Tenacious CHurch: In defense of small COngregations

Tenacious Church: In defense of small congregations
A number of years ago I was invited to start teaching in our local formation school called the Kansas School for Ministry that would later become the Bishop Kemper School for Ministry or BKSM for short. This school has evolved over time and become one of the bright spots in the Episcopal Church in terms of innovation and support of cutting edge rural ministry. The work is primarily geared toward raising up lay and ordained leaders that will either be working for no compensation or part-time compensation in our rural and suburban congregations. The students currently come from four dioceses; Kansas, Nebraska and Western Missouri.  My small part in this effort is to teach the parish administration/ congregational development class. 


Looking back I’ve taught about 40 people who are mostly now serving in congregations. They range in professions from retired police to professors to doctors, construction workers, farmers, teachers, and stay at home parents. One thing that I have noticed through the work they have given me in their papers is the TENACITY of our local congregations. 

A number of years ago there was a comic band called Tenacious D. I loved their music and spirit. The most famous of the duo was Jack Black who has gone on to some fame. Basically, the band is just two guys who love music. They both play guitar and sing with incredible intensity. They are a marvel to watch and absolutely hilarious. Part of what I love about this is the sharpness of their playing and a willingness to copy and modify other people’s music to make it their own! The history of their name is the tenacious spirit of wanting to be epic rock stars. Though they are small and low budget they can rock with the best of them. 

In my own experience our small congregations are just as tenacious and desiring of the ministry that is entrusted to them. Yes they have limited resources and people. However, they are doing some incredible work. Just last week I filled in at one of these congregations by presiding and preaching at a funeral for a long time member. I knew Ken from my time working with his church in Coffeyville as their stewardship consultant. During that time I helped their long time rector who was retiring and a newly ordained graduate of BKSM who was taking over. This church has had a great history and ministry, but as with many rural areas they find themselves in the midst of a declining demographic and economy.

When I arrived for the funeral I was met with a myriad of people getting everything ready. The church would be packed with friends and neighbors. Even though they don’t have a priest currently; the bulletin was ready, the coffee hot, the church clean and they were ready to minister to their community. I had a full team of acolytes and altar servers and the congregation participated with gusto and energy.  Looking around you could see their ministries that are still very active. The spirit was strong in that place. They desperately want clergy leadership and I’m sure with patience that will be coming (surely the Spirit will provide?). 

One of the exercises I have the students do in the class is to tell the story of their congregation through an administrative lens. They are to describe what is going on or not,  who is in charge, how things are handled and what issues they see. The papers are insightful and tell and wide range of stories of our rural and smaller congregations. One thing is clear: they are thriving in their own way with gusto and tenacity. However, there is real frustration as they desire to be much more than they are. 

Some are resting on memories of when the church was able to more fully support itself. Some are still recovering from a lack of attention and resources from the diocese and other area churches.  Some are trying to find new and innovated ways of being the church more fully in their local context. 

It is always inspiring to hear the stories and see the hard work that is happening. It reminds me of a revelation I had a number of years ago about what I imagined the early church to be. I’m not sure why, but I thought that the churches that Paul writes to where somehow large and foreboding mega churches. Well, maybe not that big. I was surprised when I uncovered in scholarship that the prevailing thought was they were communities of 25-50 people. Just like that church in Coffeyville and so many others around the nation. It is hard to imagine that the billions of Christians in the world today exists because of a small handful of faithful people tenaciously doing God’s work. 

So from the what I have learned from the students i’ve had the honor to teach and my own experience in the rural churches there are some things I would suggest need to be at the center.

• Be tenacious and unapologetic about the ministry God is calling you too. God doesn’t care about size as much as God cares about the love you show.
• Set expectations that are accurate for the context you are in. Just because there are other churches that are larger and seem better- you are no less empowered by God to do the  work you are called to do. Be real! Celebrate your success and learn from the failures. 
• Be willing to let go of the false notion of how much better the past seemed to be. It probably wasn’t as great as you imagine now. Be willing to move into the future and be open to where God is calling your community to go. 
• Have expectations of the miraculous in what you are caring out on behalf of Jesus. His disciples and followers were not the expected leaders of the age, yet they changed the world by taking his love and message to our broken world. 
• Realize that the Body of Christ is people and not buildings. Buildings, no matter how beautiful or historic, are temporal tools for ministry not the means not the end. Ultimately it is in the breaking of the bread and continued fellowship that we know God through Christ. And you can do that anywhere that 2 or 3 people are gathered. 
• Know ultimately that God loves you and whatever your gifts you are God’s minister. ​