I’m not a fan of judging a church by its attendance. For that reason, I must confess my double standard.
During my time as a pastor, I paid attention to the size of the Sunday crowd. I guess its just human nature to think bigger is better.
On several occasions, however, I was happy with a smaller attendance. For instance, on one particular Sunday, a large team of volunteers traveled to provide relief to flooding victims in a neighboring state. On another Sunday, two mission teams were traveling abroad.
On those Sundays, I felt good about the small crowd –it meant something was happening!
That has lead me to ponder other positive reasons a church may have small crowds –not just on random Sundays, but every Sunday. Here are a few great reasons for having a consistently small congregation:
- Your church is a training ground and “launch pad” for pastors and leaders.
Small congregations are an ideal place for new ministers to gain valuable experience. Many small churches have become quite skilled at nurturing and encouraging young pastors and leaders –and the larger churches should be thankful!
- Your church ministers to a transient group.
Some pastors are hesitant to serve in a church with a high population of college students or young professionals who are “on the move.” They fear that the constant shuffling of church members will inhibit their ministry. While there are some challenges associated with ministering to transient groups, there are also major kingdom advantages. Namely, your church has the privilege of consistently sending out people to the far reaches of the globe! Will you take advantage of your built-in “mission opportunity?”
- Your church ministers to a low-population community.
Many times a church’s size is a result of the size of the community in which it is located. There are plenty of small churches who have saturated their regions to a greater degree than larger churches in metropolitan areas. This provides greater opportunities for becoming a “community church” in which area residents look to the congregation for leadership and involvement –what a platform!
As one author has explained, the Church is like an airport. In an airport, if the crowds get to big, there may be a problem. But on the other hand, when the crowds are small, it may be a result of great success.
Don’t get me wrong; I’m not bashing big churches. Large crowds can be a great sign of God’s work. But, perhaps its time to see churches based upon their actions rather than their size. It’s not always about attracting and collecting crowds as much as equipping and mobilizing those God has entrusted to us.