What makes a small church strong? According to Dr. Kennon Callahan national author, speaker and consultant, “The strength of a congregation lies in the spirit of the church, not the size.”
Callahan addressed pastors of small congregations at the recent Small Strong Plus conference sponsored by the South Carolina Baptist Convention in Columbia, SC. He challenged pastors to focus on their strengths not weaknesses. “When we look for strengths we wish we had, we miss the strengths we really have” stated Callahan. By serving in our strengths, we embrace what God created us to be and do.
So what causes a church that is strong to stay that way? Callahan shared that strong, healthy churches overcome any tendency to become preoccupied with the theology of survival and stay focused on service. Jackie Townsend, a member of Thomas Memorial Baptist Church in Bennettsville, SC, said, “Our church needs to quit dwelling on the negative. We need to get focused on our strengths and build on them.” Wayne Reeves pastor of Cordesville First Baptist Church, Moncks Corner knows this to be true.
A few years ago, Reeves’ church was withering away with only 15 members. They were focused on programs and trying to survive. After attending the Small Strong conference two years ago Reeves began to implement what he learned from Dr. Callahan. “It is so easy for pastors to take valuable tools and resources away from a conference and never apply what you have learned to your ministry” states Reeves. After a brief hesitation, Reeves began to apply what he learned and began focusing on the strength of his church, loving people.
Since attending the Small Strong conference two years ago, the Cordesville Baptist congregation has grown from 15 members to over 250 attendees. Reeves adds “We are a growing church serving in our strengths and God is blessing us, not only with members but in missions, baptisms and giving”, “We have baptized new believers every week the last 12 weeks …when we started focusing on what we are good at and loving people like Jesus did, God began blessing everything.”
Callahan equates a small strong church with one of the fastest growing chains in the country, Starbucks. “You won’t find a Starbucks that seats 700 people” he stated, “it is designed to be a neighborhood gathering place”. Small churches can deliver that. In a world where the largest denomination is the unchurched, people are looking for a place where they can feel “at home”. People are drawn to a place where like the TV program Cheers, “everybody knows your name.” Smaller congregations have a unique opportunity to reach out to the unchurched and offer a sense of family.
We are living in a time of grassroots ministry not top down ministry. The 21st century, much like the 1st century is “the greatest age of mission the Christian movement has known” states Callahan as he encouraged SC pastors to stay focused on mission and extend compassion, community and hope as Jesus did to a world in need. For therein lies the strength of the church.
The South Carolina Baptist Convention exists to see your ministry strengthened. For more information on how we may serve, you please call 1-803-765-0030 or log on to our web site at www.scbaptist.org.
