I can't tell you how hard that is for me to type. I'm a small church pastor. It's much easier the second time in case you were wondering. Perhaps the words that follow will encourage another small church pastor, that is my sincere hope.
- Is my leadership destructive or detrimental to the growth of the Church God has called me to lead?
- Am I prepared to facilitate growth? If God brought 50 people into my church in the next 3 months would I know how to lead them from the front door to a vital relationship with their savior Jesus Christ? Are we prepared to lead people spiritually? Are the steps in place physically and spiritually?
- Are our ministries poised for growth?
- Have we created a climate where growth is conducive? Our actions, language, worship, preaching, ministries, etc?
Those are a few of the things that keep small churches small. But as of today, I am convinced that all of those questions can be answered, YES we are conducive to growth and the growth may or may not take place.
My beef is this. Small churches like to make the excuse that "we can't do this or that because we're small". Bull! There are many small churches that are destructive to any growth they might ever witness. Whether intentional or not I cannot say but clearly there are behaviors that are destrictuve to growth. These small churches need a wake up call, perhaps an outside voice or consultation or maybe just a good old Holy Spirit butt stomping. Those are fun!
I believe the greatest service and ministry a small church pastor can do for his small church is this:
1. Like Steven Furtick said "Like Tom Hanks on Castaway you get those two little sticks and you rub them together and you work and work and work and you get a little ember and then you work and you blow on that ember and you work and work and you get a little spark and when you get that spark you just keep working it". (my paraphrase) We stop making excuses as to what we can't do because we're small and realize we serve the same enormous God that cannot be defined and cannot be contained. My Bible still has the verse in Ephesians 3:20- Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us.
2. Realize that God has led people to you that He wants you to lead. And he wants you to lead them richly and deeply and with a fullness of the faith. He wants you to call them to unimaginable things because the Spirit is still at work. He does not call us to make excuses but to GO and be the church. Small churches can make big differences. Live big lives.
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