Issue 819 – How Big? – August 7, 2022
I was reminiscing recently about a trip we took on Alberta’s Dinosaur Trail near Drumheller. In particular, I was thinking about their “Little Church.”
A popular tourist attraction, this tiny building was constructed by a local contractor with the Ministerial Association in 1958. The building was substantially repaired in 1991 after vandals set fire to its inside.
The church bills itself as “Seating 10,000 people – 6 at a time”. There is room for six in the pews and a pulpit. The church is always open, and there is no admission charge.
Christians are funny people, in a sense. We like to measure the success of a church by the size of its attendance. A church of 100 must be better than a church of 50. A church of 500 is still better, 1000 in attendance is even better, and 10,000 is a raging success.
The truth is that most churches in North America have less than 75 people in attendance. It’s tough to nail down a solid number because different surveys measure by other methods and report by means, mediums, and average. Those statistical and mathematical terms have always confused my poor muddled brain.
The surveys also don’t seem to consider house churches and the like. By whatever method of counting we determine the numbers, the ‘typical” (if I dare use that word) evangelical protestant church is small in size.
Many megachurches are growing but often that growth comes from people leaving smaller churches rather than conversion growth. I am sure there are lots of exceptions to that generalization.
Does that mean most churches in North America are failures, and big churches are successes? Perhaps in people’s eyes, but I don’t think God uses size as a measuring stick.
Jesus had a core group of 12 men (one of whom was a false convert) and a few women. He grew to have 70 to send out. On Pentecost, an instant megachurch was created when 5000 converts were made in one day. Yet, in a few short years, the church was driven underground by persecution, and I don’t imagine the groups were huge.
I may be wrong, but I think Jesus measures success by obedience and faithfulness.
He gave the church a job to do.
Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:16-20
He gave some benchmarks.
For this is the message that you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 1 John 3:11
“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” Matthew 22:36-40
A church of 25 might be miserably failing, as might be a church of 10,000.
There are churches out there of all sizes that teach false doctrine. On the other hand, churches of all sizes remain faithful to God and strive to live out the lives Jesus called them to. Those are successes.
Personally, I’d rather worship and serve with a dozen people who are imperfect but love Jesus than with 1,000 who profess to have faith but do nothing with it.
God loves all His children, and His love for us is not conditional upon our works. Yet, our love for Him should stir up our desire to do as He commands and be pleasing to Him.
A church of 25 that produces a new convert/disciple every year is likely more successful than a church of 1000 that grows by 100 by drawing them from other churches. Please don’t misunderstand; I’m not against big churches; many of them do incredible work, often doing things small churches could never do. I’m just using a crude comparison here.
How do you determine how big a church is? Look to the fruit, not the numbers.
Whatever size congregation you attend, serve it well and seek to be faithful.
Hallelu Yah (Praise God)
Be blessed
Kevin.
Gleanings From The Word.
Experience an extraordinary God in ordinary life.
Soli Deo Gloria (for the glory of God alone.)
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