ARTICLE

Effective Approaches to Growth and Stewardship
in the Small Church

Perry Bell

From Congregations,
Volume XX, No. 5, September/October 1994, pp. 9–11.

What makes small churches unique? And what special approaches to growth and stewardship are most effective in the small church? Pastors who want to develop these areas of their ministries may find it helpful to understand what makes this size of congregation distinctive.

Unlike larger churches, which often focus on tasks, smaller churches tend to uphold relationships as paramount, and members tend to relate to one another as in a large family. Decisions about tasks or jobs are considered secondary and are often made in the church parking lot, amid exchanges of greetings and gossip.

The role of the minister differs, too: The pastor in a large church is a rather distant, powerful symbol whose role is to articulate the church's vision; in a small church, he or she is embraced as one of the family, but doesn't necessarily speak for that family. This relational orientation of small churches is compelling in many ways. The small church provides a network of intimacy, a close-knit community that embraces its members and joins them together, providing a space even for the "odd" characters among them. As a result, members respond directly and personally when one of them is hurting or in need, sharing responsibility for what needs to be done.

Such mutual caring unifies the small church. Other factors also serve this same purpose. For instance, the small church has a strong sense of physical place. Objects assume a sacred significance. The pews, for example, hold a storehouse of tales about those who have filled them over the years. The church's windows may be dedicated to the memory of past members. They and other sacred objects in the church provide a sense of history and continuity. While this is also true in larger churches, in smaller congregations the communal memory is often stronger, as people are closer to the traditions, or have intimate knowledge of those to whom these objects are dedicated.

It is this common history, or shared past, that claims a central place in the small church. Members honor and remember those who have left their mark, from the initial visionaries and organizers to the socializers, including the jokesters and grumblers, who kept the place going and oiled the relationships. And they fondly recall the "saints" who had to work with them gossip. (A living saint is one who has been around long enough to be able to say "But we haven't always done it that way!")

Trusted leaders also bind the small congregation together. Very often the real spiritual leader of the community is a layperson. I remember when I was young and green and had been in my first parish only about two years. We conducted a survey asking the congregation whom it most trusted for spiritual leadership, and Horace Thompson, a 75-year-old layman, won by a long shot. Needless to say, this was tough for me, the church's ordained minister, to accept. Horace was a quiet but solid kind of guy, with all the qualities of a saint. He led the adult Sunday School and helped with services. He was somebody whom I relied on, and I came to accept the fact that others did, too. In this instance it was okay, even appropriate, to let Horace serve as the congregation's spiritual guide.

Annual events are another guiding and unifying influence in small churches. At many Wisconsin churches, autumn harvest festivals are commonplace, with people contributing pies, breads, and other baked goods. It has been my experience that people who never showed up in church on Sunday would participate, too, sharing in their own way, joking and swapping tales, as though they'd always been around. The fringe members were brought together with the rest of the church community and reminded that they still belonged. In this way, annual happenings play an important role in defining congregations.

Even conflict has its proper place in the small church. A certain amount of conflict is a measure of the closeness of a congregation, and some inherent hostilities hold a church together. Bickering is partly how the community conducts its business and is not to be confused with dislike.

The Challenge to Growth in the Small Church

Christ commanded his followers to "go make disciples!" But how do you lay the foundation for increasing membership in small, tightly bonded churches?

Clearly, this kind of church, like a family, treasures its time-honored traditions and its rituals. Yet often the traditions and closeness mask problems related to growth. Small church congregations often have a self-image problem: Because their church is small, they don't believe they are worthy, but perceive themselves as weak, unattractive, and powerless, with a limited future. Certainly, the institution, like an individual with low self-esteem, is not prone to reach out warmly to embrace others. This withholding is usually not conscious. But it is important for ministers to help congregations examine how they feel about themselves and to address such institutional attitudes before forcing them to welcome others into their midst.

In this and other ways, the minister plays a key role in helping a small church grow. Research, in fact, confirms that growth in the small church is unlikely to be stimulated by existing membership, but rests mostly with the pastor. Often, churches will say, "We want our church to grow," but really don't mean it. Acceptance of newcomers into the life and ministry of a church often carries a price that the old-timers are unwilling to pay. It means they would have to give up some power, share some of the minister's time and energy with others, and adjust to change. It means they would have to deal with not knowing "who all those people are." (After all, "stranger" means danger in a small community, and newer people almost always are seen as a threat.)

Given the reluctance of at least some in any congregation to take on such changes willingly, what should a minister do? A pastor can help the congregation focus on their qualms about all of this, holding discussions with members to help them honestly and prayerfully consider how they feel about bringing in new people. Do we want to grow? Why or why not? Do we really mean it? What does growth mean to us personally? What will it mean to the church? How do we reach out to new people?

Evangelism only works when a congregation is clear about the answers to these questions. Equally important, and perhaps more so, is a church's dedication to its mission to be the church. Talk about growth is meaningless if the church itself has not identified its mission and role in the world. If a congregation is deeply supportive of its members and involved within the community and beyond, then others will see this and be drawn to it. Those who are living out the Gospel as the center of their existence and teaching discipleship by example act as a powerful magnet. Growth simply happens when the word gets out that this is a powerfully committed group of people.

This does not mean abandoning time-honed traditions or giving up those aspects of the church that impart a sense of belonging. It means an openness to sharing these communal "treasures" with others, and even encouraging the development of new groups for new members to join in. It means reaching out consciously to those who are "outsiders" and inviting them to join in. It means giving the minister support and allowing him or her the time to develop contacts and reach out to potential new members, rather than just attending to existing membership. And it requires sensitivity and good communication-continuing to make time for the congregation to talk about the disruptions caused by growth, which undoubtedly has caused some discomfort, while maintaining the vision of outreach.

If the small church is "family," then the family grows through adoption, through the inviting of others to enter into these old traditions and to become part of the supportive church community and its mission. Let me give you an example. About twenty years ago, I was the minister of a United Methodist church of about seventy-five people in rural, south-central Wisconsin. Since this was a region dominated by Catholic and Lutheran churches, we Methodists were perhaps a bit more flexible or open to new members than those more established institutions. Some of our church members began to operate a food pantry for the rural poor and, as part of this task, decided to take special care of one particularly needy family. Today, nearly two decades later, members of that family still play an active part in that church. This is what happens when we are simply doing what we are supposed to be doing.

Stewardship Issues in the Small Church

Just as issues related to small church growth can be knotty, so can those related to stewardship. This is an especially difficult arena in rural churches, where farmers have experienced skyrocketing expenses coupled with drastically declining returns on their investments over the last few decades, and where families are struggling just to make ends meet. Appealing for money is a complicated process, and in most small congregations it is a particularly sensitive issue. Because of the uncertainty of income and the need to scrounge, the church treasurer frequently takes on a conservative or protective stance that quenches enthusiasm for new programs or denominational funding. Many members resist pledging, making budget planning difficult.

However, despite appearances to the contrary, money is almost never the immediate issue. Stewardship is more a question of will and motivation. Usually there is another need involved, and lifting that need up-helping the congregation see it and deal with it-often solves the problem. I recently served a congregation that never had any money to give. But one Tuesday the church roof was damaged by high winds. By the following Sunday, unbeknownst to me, the parishioners had raised $5,000 and had seen to it that the roof was completely redone. It was a clear case of the need having been lifted up and met. In a crisis, the will and motivation to give took over, and the money manifested itself.

This example proves another point: If stewardship appeals can be made personal, related to individuals, to immediate crises, or to the place and life the church community shares, members will be more open. Giving can actually be fun when you know who or what you're giving to.

And sometimes the generosity of congregations is an inspiration. The recent flooding in the Midwest offers a prime example. Small rural congregations contributed significant amounts of money for flood relief. One such church sustained more than $1,000 in flood damage to its own buildings, yet collected and sent more than $1,400 to help others, again proving the point that money is rarely the issue.

When there appears no church-related crisis or personal need to appeal to, ministers and church leaders may want to encourage the congregation to use regular church events, such as the autumn harvest festival, as church fund-raisers. New events can be organized for this purpose, involving the entire congregation and serving both as stewardship and growth opportunities.

Sometimes, in particularly dire circumstances, it may be necessary to appeal to the broader town or village in which the church is located. Small communities value their churches for the traditions and values they stand for, and most townsfolk are willing to help if a church's very survival is at issue.

Sometimes stewardship requires utterly practical approaches. For example, you might post a "wish list" of items the church needs. Sunday school supplies, a microwave for the kitchen, renovated bathrooms-these sorts of things can help people see a specific need to which they can give. And you might also suggest planned giving-wills, bequests, memorials. These can provide a standing fund that can help alleviate the necessity of scraping along from one financial crisis to the next.

Whether addressing evangelism or stewardship concerns, certainly a minister who has the gift for caring is critical to all aspects of small church life. A caring pastor knows the names of parishioners, spends time with them over meals or coffee, visits in their homes, and ministers to them when they are sick or in need. Such a minister creates meaningful worship services and honors regular fellowship times. He or she calls the church together for things other than money, becoming involved in activities such as church retreats and mission projects. A minister who is highly participatory, effective, and faithful in his or her calling will find a small church responsive to this dedication and will reap the rewards in church growth and sound financial stewardship.

At the time this article was written, Perry Bell was Associate Conference Minister for Mission and Stewardship, Wisconsin Conference of the United Church of Christ.