Embracing the Small and Rural church

Embracing the Small Rural Church, because Small is not the problem

80% of churches run under 100 in attendance.  What if that is not a problem? What if when Jesus said “I will build my church” he had small and rural churches in mind. What if Jesus' idea was for churches of all sizes to work together, big, small, and house churches each contributing something special to the whole church?

The fact is, small churches have a lot going for them. They tend to be more personal, more intimate, and more focused on relationships than larger churches. They are also usually more flexible and adaptable to change.

Many believe that we need to be always about the business of growing our churches larger than they are at the moment. This is the American way. Bigger is always better, right?

But what if that’s not God’s way? What if small and rural churches are not a problem to be solved, but part of the solution?

There are many challenges facing small and rural churches today, but there are also many opportunities. Embracing the small and rural church means seeing it as part of the solution, not part of the problem.

We need to be careful not to view small and rural churches through the lens of our own prejudices and preferences. Just because we like big churches doesn’t mean that small churches are bad. In fact, there are many good things about small and rural churches that we should be celebrating.

What if by trying to fix a problem that isn't a problem, we're actually working against the strategy that God wants us to enact and fulfill? A strategy that sees our small churches as a vital tool to be used, not a problem to be fixed or solved? What if God wants our church to be great instead of big?

Great churches don't just happen by mistake. No matter what size they are. They take much prayer, planning, hard work, cooperation, and the calling of God. But no church can be a great church if they don't know they can be great in the first place. Small churches and their pastors are laboring under false pretenses, lies, and that their church can't be great until it becomes bigger. We need to put that lie of the enemy to rest, starting at the heart and ministry of every pastor of every small rural church.

"Embracing the small and rural church means seeing it as part of the solution, not part of the problem."

So what if there is lots of small country churches? So what if our church is small? So what if we are one of the denominations 80%? So what if half of the people that go to church in our denomination go to small congregations instead of big ones? If they are doing good, outreaching, Jesus glorifying, Kingdom working, So what if they are small?

We need new ways to look at church health and growth that goes beyond numbers and counting people in the pews. The matrix of church health and growth needs to change an evolve to the environment that we live now. We must be looking at measurements of health, vitality, outreach, and more.

Instead of saying our church is small So what? We need to say our church is small, now what? What can we do now with the resources we have now? There is a lot of ministry that can be done by churches while they are still small. Including things that can be done better because they are small.

When we see small and rural churches as part of the solution we will:

Pray for them

Encourage them

Partner with them

Promote them

Protect them

Provide for them

There are many reasons why a church may stay small but there is no reason a church should not be healthy. A healthy church seeks to increase its sending capacity rather than just its seating capacity. There are numerous churches that stay small but are healthy setting the example.

Planning churches. These churches said examples of sending and planning churches all around them. They are not bound by their size or lack of resources but fully understand that they have been given what they need in order to do what God has called them to.

There is a lot of discussion on the topic of church planting and there are many different models that have been effective over the years. One thing that is often overlooked in the church planting discussion is that not every church is called to plant a new church. Some churches are called to be sending churches. Sending churches are just as important in the church planting process as the church plants themselves.

A sending church is a church that launches and supports church planting efforts. This can be done through financial support, prayer, mentoring, and providing other resources. Sending churches play a vital role in the church planting process and are often overlooked.

One of the benefits of being a sending church is that it helps to keep the focus on the mission of the church. The mission of the church is not to grow itself but to reach people with the gospel. When a church becomes focused on growth for the sake of growth it can often lose sight of its mission.

Being a sending church also allows a church to have a greater impact on its community and beyond. Instead of just being focused on its own growth, a sending church is focused on seeing the gospel spread. This can have a profound impact on both the sending church and the community it is impacting.

If you are a pastor of a small rural church, don’t be discouraged. You are not alone. Embrace the fact that your church is small and use it to your advantage. Use your size to build close relationships with those in your congregation. Use your lack of resources to be creative in your ministry. And use your location to reach those who may not otherwise be reached with the gospel. Embrace your small church and watch it thrive.

Training churches. Small churches that are well suited to train and develop pastors during school years or an early ministry and offer internships during college. These churches can have a big impact by training and developing the next generation of pastors and church leaders.

Mentoring churches. Healthy small churches can be used to mentor other small churches that are struggling. This can be done through a formal mentoring relationship or simply by being available to answer questions and offer advice.

Outreach churches. Small churches often have a big heart for outreach. This can be done in a number of ways including through local missions, global missions, or simply by being a friendly and welcoming church.

There are many other ways that small churches can make a big impact. These are just a few examples. The important thing is to not allow the size of your church to keep you from doing what God has called you to do. Embrace your small church and watch it thrive.

House churches. These are biblical examples of organic charge plants.

Micro churches or PAC’s. These are congregations they are sponsored by a parent congregation such as nursing homes, apartment complexes, coffee shops, etc.

There are plenty of reasons why churches may be small, but they can still be healthy church is contributing to the Kingdom of God. We live in a culture that is so obsessed with a bigger is better mindset that we've allowed it to creep into the body of Christ. If many of the churches in the world are small, maybe we don't have a size problem as much as we have a health problem. Just imagine if every small church became healthy, strong, and vibrant, how would being small matter anymore?

Billy Graham once said, "The great challenge of the Church is not only to evangelize the world but also to teach the evangelized to be disciples and witnesses." This is especially true of small churches. They are often the churches that are closest to their communities and have the opportunity to make the biggest impact.

Small churches can have a big impact by being healthy and setting the example. They can also have a big impact by being training churches, mentoring churches, or outreach churches. Whatever their role, small churches play a vital part in furthering the gospel. Embrace your small church and watch it thrive.