Small Churches Need a Brand Revival
One answer to our question about how small churches are perceived.
Let's face it: small churches, like Rodney Dangerfield, get no respect. Or at least very little. Small congregations typically are viewed as stodgy, dead, or sick—that last one according to a very prominent church consultant who will remain anonymous. Here, in my opinion, are a host of wrong perceptions held by many:
- Small churches are stuck in the past with no vision for the future.
- Small churches don't want to grow.
- Small churches are pastor-killers.
- Small churches don't have the resources to do real ministry.
- Small churches are run by a handful of people.
- Small churches are dead, dull, and boring.
I am sure we could find small churches that would live up to each of those perceptions. But I have also seen larger churches exhibit the same characteristics. Why is it, then, that small churches get such a bad rap? Numbers. Small churches don't have the numbers to validate their success, and our culture is all about numbers, even in ministry.
Here's an example: last year a prominent denomination offered a "small church" conference. Just offering a small church conference was a minor miracle, but guess who was asked to speak? You guessed it—large-church pastors. The clear message to those small-church pastors who attended was, "Come to this small church conference and we'll teach you how to make your small church into a big church."
Don't get me wrong, I am not against church growth. But not every small church is going to turn into a big church. Take my town, for instance. Chatham, Virginia has a population of 1,300 people. That's the whole town. In the town limits there are eight churches within walking distance of each other. Divide the entire town population up evenly and that's a whopping 162 people for each church. Of course, they don't all come, so actual attendance will be less. Every small church doesn't need to become a big church.
But let me tell you what we've done with the 80 people in our congregation. In the past five years, we have:
- Started a Boys and Girls Club after-school program that reaches 50 kids per day.
- Started a community music school with 30 students who take violin, cello, piano, guitar, and voice.
- Enlarged our community vacation Bible school from 60 to over 200.
- Offered free family movies in our parking lot with up to 70 people in attendance.
- Hosted music concerts featuring world-class artists from Italy, Ireland, and the United States.
- Co-founded a monthly teen open mic night to give kids a place to perform.
I could go on, but you get the idea. And our church is not alone in these undertakings. I have interviewed dozens of small-church pastors whose churches are feeding the hungry, building housing for the homeless, going on mission trips, using the arts to engage their communities, and meeting needs on a scale to match many larger congregations. When small-church conferences are scheduled, these are the pastors that should be asked to speak.
Why do small churches need a brand revival? Because the stories of small churches doing effective ministry are not being told with frequency and passion. I have nothing against large churches or their ministries, but small churches play a vital role in every community in this nation. It's time the small-church brand experienced a revival of respect and admiration.
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Comments
Chuck, you make some excellent points. North America is dominated by "small churches" not mega churches. Some churches are small because they are dieing, most as you point out are thriving where they are planted and actively making a difference in their communities and the world. Big is not always better. If smaller churches could grab the microphone of the nation once in a while maybe the brand-makeover would commence. I think smaller churches just need to start standing up and shouting their mission from a few more rooftops so mainstream media would take notice of the good news stories taking place all over the continent. If a few started, maybe more would have the courage to stand up and raise their hands as well!
Posted by: David (Marketing Integrity) | March 23, 2009 9:30 PM
Small churches are hot in the Acts 29 church planting network (acts29network.org) Even though I belong to a mega-church, we invited Steve Timmis of The Crowded House church planting network to come speak at our last Seattle boot camp. He launches house churches in England and is author of Total Church. http://www.thecrowdedhouse.org/ His vision for small "Gospel Communities" affecting their neighborhoods for Jesus was convicting and exciting.
Also Soma Communities down in Tacoma are doing the small church thing. they are taking over the South Puget Sound area via small "Missional Communities" that gather together in "Expressions" that aren't very large, yet many are looking to them to develop their churches' missional philosophies. http://tacoma.somacommunities.org/ AND as you can see from their website, they have a pretty kickin' brand. : )
Posted by: Justin Schaeffer | March 24, 2009 2:30 PM
Great article. Since I am in similar position your article speaks to the issues we face in our community. We say that we are a small church in a town of small churches. Since we will never be a large church, we have given up trying to be one. When we came to realization it freed us to offer programs and services that speak to our community needs and do it without wringing our hands out of worry that it may not bring people into our church. We have taken the approach that I can learn things from my larger church brothers, but I don't worry about being like them. Our motto has been "A force for God and good in our community" It has been challenge for us, but I hear good comments about our church through out the community from Christians and non Christians.
Posted by: Steve Kirkbey | March 24, 2009 11:11 PM
There's one other thing small churches do that large churches cannot - and that's appeal to those of us who don't like mega churches, crowds, an emphasis on programs and slogans, etc. My husband and I both come from nonChristian families - completely "unchurched" families. If not for the pastor from a very small church who befriended us and was "real" with us, I doubt that we would ever have turned to God. I realize that God is always seeking and calling the lost and He could have reached us some other way, but most likely it would always be through a small church. My husband and I emphatically don't like churches with large memberships, and I think there are a lot of people who feel that way. Large churches aren't better - just different - and often their success isn't due to good things, in my opinion.
Posted by: Tam | March 25, 2009 2:35 PM
What about the small church not in the village or city, but out in the open country? These seem the most vulnerable to me. To whom do they communicate their brand? The two dozen people who live within a mile? How do you brand a congregation that draws thirty people from a fifteen mile radius?
Posted by: Carter Garrigues-Cortelyou | March 26, 2009 11:47 AM
Chuck,
Thank you for the very encouraging article for a pastor like me! Some times it is so frustrating to see and hear the attitude and comments of the big church pastors. But in fact the big churches can be spectecular but most of the time not healthy and helpful for the individual members. Small churches can be more healthy in the area of true fellowship and acting as a body.
Thank you,
Michael Adhikari
Pastor
Hosanna Bible Church
Dhaka. Bangladesh
Posted by: Pastor Michael Adhikari | March 26, 2009 11:51 PM
Thank you, Chuck! Living in a tiny county in the foothills an hour out of Sacramento, California, all the churches here are small. The one I am locked into is tiny; only an average attendance of 15-18 each Sunday. The amazing thing about this tiny body is GOD. We fasted 21 days in January 2009 seeking direction for the year ahead. Pastor asked us to share whatever we heard individually. No one had any monumental anything. Pastor felt the Spirit directing us to "Pray." Simple, isn't it? We had a small outreach to our community going on and stopped it at this direction. We prayed, indeed, and indeed, God has been moving! We now have a thriving food ministry twice a month connected with our small, local interfaith food bank, and a weekly clothing and soup ministry supported by the women of our church, and donated clothes from the community. We have visitors almost every Sunday who live far away, and some just passing through. The neat thing is, they always come again and again, happy to have a small family to bond with whenever they're nearby. A counseling ministry is also thriving here. We've been watching God build His house and are in awe and amazement of how He's doing it without our help! Personally, I don't like big churches due to a feeling of being "just a number," lost in the crowd. Pastor has no interest in "numbers" and every week we watch God move and touch hearts and lives of people ages 30 something to 80 something. This tiny body is not only my church, it's my family. One by one, as people come into this body, they are finding ministry opportunities not necessarily readily available in mega churches. They each feel they have value here. That, to me is more like the ministry of Jesus than ANY program I've ever been involved in, thought of, or witnessed. The "bad wrap" small to tiny churches are tagged with is, in my mind, a worldly view leadersip as a whole needs to discard and move away from for the simple reason the perspective of "church" today needs to change from being "relevant" to not even "real" -- rather to Christ-like. It doesn't get any better than that.
Posted by: Hope Keefer | April 24, 2009 4:19 PM
Thank you once again Chuck for being such a graceful voice advocating the small church. You have stated the case of the small church with accuracy, balance and eloquence. You have encouraged many including myself who Pastor small rural churches. I've followed your blog and emails for more than a year now and deeply appreciate your balanced message and heart. Thank you again from a small rural Alaskan church who are ministering to more than 300 different families with food and clothing assistance every month.
Posted by: Ed Blocker | December 31, 2009 9:46 AM
Ed, thanks for your kind words. Sounds like you guys are doing some great stuff in Alaska. I'd be interested to hear more. Go to my blog to the about page and email me when you have a chance. Happy New Year! -Chuck
Posted by: Chuck Warnock | December 31, 2009 5:46 PM