Many people look for a church that is BIG. Many times, the bigger the church the better some people like it. While I shall not get into the debate of whether or not a HUGE church is Scriptural, I will share some reasons why we believe a smaller church is better.
Many people want a church where they can "hide" when they attend. They want to hide so they are not called on to serve. They want to hide so they can blend in with a crowd. It’s easier to be a Christian in a large crowd where nobody knows you.
Some people like a huge church because they don’t want to be accountable. They don’t want to be accountable to attend. They don’t want to be accountable to give to the support of the church. They don’t want to be accountable for any sins they may practice in their life.
There are people who want a huge church because it does not make any demands on them. They are not required to do anything because very few, if any, people in authority know who they are. They are not called on to pray. They are not asked to testify. They are not asked to sing, teach, or anything else. They simply attend when they feel like it and skip when they feel like it. There are no demands that they be there.
One of the down sides to a huge church is that the pastor may not even know who you are. There are actual cases of members going to their pastor for help and him not even knowing they were members. He knew nothing about them even though they were his sheep and were active members.
One of my favorite verses in dealing with a church setting is 1 Corinthians 12:26 "And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it." That verse is impossible in a church environment where you do not even know the people sitting next to you.
I know not everybody agrees with the concept of a smaller church. I like a church where the people know me. They know my name. They know my family. They know enough about me to pray for me when I need it. They have taken the time to get to know the real me.
Yes, I am held accountable. That makes many people very uncomfortable. Does the church hold me (or you) any more accountable than God? Should the church hold you any less accountable than your employer? Many clubs and organizations hold their members accountable. Should the church settle for anything less?
Yes, a smaller church may make some demands of you. It expects you to love, honor, and obey God’s Word. It expects you to be faithful and will frequently check on you if you are absent because they do know you, love you and care about you.
Except for the first church in Jerusalem after Pentecost, almost every other reference to a church in the New Testament is found in some one’s home. Most homes would not accomodate the huge crowds found in many churches today.
If you want a huge church where they can have top notch, professional performers, where you can hide and not be held accountable, you probably won’t like our church. But if you want a church where every member is like family and where we watch out for each other and where we study the Bible and strive to practice it, then you just might want to visit us.
We believe a church should be small enough to fulfill Hebrews 10:24 "And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:" You simply cannot do this if you don’t even know each other.
