Christian leaders often debate the concept of church growth – whether it’s necessary and what it looks like. Is it measured in attendance numbers? And if so, what is to be said about the myriad small churches in our country? In fact, most Protestant churches in America are relatively small. Still, some big-church leaders believe their small-church neighbors should be growing in quantity. Many small-church leaders say they can’t compete with the megachurches and their resources – or that they shouldn’t have to. Small churches offer their communities things that large churches can’t, and vice versa. Is there room for both?

Looking to sound off? E-mail opinions on this or other hot topics to Managing Editor Lacey Nadeau at lnadeau@vpico.com.

Dave Smith is the pastor of Creek Road Baptist Church in Cincinnati. Reach him at dave@allthesewords.com or 513.563.7324.

Ken Godevenos is president of Accord Resolutions Services Inc. He is also a human resources and church consultant, a mediator, and the executive director of SCA International. Reach him at kgod@accordconsulting.com or 905.853.6228.

Small Does Not Mean Struggling

By Dave Smith

"Pastor," he told me, "when I finish seminary, I’ll look for a large congregation."

I was shocked. This young man had come to me for mentoring in ministry. He was on his way to seminary and somehow knew he could never pastor a small church.

"Don’t the people in a small-membership congregation need a pastor?" I asked. "What if God places you there? What will you do?"

He was dismayed by my question and responded, "Certainly the Lord would never call someone to minister in such a place, would He?"

Unfortunately, small-membership congregations are treated like malnourished, miniature versions of large congregations. But Lyle E. Schaller, in his book, "The Small Church Is Different," correctly states what many misunderstand: The small-membership congregation is the normal and healthy expression of the Body of Christ.

According to the research of America’s Protestant denominations, 70 percent to 80 percent of churches have 125 or fewer members. According to Schaller, 25 percent of Protestant churches have 35 or fewer weekly attendants. These numbers indicate that the small-membership congregation is the majority. Why, then, is it treated like a minority? Here are a few reasons:

1. Few and hushed are the voices of small congregations. Many and loud are the voices of church-growth specialists and megachurch pastors. These folks are quick to supply well intentioned advice on how to be more like them. They mean well, but have a monolithic view of congregational life. Large-church culture has colored their opinion.

2. During the past 30 years, denominational publishing houses have begun to print one-size-fits-all material. Like my young friend, many denominations have bought into the idea that the large church is good and the small church is bad or, at best, a thing of the past. The prevailing knowledge is that the small church is struggling, ineffective, poor, weak in leadership and in need of big-church help. This may seem the case if it is compared to the large-, mega- or multi-congregation church. However, doing so is like comparing door hinges to horses.

3. Seminaries are using the denominational publications and the latest church-growth material. Therefore, the students they are producing have a skewed view of the small church and don’t understand its unique role. Small congregations are the backbone of American Protestantism. They are the seed bed of Evangelicalism. They are the ones that support a multitude of mission causes around the world and provide support for denominations in their local and national expressions.

4. There is also an unspoken assumption that Scripture affirms the large congregation. Current wisdom says the small congregation is somehow not doing enough. Numbers are the champions of this debate, but I have yet to read in the pages of the New Testament a minimum or maximum requirement for baptisms, members present or active ministries.

Small-church pastors are also treated as the minority. When the next leadership conference comes through town, ask which speaker is from a small church. There won’t be one. But research insists there are more pastors in America who shepherd small-member congregations. The pastor of a small congregation knows as much about leadership as anyone. He or she has to navigate in shallow waters. Such pastors know how to captain a ship with a small, all-volunteer crew. These people are the champions of leadership. They have the thickest skin and keenest minds, but are perceived as underperformers.

Our course can be righted. Here are a few suggestions:

1. The small-church pastor needs to stand up and speak out. If opinions are going to change, there need to be more voices championing the small church.

2. Boards and houses that publish Christian material need to be open to the voices of the small church and exercise some parity in their editorial decisions.

3. Denominational leaders need to take a long, hard look at who supports them and encourage their small-membership congregations.

Perhaps the day will dawn soon when we will recognize the unique role of the small-membership congregation.

Stop Picking on Big Churches

By Ken Godevenos

Many megachurches are getting a bad rap these days. Before I defend them, let me be up front and say that I make a good portion of my living by consulting small and mid-size churches. And I agree with small-church advocates on some points.

First of all, there are more small churches than larger ones. That’s what church planting is all about. All big churches were once small churches; however, small churches were once big churches — only if they’re currently in decline.

Second, many small churches don’t feel they’re struggling for the very reason many of them remain small: They are not prepared to change. They believe that if grandfather did it a certain way, that way is still good enough for them. (Of course, they forget that Granddad drove a horse and buggy to church, too.) Tradition may dictate a lot of things that keep young families away – music, Bible version, legalism, and authoritative control versus grace and love. I see this over and over again across North America.

Third, some small churches don’t feel they need to be helped by their big-church brother. But, given their propensity to not want to change, that makes a lot of sense. If a church feels it is fine the way it is, then no one is needed to help it change. Why they don’t see the need for change, I’ll leave to my reader’s imagination. Suffice it to say, I haven’t found any biblical basis for not growing. Size does matter when it comes to delivering quality programs and pursuing excellence.

Back to my belief that many big churches are indeed getting a bad rap from way too many people these days. Here are some common perceptions and the reality:

• They’re too impersonal (no, they’re not if you’re willing to get involved).

• They’re too much after your money (no, they’re not, they just make no apology for expecting their people to tithe fully).

• They’re too entertaining (no, they’re not, they’re creative in reaching the people that many of us won’t).

• Too many big-church pastors end up in scandals (no, they don’t; you’re just more aware of them because of the media that like to see them fall. Just as many small-church pastors fail and go away quietly. If we accept that there are more small churches, then probably more small-church pastors fail in the same way).

Large churches have many advantages. Some of the key ones are: programs that attract those that won’t otherwise go to church; activities that keep kids wanting to come back; the resources to help meet needs of the community in a big way; the ability to allow many to serve in their area of interest and gifting; and, of course, the ability to influence local levels of government because of their charitable assistance in the community.

In traveling to smaller churches, I’ve noticed that many of them use materials developed by large churches. In fact, many of the various church organizations I know (Willow Creek out of Chicago, for example) have more smaller churches than big churches in their association. Big churches do, in fact, help smaller churches directly and indirectly.

I admit there’s nothing like worshipping in a small church in the country. But, when it comes to changing communities for Christ, the impact of an externally focused, Bible-believing, New-Testament, large church is unbeatable. That’s not to say all big churches are contributing to this ideal vision for the local church. But those who want to contribute in this way have a better chance in actualizing their mission if they’re bigger.

I agree that God uses churches of all sizes to accomplish His mission for mankind. But I am not aware of any church in Christian history that didn’t grow naturally (with God’s blessing), as long as its leaders and people were right before God and pursued their vision of reaching multitudes for Christ. As I have said before, in God’s economy, it’s not about size so much as it is about growth – spiritual and numerical.