smallchurchtools.com

  The most effective mission strategy that could possibly be adopted for this new century is the multiplication of small churches.  Americans have been taught that bigger is better.  A super size burger must be better than a regular size.  A mega church should be the goal of a missions minded church planter.

  But the facts beg to differ.  The majority of churches in this country run fewer than 100 people in attendance.  People as a whole apparently prefer a small church.  This is obviously a generalization, but one based on observable data.  If this is true, then it makes sense that if we want to reach this country for Jesus, the best way to do so is to plant many small churches.

  Of course some of these congregations will grow to large and even mega churches.  Well and good.  But instead of being hung up on this to the point that it becomes our goal, we should instead focus on planting more small churches.

  Think of the possibilities.  There are currently around 144,000 small churches in the United States.  If we started only a tenth of that number (14,000) and each of these congregations grew to only about 50, that would be 700,000 people reached for the Lord.  Wow!  What if we were able to plant half as many (72,000)?  That would be over 3.5 million people touched for Jesus!  The possibilities are astounding.

  Too many people are hung up on planting churches according to a model that will help them grow to become big.  Let’s not bypass those opportunities, but if we really want to be effective; if we really want to be good stewards of the resources we have, then the strategy is clear—plant many small churches.