Smaller churches must take advantage of existing technology.

What do you do if you are a small church in a small community?  Do you accept the prevailing opinion that you are not going to be able to grow and that death is inevitable, or do you look for other ways to reach people?  Most churches in that situation are accepting the prevailing opinion that they will never grow.  They have been small for so long they really cannot see themselves ever growing or having any type of significant ministry.  If they are located in a small or rural community, they have probably watched as their communities have also dwindled in size as more and more people are moving to larger cities.  In fact, some denominations have decided their primary focus in the future will be on the cities, and they are willing to virtually write off their small community and rural churches in order to have more resources for their city churches.  It's very hard for a small church to not be discouraged and see little future for their ministries.

I recently completed reading Transforming Church in Rural America by Shannon O'Dell.  In 2003 the author accepted the call to pastor a small church averaging about 30 people in a town of 100.  Today, the church has about 2,000 people who worship in one of their several satellite church sites with an additional 1,500 registered attendees who join in the worship in one of their many iCampus sites.  They are able to satellite feed their services all over the world giving them outreach capability far beyond the few people who live in their community.

It's an exciting story, but it is not one without problems.  Early in his ministry at the church O'Dell challenged some of the sacred cows in the church and experienced tremendous push-back and eventually saw many in his congregation leave the church.  As painful as that was it did not stop O'Dell.  He was a man who believed he had a vision from God to lead that little church into a world-wide ministry, and he did it.

As you might imagine, he didn't take the church from 30 people to 3,500 overnight.  He began slowly to make use of social media technology to connect with people in his own church and community.  It is here that so many of our smaller churches get stuck.  Anytime someone suggests using social media for ministry people give many arguments why it won't work.  Their people don't use social media. (The fastest growing group on Facebook is over 60 years old so that argument doesn't really work any more.)  If your folks don't know how to use Facebook, teach them.  Many pastors will argue that they don't know how to use computers and other technology.  Sorry, but that argument just doesn't cut it any more.  Either learn how to use it or step aside for someone who will.  In today's culture for a leader to say he or she doesn't know how to use computers is really saying they are no longer a leader.  Leaders are expected to be learners, and there is really no valid reason to not be able to at least do basic things on a computer.

You may never have a vision like O'Dell's that would include using satellite technology to send your messages and services across the world, but through the use of common technology like Facebook and Twitter you can easily send messages to members of your church and community.  People are now willing to drive an hour to attend a church that offers meaningful worship and messages.  What if you could save them the trip by opening other sites in nearby communities where your messages and worship would go?  Would these folks be likely to invite their friends to those services if they were held closer to where they lived?  The answer is probably yes, and all of a sudden you have expanded the ministry of your church.

I've enjoyed reading O'Dell's book not just for the out-of-the-box thinking he does but because he shares my passion for the small church.  At a time when many have written off the smaller church, many of these churches are finding creative ways to do ministry.  While some smaller churches do close their doors each week, those who find new ways of ministering have a bright future.  For many of the latter churches, the use of technology will be a significant new way of ministry.  I believe every church needs to examine how technology and social media can make your ministry much more effective.
































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