A Case for the Small Church

One of the great heartaches of ministering in a small rural church is seeing people leave over the limited number of “amenities” a small congregation can provide.  It happens when young people grow up and discover there are other churches out there that have youth groups or ministries that cater specifically to them and provide them with opportunities for fun.  It happens when young adults decide they want to get married, and want to look at other churches because they offer dating programs, or ministries for “college and career.”  It happens when parents look around and want more services for themselves or their kids.  Consumerism comes to Christianity.  

The small rural churches are left with a greying congregation, and the people who leave say “There was something wrong with that church.”

I would like to submit that such people have it the wrong way around. They were the problem all along.

We had another family stop (dare I say “Shop”) into our church not long ago.  They abandoned the home church they had been attending for years because the youth group was not big enough at the previous church.  I bumped into one of the members of that family not long ago.  They were now attending a budding mega church not far away; they found a bigger buffet.

I don’t blame the larger churches for offering such opportunities.  I do blame them for not discouraging transfer growth on these flimsy excuses alone.  Such Pastors and ministry leaders ought to be telling such people, “Go back to your home church and start a ministry there.”  Yeah, I may as well wish for a million dollars while I am at it.

When I first saw this family, I have to admit that I was willing to contribute to the problem.  Yes, I began to try to sell them on the “amenities” my church offers.  Shame on me.  I was just another shill for faith based services.  Contrary to my typical practice, I was inviting them to come to youth group and talking about all the ministries our church offers.  

Of course there are people that do leave churches for very legitimate reasons.  Sometimes they leave because of error in the pulpit.  Sometimes they leave because of abuse in the church, or  because they were systematically shut out of the inner circle, and not welcomed into ministry.  If a church does not preach the word of God, or if they won’t let you use your giftedness, or they shun you, etc., then that’s different. We have some such people here in our church.  There really are legit reasons to leave.   I find that most people who leave churches don’t have such things in mind.  Moving to a new church because you changed addresses?  Legit.  Moving to a new church because the music isn’t moving you? Not legit.

Now, normally, if a person is church shopping, and they are leaving another local church to do it,  usually I try to be a little more discerning.  I have even discouraged some folks from coming to our church i the reasons are flimsy and at the least I tell them that in order to come to our church they have to at least contact, by letter if necessary,  their old Pastor and church to tell them Biblical reasons why they are leaving.  Needless to say, I have not seen much transfer growth for flimsy reasons here at BCC.  But I really don’t want someone else’s problem here at this church.  

This one particular family did not come back again.  At first I was really disappointed.  But I remember this last week God tapping me on the shoulder and whispering to me, “You didn’t want them here anyway.”

There may be a variety of reasons God would say that to me.  But certainly the fact that they would leave a church because their youth group was not big enough says that the problem was really with the family, not the church.

Congregations ought not to exist or be enticing because of the smorgasbord of activities they provide. They ought to exist to preach the word and make disciples.  Disciples are made when they take up the Word and start serving on their own.  Churches ought to be enticing because of the practice of love they show across the generations.  They ought to be places to go where I,..me, myself and I have an opportunity to use my spiritual gifts and become a disciple.  If all the ministry is handled by professionals, and I don’t do anything but soak it up, you are not really at the church. You are at the theater.  You are not a disciple; you are a mere consumer of religious goods.

If you are feeling like moving on to some other church because they don’t offer enough programming, the problem isn’t the church.  Its you.  You are the one called to stay and make a difference.  Stay.  Get plugged in.  Build the congregation.  Use your gifts.  YOU go and make that ministry that you feel your church is lacking.  You won’t get the opportunity to influence others for Christ at the mega church like you will at your small home church.  

Or are you just another Consumer of Faith based products like most people in our culture?

To the Pastors who sell their churches on the basis of “Amenities” rather than disciple making  I will tell you that you will never know the joy of watching someone grow from a baby Christian to being a passionate Bible Student or Sunday School Teacher or mission trip participant.  You will always have to be worried that you need to offer more or better “amenities” than the big church in the town next door.  If they start something new, then you’ll have to as well.  If they add one screen you will have to add two.   I’d rather make disciples, thanks.