Small churches can work

Many evangelical churches in this country are small (membership of less than 50). That needn't be a bad thing in itself but unfortunately many of them are not what they should be.
Instead of being a growing, lively, effective fellowship making an impact on the local community, they are dying, isolated, Sunday meetings that their community thought had already closed!
Independent evangelical churches are, in terms of number of churches closed, the third fastest declining group in the UK. Only the Methodists and Presbyterians/URC are closing more. Small churches are obviously the most likely to close unless something is done. Here are ten ways to make a small church work and fulfil its God-given potential.

Run a health-check

Before things can be put right, you need to know what is wrong. Many do not notice the slow decline in their fellowships simply because it is slow. Stop and take a hard look at your church. Attendance, age structure, youth ministries. It may be painful but it must be honest. Where will your church be in 20 years' time if its current age structure remains unchanged? Has the membership grown or declined over the past 20 years? Have the conversions/transfers in outnumbered the deaths/transfers out? These signs cannot be ignored; like an illness, the longer it is left, the harder it will be to put right.
If things are not going well, it is vital to remember one simple rule: more of the same will not do. The approach taken so far has resulted in decline, therefore there is little point in carrying on with it. Something needs to change. Some possible areas for change are listed below.

Don't try to be a big church

Maximise the benefits and strengths that you have. A small hall full is much more effective than a large one half empty. The strength is closeness of fellowship so why have a layout suitable for thousands? Informality works much better in a small group, don't have the preacher far away in a giant pulpit. Explore the possibility of questions and answers after the sermon, etc.

Set goals with a clear focus

If you aim at nothing, you will hit it every time! Many small churches have sunk into a survival routine - simply doing the same thing week after week, waiting for the membership to die. If that cycle is to be broken (and it can be broken), activity must have a clear goal. Limited resources can be used very effectively if they are focused. They will achieve little if spread out over many activities. Seek the Lord in prayer (rather than call a committee together). Seek his will for your fellowship. Which ministries/activities would the Lord have you put resources into? Then keep to it and assess how well you are doing it. It is much better to do two things well with the Lord's blessing rather than ten badly. Just because something has been done for years doesn't mean it should continue. People and circumstances change, what worked 30 years ago may simply not be appropriate now.

Evangelism

This must be one of the great priorities of church life. A church that is failing to preach the gospel is a church in sin, no matter how doctrinally sound it may claim to be! If you are faithful, you will be fruitful. If you are not fruitful in evangelism, then something is wrong with the church. The gospel hasn't changed and non-Christians have always resisted the Saviour (it's their nature to do so!), so the hard but simple fact is that the problem lies with the church. There is no point holding gospel services if no one comes in. How can the church go out with the message? Put on smaller events in someone's home, there is nothing 'holy' about a church building, the Lord blesses the preaching of his Word whenever it is prayerfully proclaimed. Use a video if no evangelist is available. Don't just hand out tracts and think that is all there is to do. Constantly reassess and if something hasn't worked, change it. Be involved in the local community. Live out the Christian life among those you are seeking to reach.

Link up with another church

The Lord does not bless arrogant isolationism. We may be independent but can co-operate! Apart from a few cases, there is likely to be another evangelical church in your area. Could you put on an event together? Maybe support each other's services? If things have already decayed too far, should you merge and use the finance from one of the buildings to bring in a pastor? Division is the great curse of evangelicalism and it offends the Lord.

Missionary support

This is vital for living churches, however small. Don't try to be a big church. It is ridiculous for a church of 20 members to be supporting ten different missionary societies, each getting a few hundred pounds per year. It may fill the preaching schedule but it wastes kingdom resources. It may even be costing the missionary society more money having to send a speaker, newsletters, etc. than they receive from the church. A good ratio is one society or organisation for every 25 members. Focus on an area the Lord gives you a link with or a concern for. Really get to know the situation and pray in an informed, consistent way. Pray specifically for one country or one missionary on the field.

Youth work

Only do what you can do well. It is easy to have a big children's work, many dying churches have one. The real question is are you keeping the teenagers? Is your church family-friendly? If, for example, there is no creche or Sunday school during the morning service, you will not keep young families. Do you give the young people a role in the church so that they feel they are wanted? Even if you are not sure that they are believers, they could be involved helping set out chairs, giving out hymnbooks etc. If they feel needed, they will keep coming and, in time, some will respond to the gospel. If they feel they are not welcome, the church will lose them at about age 12-14 years. They will leave unconverted and are unlikely to come back.
Are there unbiblical traditions (such as a dress code) that put young people off coming to the services? Don't run midweek youth clubs unless it is part of your focus. Done badly with few resources, they give a negative, almost laughable picture of the church.

Don't cling to power or your role

One reason why small churches often do not keep new transfer growth when believers move to the area, is that people are not made to feel they would have any real input. Don't pressurise people, but if they are keen, will those already in roles be prepared to let others have a go? Be humble. Even if you have done a particular task for years, don't cling to power. Don't be so arrogant as to assume you are the Lord's guardian against all heresy. New people will want to do things differently and the church will change. If it does not, it will die, it is simply a matter of time. Tragically, time and again the 'ruling family' who sustain a work in its time of need cannot relinquish power when new people come along, and they eventually destroy the very work they tried so hard to preserve. This is a very common pattern in small churches and discredits the gospel.

Never give in to blackmail

In a large church, if a stubborn or difficult individual does not like something, the church can ignore it. That is not so easy in a small fellowship. Do not let the whole church be held to ransom by one member's threat to take his ball home if you won't play his way. The church is the Lord's and it is to him we answer, not to a difficult deacon! It may be that certain people have to leave before the church can begin to grow. Never drive people out, but don't try to keep them at any price.

Expect growth

Your church will not always be small. There is nothing holy about being small. Some rural churches will always be smaller because there may be only a few hundred people in the village. Size is related to the area you are in. If you are in an area of dense population then you should aim to be big. In urban areas, there is no excuse for being small and it is a sign of failure. All churches can work and grow. Growth is from the Lord but we must play our part (1 Corinthians 3.6-9).