What smaller churches need

A couple of days ago I posted my thoughts about the future of smaller churches. If my predictions are correct, what should denominations begin doing to serve these churches?

As a judicatory leader for 14 years I saw first-hand how the finances of many denominations and judicatories were impacted by the financial crisis of 2008 and some of the controversies that swirled around denominational life at the same time. Many denominations and judicatories were forced to significantly cut staffing and programs. The churches most affected by these cuts were the smaller churches. 

Denominations and judicatories were not the only ones ready to write off the smaller churches. How many seminaries and Bible schools offered classes designed specifically for the pastors of the smaller church? How many offered training for bivocational ministers? I'm glad to say that some did. The judicatory in which I served provided excellent training for church leaders, many of whom became effective bivocational pastors in some of our smaller churches. Unfortunately, this type of training was not available in every judicatory or from every seminary or Bible college.

Finding qualified pastoral leadership for smaller churches became increasingly more difficult. Seminary trained pastors with MDiv degrees seldom were interested in serving in a smaller church. Many churches quickly discovered their denomination could not help them find a pastor since there were so few pastors available willing to serve the smaller church. Some of these churches would call the first person who walked in their door wearing a cross around his neck. This often resulted in a disaster for the church. In many cases, these pastors had no affiliation with the denomination and no interest in supporting the denomination which drove the wedge even greater between the denomination and the church.

With this background, let me share two things smaller churches need from their denomination and judicatories. One, is assistance in finding effective pastoral leadership. For decades these churches have been told the denomination doesn't have sufficient pastoral leadership for the smaller church. Let me be very blunt: that excuse is getting old. If you don't have pastoral leadership you can offer to the smaller church, whose fault is that? Do you think God is surprised by the need of smaller churches to have effective pastoral leadership? He's been calling people to this work since the church began. It's time for denominations and judicatories to stop making excuses and begin working to identify those God has called to this work and train them. A person doesn't need an MDiv to serve a smaller church. He or she doesn't need an MDiv to be ordained. Stop pretending it's 1950 where every pastor had to have a MDiv in order to serve in a church. Our churches are constantly being told they need to learn to conform to the reality of doing ministry in 2023. How about our denominational and judicatory leaders think about conforming to the real needs of their smaller church?

Closely associated with this, the second thing our smaller churches need is a relationship with the denominational and judicatory leadership. The ONLY thing they can't get from outside sources is a relationship. There are many publishing companies where they can get Sunday school literature, bulletins and other resources. There are excellent evangelism tools available from any number of organizations. Many great workshops and conferences are offered every year from a variety of organizations. The only thing a denomination and judicatory can offer their churches that they cannot get elsewhere is a relationship.

A word of advice: some of these churches have been ignored for so long that any relationship will have to begin with you approaching them. If you try to invite a bunch of small church leaders to some gathering, don't be surprised if few show up. This needs to be one-on-one at first. 

The future of the small church

 I didn't realize it had been so long since I had published on this blog. I apologize to my followers and can assure you that you will be seeing more from me in the near future. In a couple of weeks I'll have an announcement to share with everyone. But, for now I want to address what I believe the future of the small church will look like.

I am in the process of re-reading a book I first read several years ago on how to turn around a small church. Even though the book was published in 1995 it mostly remains very relevant to small churches in 2023. As I began reading Appendix A, the author mentions that many were saying the era of the small church is past, and the future belongs to the mega-church and larger churches. People are making the same observation today. In my opinion, they couldn't be more wrong.

At a pastor's conference I led a few years ago I was asked about the future of the small church. My response was that the small church will be around for a long time. The larger and mega-churches probably will be as well. The churches that will feel the squeeze in the future will be the middle-size churches. I predicted then that people in those churches will be attracted to the programs and ministries the mega-churches offer. In an effort to keep those individuals, the middle-size churches will try to compete with the mega-churches. No doubt they will work hard and probably fail simply because they do not have the resources to compete with those churches. One of my mantras is that churches can often accomplish more by doing less. It's when churches focus on the few things they can do with excellence that they succeed. Doing many things with mediocrity is a sure recipe for failure.

That failure is likely to result in people leaving for the mega-church who offers those programs the people want. At the same time, some in the middle-size church may decide they miss the family atmosphere they experienced in the smaller church and decide to return to that smaller church. They are less interested in programs and more interested in the fellowship and family atmosphere often found in the smaller church.

If my predictions are correct, it is important that denominations stop writing off the smaller church and re-address the needs of those churches. As a retired judicatory leader for 14 years I found many smaller churches had decided they would get no help from their denominations. While most of them remained members of their denominations, it was a relationship in name only. Many of them ceased any financial support of their denomination, never attended meetings or training sessions offered by the denomination, and stop calling when they needed assistance in finding new pastoral leadership. They had, in essence, became independent churches.

Smaller churches will be around until Jesus comes. They have their problems and challenges, but they offer people a sense of family not found in larger churches. Many people want that. I suppose that's why the mean church in America is only 75 people. Bookshelves may be full of books about larger churches written by mega-church pastors, but the country is full of smaller churches, and it will continue to be so as long as the church exists. I love the smaller church and have dedicated my life and ministry to them because I know how God continues to use them to impact the lives of people and communities.