Small churches

Is your church a small church? Perhaps you are asking the following questions:

1. "The pastor in our church does everything. He marries, buries, preaches and teaches. Where will he ever find time to contribute to missions?"
2. "All these program ideas sound great for larger churches. Where would our church get the workers to manage such a complex program?"
3. "Our church can only afford to support two missionary families. Where will we get the resources and personnel to educate our congregation about missions?"

The most important criteria for an effective missions ministry in a small church is a positive attitude that appreciates and builds upon the advantages. Read Big Things Often Come in Small Packages (found on the right-hand side of this page), an article about how a congregation of 70 is making a difference!

Small churches have at least three perceived disadvantages that can eventually result in program limitations: 1) leadership limitations, 2) worker limitations, and 3) financial limitations.

Viewed negatively, these disadvantages can seem overwhelming and can result in an inadequate program because of overworked leadership, and insufficient workers and resources. But, by developing a broad leadership base, the small church can avoid overworked leadership; by tailoring the programs to the needs and strengths of the church, the small church will have sufficient workers; and, by maximizing the resources it does have, the small church can have sufficient resources to under gird a very effective missions program.

Programs for maximizing the advantages of the small church:

1. Begin by surveying your congregation. How much do your people presently know about missions? To what degree are they involved and interested? Capitalize on and build from their present interests related to missions.
2. Encourage your pastor to preach regularly about missions.
3. In a prominent place in your church, set up a missions information display  with missionary letters, news reports related to world evangelism, and current literature.
4. Establish all-church prayer days when your church gathers for corporate prayer. Provide specific information to guide this time.

Leadership advantages:

1. The small church has fewer leaders who need to become world Christians themselves before they can influence the rest of the congregation to become world Christians. When leaders in the small church do become world Christians, their impact will be felt throughout the entire church.
2. One of the tremendous advantages of the small church is its intimacy and family-like atmosphere. Everyone can be called by name in the small church! Leaders in the small church can maximize the advantage of having personal, face-to-face contact with most of the congregation by using these personal relationships to communicate their world vision.

Worker advantages:

1. Missions education is fundamentally people oriented. The goal of missions education, transforming Christians into world Christians, is accomplished best by people working  with other people.
2. Discipleship is more effective and excitement is generated faster through a personal approach than through an impersonal program.
3. Many of the complex programs necessary for the large church are unnecessary for the small church to accomplish the same objectives. Consequently, rather than managing programs, the small church can concentrate on people!

Resource advantages:

1. While the small church is unable to support the number of missionaries that large churches do, the small church can become deeply involved with the missionaries it supports.
2. Missionaries on home assignment can spend quality time with individual church members in the small church. They will be likely to see the same people again, and be able to rekindle those relationships.
3. Because of this family-like atmosphere of the small church, missionaries returning from the field will feel more like they are returning to family rather than to strangers.