Jeremy Hoover

Sometimes in the church we talk about "growth." But we're not always specific. We usually mean we just need to add attendance numbers to what we already have. And this discussion is usually unfruitful because it's generic and unspecific. Our problem isn't "growth" or the lack thereof...it's that we don't have the systems in place to care for those we already have. If we can't, don't, or won't care for those we already have, what good will adding more do?

What is our motive for growth? Are we really interested in advancing and growing the God's kingdom? Or are we just chasing numbers?

I'm afraid our true motives are more often based in the cultural motif of "bigger is better." Too often we look at smaller churches and make a judgment about them based on their size. We assume something's wrong with them if they can't crack a certain attendance barrier. Sometimes nothing is wrong, but sometimes, something is wrong.

I believe God works in churches by teaching them things about themselves and that his teaching will sometimes include keeping a church small to learn how to love better. Small churches I've been a part of often think their reputation for friendliness and care is stronger than it actually is. This reflects a normal tendency to befriend people you see every week over many years. But guests don't always catch this vibe, and if we're not careful, our friendliness to those we know can actually be perceived as unfriendliness by those we don't know.

Sometimes a church stays stuck in an "attendance rut" because it doesn't have the systems in place that enable it to care for its members. In smaller churches, no member should ever feel like they don't belong but sadly many do feel that way. If the church is to be a place where all belong then shouldn't that be a big-time priority?

What systems do I mean? The default system in a small church seems to be some kind of a visiting program. But these programs, almost by nature, "grease the squeaky wheels" in a congregation. The loudest complainers and the ones with no interest in sharing the load are often the ones who are visited.

A proper system of care should build towards fellowship and probably be conceived of as a group where believers can share their gifts with each other in ministry. As I understand fellowship in the bible, it includes and incorporates the Christian practices of love, sharing, prayer, service and spiritual friendship. One way to do this care is through small group bible studies that meet at the church building. These same groups could also meet in members' homes for discussion and prayer.

My point is that there are only a few things in the bible that stand out as being really important. Care for each other is one of these and should be a priority, though not the only priority, for a small church. As Jesus points out in his parable of the bags of gold, God gives us a little to test how well we do with what he gave us (Matthew 25:14-30). If we pass, he rewards us with more.

We can loosely apply this to our evangelism. If we can't take care of the (relatively) few we have now, then we're more like the one who hid his gold rather than the ones who worked not primarily to increase their gold but to please their master.

Leave a Reply