The first step toward the church of the future is being a champion for change.
We live in an era with revolution in the air. Norms are being smashed. Institutions are being remade. Culture is being upended. Things that seemed like certainties 10 or 20 years ago now feel unsteady. The revolution that is swirling and coalescing outside the church doors has had a dramatic effect inside its sanctuaries and meeting rooms. However, make no mistake: the moment has not led to sweeping change within the church, despite its broader cultural implications. Instead, the church feels frozen, uncertain about what to do or who to be in this era of disruption. This feeling presents a particular challenge in the small church.
The more the question of survival becomes central in the life of a church, however, the more that church perpetuates its own decline.
Small churches struggle to discern which traditions to sustain or how to exist in an uncertain future. Many small churches now feel as though they are dying, and the broader denominational narrative and anxiety around decline amplify this feeling. As these winds of change swirl around them, small churches may cling to their collective survival instinct. The question becomes, “What must we do to survive a week, a month, a year, a decade?” The congregation, to survive, might identify a couple of perceived life rafts to keep it afloat, such as bringing in young families or a new pastor. The more the question of survival becomes central in the life of a church, however, the more that church perpetuates its own decline.
Is survival enough?
Emily St. John Mandel’s post-apocalyptic novel Station 11 focuses on a troupe of traveling artists who journey around the wasteland performing plays and concerts. They used a covered wagon to transport their materials. The wagon becomes a central image of the book because on its side, the troupe wrote the words, “Survival is insufficient.” Think about that for just a moment. Survival is insufficient. It is not enough to sit and ponder congregational survival in a session room or at coffee hour or in the pastor’s study. It is not nearly enough. Even if a couple of younger families arrive, or a new pastor is called – providing an illusion of stability – these developments are not enough. If you are to continue reading this article, you must accept the same premise as the motley crew of survivors in the book. Survival is insufficient.
This edition of the Outlook focuses on small ministries that are making a significant impact. I applaud the focus and am certain this edition is chock-full of wonderful stories and ministries. However, I want to reorient things just a touch. If we accept that survival is insufficient as a goal, the next logical question might be, “Now what?” To answer this, I want to pivot slightly. I do not want to talk about big impacts or revolutions inside congregations. Instead, I want to talk about starting small.
How small is too small?
Before we get into starting small, let’s dispel the myth that says your congregation is too small to do anything. You aren’t too small. When congregations tell me they are small, I always ask, “Are there two or three of you?” The answer inevitably comes back: “Well, yes.” If your answer is also “yes,” then you are not too small. Jesus reminds us of this in Matthew’s Gospel: “For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them” (18:20). You may be smaller than you were, or smaller than the church down the street, but your congregation is not too small to do anything.
Let’s dispel the myth that says your congregation is too small to do anything.
A congregation in survival mode can struggle to flip the switch to thriving. To move from there to here requires numerous small, incremental steps. These steps are not always thrilling. They are, however, necessary. The small churches that I know, those that are making the most significant impacts, didn’t just wake up one day and start doing great work. One church with a worship service that drew about 15 people installed a blessing box outside their church, along with a plan to keep it stocked. A congregation with around 40 worship attendees installed a basketball goal in their parking lot, allowing neighborhood kids to play. A church with a worship attendance of around 20 planned to collect furniture to outfit dorm rooms for international students. I could keep going, but I suspect you get the point. None of these small mercies is revolutionary. None warrants a “breaking news” chyron. But all take one step away from survival and toward life.
Small churches with more robust ministries experienced no magical moment when things changed. Instead, they arrived at their current state of thriving by making small changes that created new momentum and vitality. Nearly all such small changes were oriented toward the community surrounding the congregation, rather than toward the congregation itself. These decisions were made not in the hope of leading to survival, but rather to be more faithful to Jesus.
How do you start?
If you have made it this far and believe that now is an excellent time for your congregation to take a small step, your next question might be, “What happens next?” The answer in this case is simple: take the next step.
One of the key breakdowns in churches happens between agency and action. In all congregations, but particularly small ones, a single person can get the ball moving in important ways. Consider this from Rebecca Glazier’s wonderful 2024 book, Faith and Community: How Engagement Strengthens Members, Places of Worship, and Society: “In getting started, it really helps to have a champion in the congregation who will spearhead the efforts. I walked away from an interview with one lay leader who serves just such a role in her congregation thinking about how it’s all the personal connections and individual motivation that get the work done.”
I find Glazier’s conclusion delightfully empowering. One of the remarkable aspects of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) is how easily one person can make a difference. In several of the brief examples I gave above, I can name the champion in each congregation that took the small step into the community. One person got the ball rolling. Even if you are not a pastor – in fact, especially if you are not a pastor – being a champion for the next step in your church’s journey with Jesus is vital.
Even if you are not a pastor – in fact, especially if you are not a pastor – being a champion for the next step in your church’s journey with Jesus is vital.
There is no question that we live in a challenging era. Change swirls around us, and we may not know what to do. You may worry about your congregation’s survival, but even if it were assured, survival is insufficient. The path forward may not be marked by massive change; it might instead be walked with small, incremental steps. Perhaps you are the one who needs to lead them on that journey, whether you’re a pastor or not. I believe most churches, no matter the size, can have a big impact. Getting there is a journey, so just see if you can take a single step.
