How do small churches with limited resources engage with their communities?

The average size of the local church is currently 49 members – so it’s clear that there must be many that are much smaller. And their resources, therefore, are limited. So how are these small churches to engage with their communities?

Well, it’s certainly possible. As Care for the Family travels round the country we see churches doing great work - and not all of them are large. Like the church in Scarborough that has started a Family Centre, or the church in Honiton developing Community Action Teams, or the church in Liverpool running a furniture exchange.

We can suggest 12 possible starting points for small churches. None of them are complicated, but they are designed to encourage thought and to suggest small ways out of a downward spiral.

Start Small

Perhaps this is stating the obvious - a church of ten has no choice. But it’s worth stating, because it’s easy to assume that unless they are able to do something on a large scale it is not worth doing. Mother Theresa used to say: there are no large deeds, only small ones done with great love. Start a ministry with one family reaching out to another family. Most small churches could do that – you don’t have to be big to make connections.

Do one or two things well

We might assuming that to be a proper church we have to run two services a Sunday, a children’s work, a youth work, a Bible study, a prayer meeting. The list can seem endless and the labourers few.

But there’s always something you can do, and do it well. An elderly minister, the leader of a congregation of 12 elderly people, asked us what his church could do to connect with their community.

No-one in the congregation was under 70 and, apart from him, the rest were women. Eight of them were healthy and mobile.

We asked him if there were any single parents in the local community. He said there were many - it was an area with lots of social housing.

So we simply suggested they start an Adopt a Granny agency, offering support to single parents. For example, they could provide the opportunity for a night out while they looked after the kids, a shoulder to cry on, and so on.

“We could do that!” he responded.

Read about another small church that ‘did one thing well’

Don’t use all your energy in things that maintain the status quo

This is so tempting. Small churches might think “Well, we may not be having an impact, but at least we can keep the people we have got.”

But by investing in a few new things that really connect with your community, it might not only raise awareness of your church and perhaps attract new people – it might also be just the sort of thing that those you already have will appreciate.

Put to one side your own preferences

Think about these comments from two leaders:

“We are here to worship and serve in spirit and in truth, not in temperament and preference.”

“I’ve been telling my church for the last year that we can no longer be a church for ourselves; we need to become a church for the community. Now I’m beginning to show that I mean it, some don’t like it - but they’re beginning to realise that if the church is to survive they have little choice but to try.”

Turn your inside outside

Often we don’t realise the beauty and blessing of what we’ve got. We fail to see that people are hungry for acceptance, love, a sense of belonging, friendship, purpose, direction and meaning in life. Things that a small church often has in spades, but tends to share behind closed doors.

Use your homes

Entering a church building can be off-putting for those who are not used to it. So why not use your homes? They are usually warmer, more comfortable, more welcoming and more familiar. Inviting someone into your home is to invite them into your life. It feels special and makes people feel like friends.

Seek the help of others

Never be too proud to ask - or too threatened to accept - help that is offered by another congregation. It’s rare that the other church wants to do anything other than help.

Capitalise on your greatest asset - you know everybody

Most large church recognise the importance of being small. They split themselves down into small groups, just to get what the small church already has.

Research suggests that it’s easy to be lost in the crowd on a large church, and if new people do not make four or five solid friendships in their first year they will not stay. You are small enough not to lose anyone.

Recognise that you’ll have to make some tough choices

By doing one thing you will have to stop doing another. This will mean that change and engagement may cost some of your congregation a great deal. Don’t trivialise the price they pay and make sure they know how much you appreciate the important sacrifice.

One church had to decide whether to replace the old pipe organ. It had been in the church from the beginning and was a well-loved friend for many of the older members. But it was taking up 40 seats, and the space was needed.

The night of the church meeting came; the decision was to be taken. The longest surviving member stood up and waxed lyrical about how the organ had been played at significant moments in his life. His wedding, his parents’ funerals … it didn’t look good for getting the organ out! And then he said, “I love that old organ, but if it’s a choice between it and 40 people - then the organ has to go!” And it did.

It wasn’t easy, but he knew what had to be done.

Don’t be deterred by those who cannot see the need

There will always be those who will resist. Change is hard and reluctance is understandable. That said, there is a lot at stake, and standing still is a decision to allow things to potentially stagnate and die.

Don’t change things too fast

It’s quite possible to change things too slowly, but the equal and opposite danger exists.

All small churches are made up of families

Maybe this is a great place to start to change and engage – with families.
 

Last Updated 25 November 2009