Karl Vatters has written several excellent books for pastors of small churches. I copied this practical article from his email.
Five Must-Haves For The Small Church
Sometimes, the things we should do seem so obvious they remain unspoken, so they become forgotten. Here are five of them.
There are so many demands on pastors and churches. And those demands seem to change regularly.
In this article, William Strickland (a great pastor and good friend) offers five must-haves that any church can and should be doing. These are sometimes overlooked, especially if you’ve been around the church for a long time, so they serve as a helpful reminder to all of us.
— Karl Vaters
I participate in many Facebook groups. I’m here to learn from others. I’m also present to help others when I can. Sometimes, a fellow minister just needs to ask some things out loud.
Recently, I read this question: “What are the small church
givens that should always be in place no matter the particular community or denomination but are not talked about as much because they are
given?”
The question called my mind to action. I interpreted “givens” to mean must-haves. And so, I thought I’d share my list of small church must-haves with my receptive kingdom-minded friends. They’re in no particular order.
1. Appearance Matters
The external appearance of your campus and buildings is a given to me.
It’s not necessary to have the newest or largest facilities, but you can always pursue neatness and cleanliness with excellence. Pretend that cleanliness is next to godliness. Go after the white glove award.
2. Friendliness Matters
Friendliness that first-time guests can easily sense is another given, and it costs nothing.
The people who are coming to your worship services need a friend. They already have enough people where the relationship is mutual tolerance.
Being friendly to the people you already know is not what I mean. I’m speaking about real hospitality or kindness to strangers. Without it, you won’t grow much — and
never in the ways that truly matter.
Since Jesus is a friend of sinners, it only makes good sense that His followers be friendly to them too.
3. Signage Matters
Indication signs that point to what door to enter and the service times are must-haves if you want new people in your services.
Recently, I’ve even found it necessary to have signage on the parking grounds. These indicate guest parking-spots and give directions to grass lots for use when the paved one is congested.
4. Your Website Matters
It’s a digital world. A church without a website is a church without a front door.
The average prospective guest wants to know about your church before they experience your service in person. Use that to your advantage and tell the story you want them to know.
Instill a confirmation bias that you are the church they’ve been looking for. A simple, no-frills
website geared toward outsiders is a must-have.
And please, make the service times and physical address prominent on the front page.
5. Your Pastor Matters
My last item on this list is such a
given that you might think it’s too obvious. Regardless of the community or the denomination, every church needs a pastor that cares.
This person understands the grace of God and flows in humility. Every church needs a God-called servant leader who moves among the congregation with compassion. This individual will preach the Gospel with their life and their words.
Adapted from an article that first appeared on The William Strickland Blog.
--Milan
