Unleashing the Potential of the Smaller Church

Shawn McMullen

3/26/2006

A recent study released by Barna Research¹ reported that the typical church in America has an average worship attendance of 89 adults—that a full 60 percent of Protestant churches in our country attract an average of 100 or fewer adults to weekly worship.

This is not to downplay the significance of larger churches. They’re here to stay, and they play a vital role in the work of God’s kingdom. I thank God for larger churches and for those who lead and serve in them.

Still, smaller churches (I’m referring to churches with an average Sunday worship attendance of 200 or less) are in the majority in our country, and they are crucial to the advancement of God’s kingdom on earth. In the same report Barna observed,

Small churches play an important role in the religious landscape of America. They reach millions of young adults who have no interest in a larger church setting. They have tremendous potential for building strong community, as well as spiritual foundations. And smaller churches often grow into larger churches once they develop significant internal leadership and creatively overcome their resource limitations.²

Think about the vital role filled by the thousands of smaller churches across North America. In every community people need to know Jesus Christ. In every community people need to be discipled. They need the fellowship of the saints. They need to be nurtured and loved and encouraged in their Christian faith. From weddings to funerals, from family problems to social concerns, from national crises to personal victories, people in every community need the ministry of the local church, no matter how small that community—or church—may be.

This places every church in every community in a strategic position. By virtue of its purpose and location, each church in each community is uniquely qualified to influence those closest to it for Christ.

A Simple Plan
What do you think would happen if leaders and volunteers in smaller churches all across America agreed to follow a simple plan, a plan designed to transform their communities for Jesus Christ? What if the folks in these churches agreed to stick together, to love each other like family, and to do whatever it takes to deliver the good news to their boroughs, villages, towns, and cities?

Can you imagine the impact this would have across the country? Can you imagine how many lives would be transformed? How many families kept together? Can you imagine how many schools and school boards, how many town and city councils—and subsequently community decisions—could be affected across the nation by Christians and churches that chose to be salt and light to their communities?

A New Resource
This spring Standard Publishing is releasing a valuable new resource for leaders and volunteers in smaller churches. Unleashing the Potential of the Smaller Church was written with two goals in mind: (1) to show that smaller churches all across the country are doing significant things for the kingdom of God and transforming their communities as a result, and (2) to help release the untapped power for ministry in smaller churches everywhere.

Fourteen writers from 13 states contributed to this project. Half serve independent Christian churches and churches of Christ. Half serve a cappella churches of Christ. Most are serving in smaller churches. Each writes from a unique perspective about a single area of ministry.

If you’re part of a smaller church, you will identify with the struggles and limitations these writers and their churches have faced. And you’ll rejoice in their successes as they have overcome obstacles common to smaller churches and are making an eternal impact on their communities.

A few of the churches whose ministries are featured have average worship attendances above 200. They’re a part of this book because they have unique stories to tell, and because they once belonged in the smaller churches category. In fact, one of the main reasons these churches have grown significantly is because they faithfully carried out their vision for their community while they were still smaller congregations.

An Overview
The chapters in the book are both self-contained and interrelated. Alone they offer contemporary examples of how a smaller church has taken on a specific ministry and excelled in that area. In that sense, each chapter stands by itself as a valuable ministry resource. Together they paint a challenging portrait of what the church—any church—your church—can be in its community.

To help the reader identify with the churches and ministries featured in this book, each chapter contains a brief profile of the congregation and the community from which the author writes. Each of the churches has a story to tell. You’ll discover how each congregation recognized the need for its unique ministry. You’ll learn how these congregations developed goals and strategies to meet the needs they identified. You’ll follow the steps each congregation employed to carry out its vision. You’ll identify with the struggles they faced and the resistance they encountered. You’ll be inspired by their endurance and perseverance. You’ll see the results of their efforts and hear about their plans for the future.

But that’s not all. Because this book was written to lead smaller churches to action, each chapter calls for a response from the reader. Each writer concludes by answering this question: "Based on your experience, what advice would you give to leaders and volunteers in smaller churches across the country who would like to do something similar to what you have done?" After this, an action segment answers the question, "Where do I go from here?" It contains a series of practical steps you and your church can take to implement the ministries featured in each chapter.

If you’re a leader or volunteer in a smaller congregation, Unleashing the Potential of the Smaller Church was written with you in mind. With God’s help, it can be a tool to transform both the ministry of your church and the spiritual landscape of your community.

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¹The Barna Update: "Small Churches Struggle to Grow Because of the People They Attract" (The Barna Group, Ltd., September 3, 2003), www.barna.org.
²Ibid.

A Look Inside Unleashing the Potential of the Smaller Church