Why BIG Churches are afraid of small Churches

The MegaChurch has a Mega Problem

I pastor a Small Church.  The average congregation in the United States is 100 or less.  Our average attendance has increased from 80 in August to 115 in December.  Thankfully we are a growing congregation, but still small by any measure.  And this is a good thing.

You see, over the past few weeks, we have seen several new members join.  13 to be exact.  (but who's counting?  actually I am)  I have been pastor there for 13 weeks.  So if you are not a math major let me help you.  We have been averaging 1 new member a week.  Wow that's great you might say!!  Well it's great for us, but the funny thing is, several of these new members have come from BIG churches.  

One family started visiting a few months ago.  They really liked the music at their church.  However, since they had been visiting our church, no one had contacted them to say they were missed.  No one had contacted them to see why they had not been there.  Now I know what you are thinking.  Are big churches supposed to keep track of everyone that goes there?  Whether they should or not isn't a question.  The problem is  - THEY CAN'T.  Exactly you say, that's why people should be connected into a small group and find fellowship and accountability within a close knit community.  So let me throw you a bone here - The Church IS the close knit community.  

If a church is too big to follow up with it's members and get them plugged into a small group, then it's too big.  

Here's the example of another family.  When they heard a "young" preacher was coming to the church, they stopped coming.  So they started visiting a "bigger" church with an "experienced" pastor.  After several weeks, this couple comes back to our church.  I start to get to know them and the conversation they have with me is that they wanted to be in a church where they felt needed and wanted.  They said the Pastor of the bigger church seemed to not care if they came there at all.  

I'm not saying it's the Pastor's job to follow up with every visitor and recruit, but if this is what is communicated from the Senior Leadership from the church, I can only imagine what is being communicated by the other members.  Attitude reflects leadership.  

Maybe I'm naive but I want any member of our community who is able to get plugged into what God is doing through our church.  And then I want to equip them to be spreaders of the Gospel and disciple makers within their own niche communities.  

So you ask - do you expect all churches to stay small?  No, I expect them to multiply.    There will be more posts coming about that in the future.  But for now I can say that big churches are missing out on a few things: attention to care, follow-up with non attenders, and accountability.

So, if there is anyone else who goes to a church where they don't know if you are there or not, there is a small church in your community that would LOVE to see you next Sunday.