“Size Paradox”From Kansas City, Missouri to Detroit Michigan III
Random large Church building vs. Small Church (This is the one I attended in Detroit)
This will be my third and final post about Detroit, at least for now. I spent just a small time on a business trip there back in December, I posted previously about meeting Scott and Jen Foster now from Dearborn, MI. I went to their church, Grace Evangelical Fellowship, on a Wed evening and found myself surrounded by brothers and sisters in Christ whom I had never met before.
This has been something spoken of at our church FCC, that once you meet a believer in Christ there is an automatic bond in Christ, and when you are yoked together there is a much deeper bond than with someone that does not know Christ, even if they are outgoing and have a friendly demeanor, it can’t compare to a saving knowledge of Christ, of your own sinfulness, and of God’s Grace. This said, I do live in Kansas City and they in Michigan yet I felt completely at home as a result I believe of this common bond and intimate atmosphere where there was little pretense.
When I walked in I met most of the congregation that was there that evening, there was between 30 and 45 people there I’m guessing if you included all the children. The whole goal of this evening was to prepare for the following Wed evening when they were “all” going out to share the gospel with a nursing home. The entire evening was built around their preparation for this and then prayer time. I immediately felt welcomed, and humbled to be in the presence of such an evangelistic congregation who God is seemingly doing some amazing things in and through. What an amazing display of God’s grace that he uses this humble congregation to reach out, and I was there a spectator feeling apart of this place in such a short time.
I even secretly wished I could have gone with them the next week to see God’s handiwork as he would put his hand to the pen in the story of this congregation, hoping in Christ that they would be the means to save some in the nursing home. I believe this was upwards of 45-50% of their congregation, and as much as I loathe numbers this is a high % of people involved in their evangelism efforts if you compare this to larger congregations, generally this number is lower. So when I see high numbers of people involved in evangelism, a love for prayer, and sharing Christ, and an incredibly welcoming atmosphere it causes me to then to fall in love with the size of small churches like these.
The paradox is that we can have churches of upwards of 500 or even 5,000 and not have the % of people willing to share the gospel and share Christ with others. This to me begs the question, at what point in size have we decided that it’s “ok” to stop making disciples, and where do we fail along the way losing sight of the goal?
The end goal being to Glorify God and make His name known?
A larger church could argue they can make His name known by being large, because with size it carries in our society the weight of size. The small church could argue they individually morso make His name known.
I don’t have the answers to all of these questions, wanting to remain as far away from pragmatism as I possibly can, I know that all of these issues are things which need bathed in prayer, yet they are definitely worth considering.
I believe John Pipers church a few years back said that their “home group” participation was less than 23%, I hope I’m close here. If home group participation is this low I can not imagine evangelism efforts, but John Piper’s church for its size is “known” for being one of the most evangelistic Reformed churches out there. This said I have the utmost respect for John Piper, and all he does and is doing for the cause of Christ, but I sometimes wonder if there isn’t a happy medium between the small town church of 80 members and the churches of 6,000 plus.
I know the compromise is home groups but even these on a bi-weekly basis this seem to be little time to truly develop, discipleship relationships, trust relationships ( where we can bear one another’s burdens ) etc.
This paradox of feeling “alone” surrounded by so many people, or “institutionalized” in the larger a congregation vs. the intimacy and evangelistic fervor that can happen if God wills it, in a smaller congregation is a bit of a tight rope walk. ( Caveat to this is not all small churches are “evangelistic” and have any fervor, just as not all large churches are cold, I’m making broad generalizations because this is often the case, not always.) So the first question is how was it done in the bible?
Paul was sent out to other churches, could large churches “afford to send their pastors out to build other churches?” Could you imagine John Piper still affiliated with Bethlehem Baptist Church but leaving to go start a church plant?
And what is the right number to say this is “enough” people we need to start planting sending out? When do we start reproducing? Should this not be taking place amongst all believers if they’re believers in fulfilling the great commission? Are larger congregations laxed in realizing this and if so why?
Should part of the discipleship process be also to disciple people to preach and teach, and lead worship?
God seemed to design faith in Him to be carried out in “relationship” with “The Body”, and in reality not in doctrine alone, but doctrine in action. That action takes place in relationship fully and wholly dependent upon Christ Grace and finished work, yet flowing out of who Christ is to be salt and light to a dark and dying world?
So why are we so comfortable?
In this society we tend to have as few true “relationships” as possible, people might get to know me and then have a low opinion of me, i.e. (back to the Ice Berg).
So what is it about being in a small place where everyone knows everyone’s name, and being in a big place which has its obvious benefits, but where only the names of the leaders are known, yet in the larger places harboring great abilities to affect change for Christ because of size?
I seem to have lots of questions with few answers. Please feel free to register, login & comment.
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As you noted small churches certainly have some downside but in many
(like the one I pastor) there is a true sense of family and community
and the hearts have been stirred to reach out to those in need. Part of
this is because of survival. A small rural church of 60 members needs
to be actively reaching out in order to survive. We don’t have the
resources to have big programs but we do try to be faithful with what we
have. I think a lot of times in larger churches it is easier to come to
the church to be served rather than to serve, i.e. people come because
of certain programs (for themselves or children) and there are enough
people to help out and keep them going that they don’t have to get
involved unless they want to. In a smaller church it is vital that a
larger proportion of the membership be involved in order to keep even
the minimal programs going (like Sunday School for all ages). Even when
people want to take a break, they can’t because they know there is no
one to take their place.
I also personally believe that very large churches miss the boat in
not propagating themselves at a certain point. I personally would not
like to pastor a church larger than 150-200 because as a pastor I know
that I cannot effectively minister to all those sheep (it is challenging
enough with 60). Once a church reaches a certain level say 200 (or I
might even go less) I think they could take 50 of those members and
start a new work. The whole mega church idea with thousands of members
imho leads to more of an empire mentality than to true biblical church
growth.
Anyway just some thoughts.
Peace,
steve
This is one of the $64,000 questions. I do think the answer is “thinking missionally” as the orthodox strain of emergent guys define it. How to achieve….no clue. God lead revival? The only answer I can point to is that we in the church fight against the world to “do church” more and more Biblically and pray GOD will work among us for both the depth and intimacy of discipleship and fellowship and the fire to make GODs glory known and people saved from hell.
Interestingly enough, the NC SBC version of John Piper is a church in Raliegh (David Horner, Providence Baptist). I remember in the late 90′s or 00, they actually approached Piper to move back south and they would sponsor him in a church plant. Most who heard of it knew it wouldn’t happen, but they had big faith in asking. Since then several churches in the Bethlehem mold have been planted in Raliegh and Charlotte (ok, atleast 4). And of course, Bethlehem has another campus that will become a self-sufficient church at sometime. We maybe seeing small moves to a “missional” or counter-cultural Christianity in the states, but we need to redouble our prayers and dependent faithfulness if it is to happen in our lives.
IN Christ Alone,
Greg
http://www.word4women.com/
In 1 Thessalonians 5:12 it beseeches us “to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord” …. very difficult to do in a large church.
Steve, I agree with you in the assumption that with a larger church, it can be easier for people to come to be served rather than to serve. The temptation is there to be “comfy”. That again begs the question, is the solution to be in a smaller church, or to see Christ more (Matt 20:28)? Is the problem with the size of the people, or is it with the sins of the people? How do we address that in a larger church, and how can smaller churches learn from their mistakes?
New churches are needy. New churches are much more aggressive in their evangelistic work, and in their prayers. To them, as a general assumption, it is not a good commission, but it is a great commission. We need to evangelize locally, support church planting globally, and be a conscience to our culture (if that makes any sense – think repentance, Christ’s first message – Matt 4:17).
If you think about it, were not Paul’s missionary journeys really church planting journeys? So, again, is Kansas City’s problem the absence of churches, or the abundance of bad theology within the churches? What avenue do we take to correct that?
Either way, I have to ask myself – So, what am I going to do about it? Where do we go from here? Do we identify a problem, chit-chat about it online and leave it at that? (I am way guilty of that by the way) I am not condemning by any means, more like confessing, and thinking outloud.
I have made too many daisy chains as it is… (ask Jim Spencer to send you a document about making daisy chains)
Isaiah 6:8,
joe