I believe the first, and possibly the greatest, mistake we, as church-going people make is to take for granted the effectiveness of the “small” church. Size is the unspoken measuring stick all churches use to see how they stack up to the “competition.” We hate to use that word - competition - but, oftentimes, the only reason we're taking a look at another congregation is because we want to do what they're doing ... just a little bit better. We want a few more members so we can mark ourselves as the more effective church - neglecting to realize that size has nothing to do with kingdom impact.
During my travels, I have been blessed to work with churches of differing sizes, styles, and denominations. I love to see how each church handles their own unique challenges. From stage layouts, pastoral preferences, and finances, no two churches are the same. Yet, as church staff, we find ourselves looking over the fence at what the church up the street is doing; many times becoming discouraged. The internet has intensified this by giving us the ability to see what churches across the country, and around the world, are doing. It's a hard place. I struggle with it more times than I'd like. Unfortunately, instead of playing to our strengths and embracing what makes our church unique - what our congregation loves about us - we pour money, time, and energy into trying to create something we're not.
We all do it, watching online services of other churches and searching stage design websites for inspiration. But how do we translate an idea that was implemented at a church of 1,000 when we only have 100 members? We have to first acknowledge what our capabilities are. Some churches are blessed with an extremely creative drama team, some with incredible musical talents, and others with dynamic preachers. But not all churches can provide all of these things, and that's OK.
One of the biggest hurdles small churches have to jump is the issue of manpower. The average small church's staff will most likely include the following pastors: senior, administrative, family ministry, and worship. The worship pastor in these churches has to wear many hats: leading the praise band, overseeing the production/tech ministry, directing the choir, and working with drama. With so much on their plate, effective programming may seem to slide, and suddenly a church service can sometimes feel like a vaudeville act.
I doubt you're doing much slapstick and pie throwing (granted I have thrown a pie at church), but you can quickly give your congregation content whiplash. I have seen many church services include elements that should never have been there. Usually they are things that one of the leaders found funny, or thought provoking that week. It very well may be an emotional piece, but at the end of the service there has been no common thread bringing it all together.
Every church, no matter the size, needs to have a “content gatekeeper;” a programming director that can say “No. We're not going to show the Taylor Swift goat video on Good Friday.”
This idea of a well-executed weekend service is really what we're longing for when we watch other churches. It's the small details, done well, that can have the biggest impact. But many times we don't know “how the sausage is made.” At my church we sometimes drive ourselves crazy rehearsing, but that craziness is completely worth it because the payoff is always so great. Practicing exactly how we want it done in the service ingrains the details into our brains, helping us pull off what seems to be an effortless service. I know that sounds elementary, and maybe too good to be true, but too often I see rehearsals being treated as a social time or approached with a lack of engagement. Rehearsing a service exactly as it should be executed on Sunday morning --- with transitions, announcements, and videos --- may seem trivial, but when we're tasked with creating an atmosphere for our congregation to worship in, the particulars matter. By perfecting each element ahead of time we can help prevent the distractions that cause disengagement.
My advice to all churches, big and small, is to still surf the internet for those stimulating ideas that can be adapted to inspire the heart of your church. Don't get stuck doubting your creativity or abilities. Know what your strengths are and play to them. I have sat in countless planning meetings where we spend hours working on new and creative ideas, only to walk away from them because we can't “pull it off.” Instead of altering the seemingly impossible ideas to accommodate what our teams (and budget) can handle and produce with quality, we think and discuss how cool said idea is until it finally gives way. I am not talking about the request for pyrotechnics that seems to be brought up at every meeting, but the simple things --- the things we are afraid of trying because they're new.
Take risks, be creative. The key is not to “wing it,” but to be intentional about each and every element that is put into a service. Ultimately, we aren't in ministry to give the church a great show, but to provide an atmosphere of worship that helps the congregation connect with Christ.
