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What makes the small church so reliably steady, closely intimate, and beautifully simple -- a worthy model of the Christian church? Carl S. Dudley affirms the main cause as lying within the minds of the church members.
Do you lead a small church? Big churches get all the love. Articles, books, conferences—they mostly feature leaders of large congregations. Yet big churches are a small part of the ecclesial landscape. In fact, more than 90 percent of churches have fewer than 200 people. That means small churches play a big part in what God is doing. Small Church Essentials is for leaders of these smaller congregations. It encourages them to steward their role well, debunking myths about small churches while offering principles for leading a dynamic, healthy small church. Based on the popular six-hour lecture that Karl Vaters delivers to church leaders across the country, Small Church Essentials will affirm small church leaders and show them how to identify what they do well, and how to do it even better. Readers will: Be assured that leading a small congregation does not make them ministry failures Come away inspired to lead with passion, regardless the size of their church Have field-tested principles for leading a church in their context Possess new metrics for biblically measuring vitality in small churches Have a toolkit of resources to use in their everyday ministry Karl Vaters has been a small church pastor for 30 years, is the author of The Grasshopper Myth: Big Churches, Small Churches, and the Small Thinking that Divides Us (2013), and travels extensively to churches and conferences to speak about leading a small church well. If you are pastoring a small church, this book will be a breath of fresh air. It will affirm your calling while giving you fresh tools to help you lead. It will help you: Stop believing lies about small churches Lead your church to fulfill the role only small churches can Understand your congregation’s strengths and weaknesses Turn around a dying or unhealthy church Identify good trends and bad in church and culture
Practical instructions for use of the gifts of the Spirit in the congregation. An ideal text for class teaching and discussion.
Dizzying changes have taken place in American religious life in the last half century. Yet in spite of that fact, taking a snapshot of a “typical” Christian church in America would reveal a surprising number of small-to-mid-sized congregations, rooted in a local neighborhood or community, tied to a specific denomination, where most of the members know each others’ names, and hence are blessed (and cursed) with being the church together. In this clear-eyed, humorous appraisal, Jason Byassee contends that the “church around the corner” occupies a particular place in the divine economy, that it is especially capable of forming us in the virtues, perspectives, and habits that make up the Christian life. Not that he romanticizes these churches, however. Having been a rural, small membership church pastor, Byassee knows too well the particular vices and temptations to which they are subject. But he also knows the particular graces they’ve been given, graces like the “prayer ladies,” those pillars of the congregation who, “when one told you she was praying for you it meant something. When one hugged you, you remembered all week. When one cooked for you the casserole tasted like love. And when you were around them you were in the presence of Jesus.” Anyone who serves, or belongs to, a “church around the corner” will find their ministry strengthened by this enlivening, inspiring book.
Why the small- to mid-sized church remains God's best means to make disciples of Jesus Christ
Drawing from the experiences of ministers in smaller churches from coast to coast, leaders and members alike will find motivation and resources for vision casting and strategic planning in the ministry setting of the smaller church and community.This book addresses topics including outreach, evangelism, missions, youth ministry, children’s ministry, working with volunteers, and planning for growth.
Most churches in the US are small-membership congregations. As Allen T. Stanton notes, most church leadership resources focus on membership growth as a central, guiding paradigm for the work of the church. The assumption is that membership growth is a natural outcome of a healthy congregation and successful ministry. However, Stanton argues that this assumption fails to engage theologically with the vocational gifts that small-membership churches offer. This oversight fuels the perception that small congregations are failing in their ministries or lack vitality.?Instead, The Gift of Small argues that small-membership congregations are well positioned for the faithful, effective work of the church. Stanton explores the roles that relationships play in faith formation and organizational leadership in small-membership churches. In doing so, he highlights the profiles of people who belong to these congregations and examines the assets they bring. The result is a renewed understanding of the critical role that small-membership churches often play in their members' vocational discovery and community-leadership development. Stanton grounds his observations in Jesus's teachings that use the imagery of small to represent powerful agents of transformation.?? The Gift of Small can help clergy and lay leaders recover from discouragement and disillusionment regarding the often-disregarded work done in small-membership churches. This book will serve as a reinvigorating guide to help such clergy and leaders see their congregations' vital impact with clearer and fresher eyes. This book, in turn, will facilitate a renewed commitment to the work of small-membership churches.?
Small on Purpose: Life in a Significant Church is a joyful and honest look at the kingdom-enriching characteristics of small congregations. Lewis Parks demonstrates how to see and build upon those strengths. His premise is not better/worse. Instead, Parks shows us how life in a small congregation is profoundly significant and the important role these churches play. This book includes clear instructions on how leaders can streamline ministry to maximize the unique and powerful contributions small churches make in their communities. This book is inspiring and practical, a refreshing point of view for the church and church leaders. “Small on Purpose reimagines what it means to be a congregation of ninety, sixty, or thirty by not focusing on size. I especially appreciate Lewis Parks’s attention to why ‘soul care’ is critical for congregations under 150 as a means of discipleship and outreach. Parks sees soul care as a countercultural act that creates meaning for many who are seeking family-like relationships. This book challenges all congregations to take seriously the small things they are doing—like soul care—as a compelling way to move into the future.” —F. Douglas Powe Jr., Managing Director for The Institute for Community Engagement, Wesley Theological Seminary, Washington DC; author of New Wine, New Wineskins and Not Safe for Church from Abingdon Press “Lewis Parks writes with pitch-perfect tone about the life of small churches. He appeals to the experience of smaller congregations as gathering places of worship and service. There he sees signs of the Spirit moving, of tradition revivified through song and word, of pastoral care shared across a congregation. Above all, he offers transformative words and perspectives with which small churches can claim their distinctive witness.” —Thomas Edward Frank, University Professor and Chair of the Department of History, Wake Forest College, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC “In a time when the culture is becoming more and more individualistic, Lew Parks strikes a chord for the great value of the gathered community of faith that is strengthened week by week through their faithfulness to the gospel and to one another. Gather in your small church and read this together. Your life and your community will be enriched.” —Bill McAlilly, Bishop, Nashville Area Episcopal Office, The United Methodist Church
Megachurches get the headlines, but the reality is that the overwhelming majority of churches are small. These smaller churches are just as committed to God's overarching mission as any big church is. In fact, in many ways they are uniquelyqualified to do so. The leaders of these churches need a resource that understands their real-world context. Now, thanks to Jeff Allen, a Colorado pastor, they have one. Instead of extolling the latest church growth fads, Allen focuses on what's truly important--developing a fruitful culture of discipleship and mission in your particular church, no matter its size. Inside, you'll find practical tips on everything from the pastor's focus to church polity. In this much-needed resource, Allen connects church leaders and church members to the bigness of God's mission in the world, and encourages them toward partnering with God and others in ways they can actually put into practice.
This second edition is an indispensable source of advice and encouragement for the small church pastor, including how to formulate a mission while understanding the cultures of the community and the church. Chapter-by-chapter suggestions and several appendixes of helpful assessment tools help pastors and lay leadership work through the book together.