Mission Stations

by | Jun 14, 2019 | Blog

Mission Stations

To start our conversation, let me pose two questions:

What if the Church of God commissioned and released 5,000 missionaries to the USA/Canada to impact the population with the transformative Gospel of Jesus Christ?

What if the Church of God established 5,000 mission stations across the USA/Canada to serve as outposts of the Kingdom of God in a dark world?

This sounds like an excerpt of a “what if” strategy session with a focus on evangelizing North America. However, this is not a plan for the future, it is a current reality. According to 2016 reporting, the Church of God has 5,260 small churches (mission stations) in the USA/Canada. This means that we have 5,260 pastors (missionaries). However, we have a two-fold missional problem:

We do not see these 5,000 pastors as missionaries, and they do not see themselves as missionaries.

We do not see our 5,000 small churches as mission stations but as failed large churches.

The words of Jesus in Matthew 28:18-20 clearly defines our mission,

“And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age “Amen.”

The VITAL Initiative proposes that small churches must become mission stations led by missionary pastors. Our primary impetus must be mission not church. It seems we have become experts at having church, designing church, marketing church, and building the church, but building the church is not our mission. God has a mission and the church is a vehicle to accomplish His mission on the earth. This is our defining reality because mission changes everything! Swiss theologian Emil Brunner said it this way, “The church exists by mission as fire exists by burning.”

Rob Wegner, a more contemporary writer says, “The mission of God is the origin of every expression of ecclesiology, every understanding of how the church is structured and why it exists. Mission is the sweeping force that runs through everything we are and all that we do. The people of God have always existed because of the mission of God and for the mission of God.

The church, filled with the Spirit, is now sent to represent Jesus by taking his message and his ministry to the entire world. Today, the church is the primary means for God’s mission in the world. The local church was created and designed to be a “sent” organism, not a stationary fortress unwilling (or unable) to go anywhere.”

Small churches are prime candidates for becoming authentic mission stations. The 5,260 small churches in the Church of God would create a powerful mission force in the USA/Canada if mission is embraced and prioritized. Author Paul O. Madsen writes, “The small church has a place in the mission task that can be filled by no other group.” Brandon J. O’Brien in his book, The Strategically Small Church agrees, “The small church is a strategic organism with unique gifts for carrying out God’s mission on earth.” Looking through the lens of mission changes how the small church is viewed. The Church of God must realize and utilize the place and power of small churches in 21 st century Kingdom work.

What Do You Say?

SMALL CHURCHES ARE VITAL

by | May 8, 2019 | Blog

SMALL CHURCHES ARE VITAL

I believe in small churches! Small churches will play a major part in what God is doing in the world in the 21 st century. In fact, these churches have a place in God’s plan that can be filled by no other group. If the Church of God is going to accomplish the task that God has set before us, we must find a way to include small churches in the process, because we are a denomination of small churches. According to our 2018 statistics, we have 6,575 churches in the USA/Canada and 5,260 average less than 100 attendees in Sunday Morning Worship. That means 80% of Church of God congregations are small churches and 8 out of every 10 Church of God pastors serve a small church. The development and cultivation of a robust small church ministry effort is vitally important for our movement.

However, in today’s church culture small churches are struggling as never before. Many of the guaranteed church growth tools that have been prominently touted have not worked in the unique contexts of the small church and this has led to a misunderstanding and misrepresentation of small churches and pastors of small churches. Due to the lack of success in this arena, many pastors battle feelings of inadequacy and deal with esteem issues. Dr. Glenn Daman of Western Seminary explains it this way,

“The American culture measures everything by size; the bigger the better. This is true from houses to muscles, from candy bars to
corporations. This is even true of perception of churches. The larger the church the more recognition it receives and the more it is upheld
as the model of a successful church. Smaller churches can develop a sense of inferiority that results in low morale, especially if the church has had little or no growth.”

These churches are life-giving outposts of the Kingdom of God and provide a tangible place for people to meet Jesus. Whether it is a group of 30, 300, or 3,000 Jesus is there and the power of the Holy Spirit does not fluctuate according to the number of people in the room.

My friend Karl Vaters says, “Small is not a problem, an excuse, or a virtue!” and “Bigger fixes nothing!” Small is descriptive not prohibitive, however the small church does present unique challenges that must be overcome.

You can worship in a small church.

You can pray in a small church.

You can evangelize in a small church.

You can disciple in a small church.

You can fellowship in a small church.

You can serve in a small church.

Small churches are not failed large churches! Small churches are VITAL! Do not allow the size of the congregation to determine the worth and value of the ministry that occurs there. God knows where you are. Let’s close with two insightful quotes,

“The long-term future of the church in America is not with the churches that average in the thousands. Small clusters of people
bound together by a common commitment to Jesus Christ have been and shall be the lifeblood through the centuries of the Christian
movement.” (James W. Moss, Church Consultant)

“Small is strong. The 21st century is the century of small, strong congregations. More people will be drawn to small, strong congregations than any other kind of congregation. Small, strong congregations are where we are headed in the 21st century.” (Kennon
L. Callahan, Author and Church Consultant)

What Do You Say?