Strengths of the Small Church Part 1

By Glenn Daman

This is part 1 of a 6-part series.

1. Shepherding ministry.

The small church is strong because the pastor can provide personal care for each person in the congregation. While some have downplayed the importance of this personal care, it remains central to our role and responsibility.

Christ, as our model shepherd, not only cares for the whole flock, but he cares for each individual (Luke 15:4-7), having a personal knowledge of each person (John 10:3). One of the privileges we have in the small church is that we know our people. We know the struggles each person is
facing in the congregation. We know those who are struggling with financial difficulties. We know those who are facing problems with a rebellious teen. We know when people are facing tension in their marriage.

When we preach on Sundays, the message is not generic to the masses; it is specific to the needs of the people sitting in the pews. This care extends beyond just the message on Sunday. Because we interact with the people throughout the week we can privately address personal struggles they are facing, often in an informal setting where the person is more open to discuss the issues. We should never underestimate the value of this personal interaction.

This also means that not only can we communicate biblical truth in a way that is relevant to the specific needs of people, but we can be there with them in times of crisis. Because the church is small, we can spend time with people. When a family member is in the process of dying, we
can do more than "drop in and show our face." We can spend the whole day with them, providing comfort and care.

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The Country Shepherd (formerly entitled Mikros) is published bi-monthly
by the Center for Leadership Development, a ministry of Village Missions
and the Institute for Small Church Heath a ministry of Western Seminary.
Dr. Glenn C. Daman, editor.

The newsletter may be obtained free of charge through e-mail by
emailing:
country-shepherd-subscribe@village-missions.org; with "Subscribe" in the subject Line or by visiting the web site at
http://www.smallchurchleaders.org/

Permission is granted to copy the newsletter for distribution provided
it is furnished free of charge. All rights reserved.

Village Missions

Keeping Country Churches Alive

www.village-missions.org

PO Box 197

Dallas, OR 97338

800-617-9905

To learn more subscribe to our weekly enewsletter Country Matters by sending an email to countrymatters-subscribe@village-missions.org

Strengths of the Small Church

The Country Shepherd
Vol. 1, No 1
May-June, 2007

This is the introduction to a special six-week series

Strengths of the Small Church
By Glenn Daman

For those of us who live and work in the small church, we can easily start to focus upon all the things wrong and all the shortcomings that it possesses. We decry the lack of facilities. We become discouraged because of the continual struggle to make the budget. We long for the day when we would have more volunteers to implement new programs. We envy the large church for its diversity of ministries, wishing and struggling to duplicate them. It is little wonder that morale is one of the most significant problems confronting both the leadership and laity
in the small congregation. The problem lies not in the ministry of the small church but our perception both of God and of the nature of the church. We are reminded in scripture that we are given "everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us
by his own glory and goodness" (2 Peter 1:3). Furthermore, we are blessed "in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ" (Ephesians 1:3). In other words, through the knowledge of God and the sufficiency of our salvation he has provided all that we need to live
godly lives and accomplish his purpose; the purpose which he ordain and now accomplishes by his own power and sovereignty. Ministry in the small church requires that we have a firm theology of the involvement of God within the church. We must recognize that it is his church and his ministry. We do not build the church; rather he builds the church through us.

Along with our theology of God we must have a right perspective of the church. The church is not a building nor is it a program. The church is people who live in fellowship with one another and in obedience to Christ. Church is not somewhere we attend, the church is who we are.
We do not go to church on Sunday; rather we live the church in the daily affairs of life. The strength of the church is not found in the size or variety of ministry it is found in the lives of people. Consequently the church can be effective regardless of size. If we are to be effective in the small church and maintain a positive perspective of our ministry, then it is imperative that we recognize the strengths of the small church, strengths that not only point to the viability of the small church, but manifest the very nature of what the church is to do and be.

The Country Shepherd (formerly entitled Mikros) is published bi-monthly by the Center for Leadership Development, a ministry of Village Missions and the Institute for Small Church Heath a ministry of Western Seminary. Dr. Glenn C. Daman, editor. The newsletter may be obtained free of charge through e-mail by emailing the-country-shepherd-subscribe@village-missions.org with "Subscribe" in the subject Line or by visiting the web site at http://www.smallchurchleaders.org/ Permission is granted to copy the newsletter for distribution provided it is furnished free of charge. All rights reserved.

Village Missions

Keeping Country Churches Alive

www.village-missions.org

PO Box 197

Dallas, OR 97338

800-617-9905

To learn more subscribe to our weekly enewsletter Country Matters by sending an email to
countrymatters-subscribe@village-missions.org

Announcing The Country Shepherd Blog

Mikros is now The Country Shepherd.

The Country Shepherd is published bi-monthly by the Center for Leadership Development, a ministry of Village Missions and the Institute for Small Church Heath of Western Seminary. Dr. Glenn C. Daman, editor.

The newsletter may be obtained free of charge through e-mail by contacting emailing
the-country-shepherd-subscribe@village-missions.org; with "Subscribe" in the subject line, or by visiting the web site at http://www.smallchurchleaders.org/

Permission is granted to copy the newsletter for distribution provided it is furnished free of charge. All rights reserved.

Village Missions

Keeping Country Churches Alive

www.village-missions.org

PO Box 197

Dallas, OR 97338

800-617-9905

To learn more subscribe to our weekly enewsletter Country Matters by sending an email to countrymatters-subscribe@village-missions.org