-store.it, StockMonkeys.com, DuReMi, woodleywonderworks, NiePhotography, LiamDC, Zemlinki!, sidewalk flying, steve p2008, stevendepolo, c&rdunn, Rosaura Ochoa, bradleypjohnson, Phil Roeder, Carlos Graterol, photokok, Mark Spearman, Lisa L Wiedmeier, USACE Europe District, JefferyTurner, mlcastle, allyrose18, wallygrom, Jan Tik, woodleywonderworks, acme, nickirp, Cast a Line, Biggunben, striatic, aussiegall, whatleydude, BromfordGroup, Phillie Casablanca, francescopozzi, jai Mansson's photography.