Table of Contents

Ministering Effectively in the Smaller-Church: Culture and Community

Sidebar: 15 Characteristics of the Small Church

Chart: How prevalent are smaller churches in the Assemblies of God?

By Dean Grabill

The book, Small Churches are Beautiful,¹ might seem enigmatic in a culture that worships at the altars of success and size. But ministering in smaller churches and communities has positively impacted many pastors and their families. The relationships they established and the lessons they learned many times transformed their lives and ministries.

It is disconcerting when smaller churches are tagged with labels such as "bound by the past," "opposed to change," "inward-focused," or "on the verge of extinction." What some decry as being bound by the past may instead reflect strong moorings in rich, biblical tradition. What some see as opposition to change may be a cautious wisdom that avoids the theological and programmatic novelties and fads in today’s religious world. What some call inward-focused may be a sense of commitment to the local church and its members that demonstrates the true nature of Christian love and unity to the watching world. And finally, when attendance and budget totals seem to signal impending disaster, the history of many smaller churches records a remarkable record of resilience and perseverance.

How prevalent are smaller churches in the Assemblies of God? According to the 1999 ACMR compiled by Sherri L. Doty, Assemblies of God statistician, 64 percent of A/G churches have a Sunday morning attendance of 99 or less; 84 percent have a Sunday morning attendance of 199 or less. (See chart 1.) Fifty percent of our churches are located in communities with a population of less than 10,000. (See chart 2.) Of these churches, almost 75 percent have an average Sunday morning attendance of 99 or less and 93 percent 199 or less. (See chart 3.) The inescapable conclusion: many of our churches are smaller and are located in small towns and rural areas.

The ability to develop strong relationships in a smaller church and to facilitate effective ministry depends in large part on how a pastor relates to a smaller-church culture. Listed below are three significant aspects of relating to this culture.

PROPER ATTITUDES

Attitude is critical to successful ministry in any context, but particularly in the smaller church and community. Consider the following attitudinal choices the pastor will need to make in this context:

Will I view this assignment as a demotion or a promotion?
Am I being punished by my district superintendent or rewarded by the Lord of the Church? Any opportunity for ministry that is in the will of God must be viewed as a promotion. What might appear at first to be a curse might turn out to be one of life’s most significant blessings.

Will I view this assignment as temporary or forever?
The pastor who considers a small-church pastorate as a steppingstone or basic training for real ministry may project a detachment that precludes effective ministry. The pastor who embraces the will of God and is willing to stay in that place forever will seek to put down roots that will produce fruitful ministry. How good it is to respond to the sincere question of a parishioner, "How long will you stay here?" by saying, "As long as the Lord desires," or, "I would be happy to be here when the Lord returns"—and mean it with all your heart.

Do I love people (crowds), or do I love persons (individuals)?
While there should always be a goal toward increasing attendance, pastors should not allow frustration with low numbers to negate a pastoral concern that seeks to determine the needs of those who are absent. In addition to asking, "How many did we have this morning?" the pastor of the smaller church should also ask, "Does anyone know where Bill was this morning?"

Is it my intent to dismantle what has been done in the past or to build on what is already there?
One pastor refused to recognize the salvation testimony of anyone in his congregation unless that person had responded to an invitation he had given. Will you appreciate and publicly commend the work of your predecessor(s), or do you need the credit for any good thing that happens?

Will I be driven by man’s prescription for success or by the Lord’s standard of faithful servanthood?
In No Little Places, Ron Klassen and John Koessler expose some myths of successful ministry:

• The numbers myth: To be significant, a ministry must be big.
• The recognition myth: One measure of the significance of my ministry is how much recognition I receive.
• The cure-for-inferiority myth: If I can just succeed professionally, I’ll no longer feel inferior.²

Klassen and Koessler then admonish pastors to reject these human standards and replace them with the following biblical principles:

• The quality principle: God judges a ministry not by its size, but by its quality (1 Corinthians 3:13).
• The no-little-places principle: Wherever God has called me to minister is an important place (Philippians 1:12,13).
• The glory-of-God principle: God calls me to seek His glory, not mine (Jeremiah 45:5; John 17:4).
• The unconditional love principle: God loves me because He is love, not because of anything I do for Him (Luke 10:20).³

Will I lament the perceived weaknesses of this congregation or rejoice in their strengths and seek to develop their full potential?
In Small Churches Are Beautiful, Arthur C. Tennies notes that smaller churches usually involve a higher percentage of their people than large churches, yet smaller churches appear to be failing. Smaller churches generally give more sacrificially, but may appear to do much less than large churches.⁴ Paul’s admonition to not compare oneself with others is applicable not only for individuals, but also for congregations (2 Corinthians 10:12).

Will I view the elderly in the church as a liability (or tolerate them, at best), or will I recognize their gifts and graces and be willing to learn from their wisdom gained from years of walking with God?
Tragically, some pastors can’t wait for the old guard to pass from the scene so what the pastor perceives as resistance to change is eliminated. (Some even seek to justify this attitude by speaking of the need for new wineskins.)

SHARED AGENDAS

Most pastors approach a new assignment with their own ideas for revitalizing their church. With an increased emphasis today on visionary leadership, the pastor needs to be aware that there may be other agendas already on the table. Let’s consider some of the possibilities.

The Pastor’s Agenda
It is true that each pastor must have a vision for the work of God in his or her congregation and community. It is also true that the vision will come in large part through seeking the Lord in earnest prayer. However, it must be understood that the development of this vision must involve interaction with the people. This takes time and effort. It is probable that the previous pastor had a vision for that same congregation. If that vision differed from yours, or even worse, turned from a vision into a nightmare, you will have to work hard to gain the respect of the people for the vision you seek to implement.

The Church Board’s Agenda
It is likely that members of the church board will have a vision, too. The selection of a new pastor is often predicated on this assumption. If there is the perception by the board that there needs to be a greater emphasis on reaching the lost in the community, the board will probably seek a pastor with evangelistic fervor. If there are unresolved problems in the church, the board will tend to look for a pastor who is older, more mature, and capable of bringing stability to the congregation. If there is a desire to hold the fort, a pastoral candidate who is not likely to institute radical change might be appealing.

Too often an adversarial relationship develops between the new pastor and one or more church board members because of what appears to be conflicting visions. The wise pastor takes time to listen to lay leadership and to learn the culture of that fellowship and the community in which it is located. In fact, much significant information should be shared in the interviewing and candidating stages. In his article, "Candidating—Asking the Right Questions," Wayde I. Goodall states, "One possible reason some leave churches prematurely could be because they did not ask the right questions up front."⁷

The late James Hamill, in his book, Pastor to Pastor, made the following two observations based on his experience of many years as a pastor and denominational leader:

1. The great majority of the people in our churches love the Lord and desire what is good for the church; and,
2. The great majority of serious church problems occur due to the lack of good pastoral leadership.⁸

ATMOSPHERE FOR GROWTH

The use of the descriptor small automatically implies that some churches are size-challenged. More important than congregational size, however, is the matter of congregational health. A church can be large in numbers, but not healthy. Conversely, a congregation may have a limited number of members but be extremely healthy and have great potential for growth.

Stephen McMullin, in his article "New Ways To Measure Growth," reminds us of some not-so-obvious ways to measure growth, such as decreasing average age, decreasing average length of membership, increasing interest in children, and an expanding geographic base.⁹

To facilitate an atmosphere in which growth (spiritual, relational, and numerical) may take place, the pastor of a smaller church should consider the following plan:

Recognize and nurture existing relationships.
Within the smaller church, there are often family networks consisting of two or more generations. These family networks may provide a number of challenges to address and/or obstacles to overcome.¹⁰ But each challenge or obstacle might also provide a special opportunity for the advancement of Christ’s kingdom. In a larger church, one might be identified by profession or position in the community, whereas the strong sense of family in the smaller church, especially within a small community, would emphasize relationship. ("Isn’t he Bob Smith’s nephew?" or, "I’ve known her grandmother all my life.") Tapping into these family networks can provide the pastor incredible opportunities for outreach and church growth. On the other hand, disciplining a member of a family network or refusing to perform the wedding ceremony of a family member brings the potential for conflict. However, if the pastor has won the respect of the congregation through careful exposition of biblical principles and consistent decision making, the potential for a positive impact on that family for future generations is equally great.

Recognize and strengthen loyalty and commitment.
In The Small-town Church, Peter Surrey states that one of the three loves of small-town churches is love for each other.11 Built into the fabric of most smaller churches, especially in the smaller community, is a remarkable sense of loyalty and mutual commitment. (Because of this, some smaller churches have difficulty incorporating new people.) It seems ironic that while some smaller churches are trying to replicate large churches, some large churches are striving to create the intimacy of a smaller church. Each church, regardless of size, should be encouraged to be itself and develop its caring to the full. If it does, it will grow spiritually and numerically.

Recognize and accommodate existing structure.
It is important for one to ascertain the existing organizational structure of the smaller church. Whereas the structure of a larger church may be clearly defined (full-time pastoral staff, elders/deacons/trustees with portfolios, departmental leaders), the smaller church will be much less defined. There is structure, but it might take some time to identify and understand it. In this setting, power and influence may not flow from the top down (from pastor to people), but may rise from the grassroots.¹²

Generally, there will be a greater sense of ownership in the smaller church due to the direct involvement of the membership in such things as fundraising and the construction of facilities. A wise pastor will not feel threatened by these realities, but will seek to understand them and make appropriate adjustments.

Ron Crandall surveyed pastors of revitalized churches and asked, "What has contributed most to the growth of this congregation?" The following responses seem indicative of the culture of the smaller church:

• An atmosphere of love and acceptance.
• An attitude of faith and grace
• Laypersons involved in ministry.
• A pastor willing to stay.¹³

Recognize and appeal to the church’s heritage.
Many smaller congregations are products of a local revival. One way for a new pastor to jump-start a stagnant congregation is to learn and then rehearse the heritage of the church. Call the people back to their roots and challenge them to perpetuate that heritage for each succeeding generation. While the use of testimonies has declined, the smaller church can refine this biblical practice and use it effectively to edify and instruct youth and children. Growth will take place as the fire of revival is rekindled and the church is reminded of its reason for being.

CONCLUSION

A proper attitude, a shared agenda, and an atmosphere for growth—master and nurture these and you too might find that smaller churches are beautiful. In fact, the numerical size of the congregation you pastor may become dwarfed by the largeness of its heart.

Dean L. Grabill was involved in pastoral ministry for 25 years (approximately 15 years in small-town/rural contexts). He has taught "Small Town and Rural Ministries" at the Assemblies of God Theological Seminary. He is currently vice president of academics, Central Bible College, Springfield, Missouri.

ENDNOTES

1. Jackson W. Carroll, ed., Small Churches Are Beautiful (San Francisco: Harper & Row, 1977).

2. Ron Klassen and John Koessler, No Little Places (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1996), 19–23.

3. Ibid., 23–30.

4. Arthur C. Tennies, "The Real and the Unreal: Social and Theological Images of the Small Church," in Small Churches Are Beautiful, 64–66.

5. Charles M. Sell, Transition: The Stages of Adult Life (Chicago: Moody, 1985), 199,200.

6. Win Arn and Charles Arn, Catch the Age Wave (Grand Rapids: Baker, 1993), 52.

7. Wayde I. Goodall, "Candidating—Asking the Right Questions," Enrichment (Spring 1997): 86,87.

8. James Hamill, Pastor to Pastor (Springfield, Mo.: Gospel Publishing House, 1985), 62,63.

9. Stephen McMullin, "New Ways To Measure Growth," Leadership (Summer 1988): 84,85.

10. John Koessler, "The Unique Network of a Small Church," Leadership (Summer 1993): 85–87.

11. Peter J. Surrey, The Small-town Church (Nashville: Abingdon, 1981), 33–36. Surrey identifies the other two loves as "love for the past" and "love for order."

12. For an interesting discussion of these issues, see Paul E. Grabill, "Contemporary Restorationism: A Paradigm for Local Church Renewal in the Assemblies of God" (D.Min. dissertation, Fuller Theological Seminary, 1993), 48–51.

13. Ron Crandall, Turn-Around Strategies for the Small Church (Nashville: Abingdon, 1995), 86,87.