Choosing to have a Smaller Impact

“Church size affects nearly every aspect of a church; bigger churches are not simply larger versions of smaller churches, but rather very different organizations.”  Mark Driscoll

Bigger churches are focused on evangelism and continually change and restructure to encourage and accommodate growth.  (Acts2:41-47)  God has given me a heart for existing churches and called me to be a missionary to the existing church, but it is not merely for the sake of the church . . . it is because I desire for the gospel to have a larger impact in the American culture.

Tony Morgan recently shared seven reasons churches choose to stay small and thus have a smaller gospel (kingdom) impact.

1. Churches get pulled in many different directions and lack a unified purpose, even though the Bible reminds us “There should be no division in the body.”
2. Churches hold on to their structure, even though Scripture tells us “New wine calls for new wineskins.”
3. Churches don’t define and implement strategies to accomplish God’s vision, even though the Proverbs tell us “Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity.”
4. Churches don’t embrace new leadership, even though God’s Word instructs us to find capable people and “Appoint them as leaders over groups of one thousand, one hundred, fifty, and ten.”
5. Churches fail to establish systems, even though we know “God is not a God of disorder.”
6. Churches don’t prepare financially for the future, even though Jesus told us to “First sit down and estimate the cost.”
7. Churches don’t welcome counsel from people with experience, even though we’re reminded “Fools think their own way is right, but the wise listen to others.”

I could go on and on, but I think you get my point. We can’t become the church God intends for us to be if we’re unwilling to become the church God intends for us to be.

ReFocused Ministry exists to help pastors and churches refresh, refocus and realign with the God-glorifying, life-giving, world-changing, hell-robbing role God has designed for His church.  Check us out here.