This is a quick summary of the article from Saddleback church by Rick Warren.
There are a lot of points that I agree with and it is very practical and insightful.
small church : 60 ~ 80 people
average worship attendance : 87
85% of all churches in America average less than 200 in worship attendance
* Characteristics of small churches (Sociological fact)
1. Small churches have a strong sense of belonging
Pete Wagner says “koinitis” – the fellowship is too strong and the bonds are so strong nobody can break into that church.
2. Small churches are “familiar strangers”.
People know a lot about each other, but they don’t actually have real openness. They don’t talk about their real problem.
3. There is no structure for intimacy
4. They base their identity on the past
People are not early adapter. Their main interest is to maintain the status quo.
5. The small churches are an end in themselves
There is no need for evangelical efforts and no Great Commission. They exist for themselves.
6. Churches under 80 tend to be facility based
Their identity comes from a building not from the people. They have a strong sense of ownership over the building.
7. They are very strong and resilient
It is almost impossible to kill a small church. They survive.
8. They are resistant to change.
By nature they know that growth will kill what they have.
Good insight : The reason why the churches with the size of 200 people do not grow is that they don’t want to grow more than that. They kick out pastor who wants to grow more and replace with a new one and stays comfortable.
SOLUTION
Create new units to allow for additional growth. You have to create new units, new classes, new cells, new services, other things to allow new people to come in.
How to get past that 200 barrier?
1. The church must decide if it really wants to grow.
In order for a church to grow there are some things that have to die. Small group of founding member, they are willing to give up control — of the decision making, of some ministry (한국교회 장로들이나 창립멤버들이 집착하고 있는것들 포기하지 못하는것들 때문에 교회가 일정 규모 이상으로 성장할수 없다)
2. The role of the pastors must change.
The role must change from minister to leader. Mentally you must be willing to pay the price for growth.
the church must outgrow your personal ministry
Shepherd-Rancher Conflict : switching from a shaper for small number of sheep to bigger one
The ministry needs to be in the hands of lay people. The pastor must be willing to let the people be the ministers and the people must be willing to let the pastor be the leader
Often in a small church the pastor is considered “hired staff”. Pastors come and go but the people stay. The people are not about to turn over the leadership to somebody.
Key issue in this stage is that the worship service must become better. In small church a small mistake during worship service is fine because “we are family”. But with 300 people or more, people come to check out your church, your worship service, sermon or music, etc. So your worship service has to be better planed and culturally relevant to the kinds of people you are reaching. The key role of the pastor at this stage is “image maker“.
3. The members must be mobilized for ministry (한국교회의 평신도 사역자 운동)
The longer your church has been plateaued the longer it takes to get it going again.
People love God but they are just never going to change.
Is it easier to start new churches or is it easier to take existing churches and turn them around? It is always easier to have babies than to raise the dead.
You love everybody but you move with the movers.