Small Church Guilt

Carl S. Dudley, professor emeritus of Harford Seminary, asserts that, “small churches are not organizational errors to be corrected, but intentional choices of members who put a priority on human relationships.”
This quote was found in the current issue of “Holiness Today” and it is so true. I don’t know how many times I have been left feeling like I have done something wrong because our church is under fifty people. I happen to believe that growth is up to God! He will do with each church as He sees fit. In the mean time we are called to be found faithful! God will not ever judge your success on the size of a church…but rather on the obedience found in the heart. The question we should be asking ourselves is not how big is our church…but are we preaching the Gospel? Is Jesus Christ being lifted up? Is the presence and work of the Holy Spirit found in our midst? Am I growing in Christ? Is every visitor welcomed without prejudice? Are we reaching out beyond ourselves with the message of the Gospel? Are we teaching the full counsel of God’s Word? Do we love one-another? Etc.
We should pray for and position ourselves for growth as much as we possibly can, but not because we feel guilty…but because we are passionately in love with the lost among us and we can’t imagine seeing a single person fall into the abyss of eternity without a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. If we are driven into outreach because of guilt then we are doing it in selfish ways that prove to God we are not ready for growth! He will patiently watch our hearts and when He sees a genuine passion for the lost, and a willingness to risk our comfortable ways of living to spread the knowledge of salvation, then we will not be able to keep the lost from flocking into our presence! All increase comes from HIM ! The church has for too long focused on their own guilt and pride as the driving factor in evangelism and as we can see in America, it is not being blessed. Unless we come to the place where we love the Lord with all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength…and our neighbors as ourselves…God will draw the lost towards others who do.
On the other hand, if we never grow to be more than fifty, is that proof of God’s displeasure with us? I don’t believe so. We should strive to have hearts that are willing to be all things to all people in an effort to win some, and willing to go into all the world, and willing and ready to get our hands dirty with the work of outreach as the Lord leads, however, we should also be content to be “the church” God has anointed us to be where we are at. If we disrupt the familial, encouraging, restful atmosphere we have currently become, because we assume God is displeased with our size, then we may be disrupting the very purpose God built this particular church for. This is not a discussion for the purpose of convincing us we need to grow or stay small…the point is that God will build His church and whether 50 or 500 we will only be found successful if we are found faithful! So, how is your relationship with Jesus today? Is it growing? Are you praying…reading the word…sharing your faith…fueling your passion for Christ? Because if you are not right with God…you will never be so important in a church of 20 or so hidden in a church of 20,000 to escape the holy and righteous, searching eyes of the Lord.
Just a thought,
Pastor Russ