Specialty, Not Penalty

A tweet by Thom Rainer led us to an important article related to this subject HERE.

SO worth reading if you haven't already seen it! 
(Just click on HERE above to read it for yourself.)


"Being a small church pastor isn’t my penalty for something I’ve done, or am doing wrong. 

It’s my specialty. My niche. And, since embracing it, 

it’s becoming an area of great joy and passion – even expertise,"

says the writer of this article, Karl Vaters

Now, here's an interesting sidelight!

Since  retiring from a small church pastorate 

and moving to a part-time position of Visitation Pastor in a larger congregation, 

I find it interesting that the larger congregation is re-naming

 its Sunday School classes as "Small Churches"!

Dr. Tim Keller Weighs In

Our journey since retiring from ministry in a small, rural church found us returning to one of the churches we visited earlier.  Sharing communion, singing gospel songs, and hearing testimonies of God's faithfulness brought joy to our spirits. 

This morning, the following excerpt from a post about ministry in small churches by Dr. Tim Keller caught our attention. 

Young pastors should not turn up their noses at such places, where they may learn the full spectrum of ministry tasks and skills as they will not in a large church. Nor should they go to small communities looking at them merely as stepping stones in a career. Why not? Your early ministry experience will only prepare you for 'bigger things,' if you don't aspire for anything bigger than investment in the lives of the people around you. Wherever you serve, put your roots down, become a member of the community and do your ministry with all your heart and might. If God opens the door to go somewhere else, fine and good. But don't go to such places looking at them only as training grounds for 'real ministry.'

Read more HERE!

"Planting" in Real Small Communities

Two examples of Real Small Church planting in Real Small Communities!  Check out the stories--

HERE

and

HERE 

Why not?

This is exciting stuff! 
And while we're at it:  here's a blog post  with  a great perspective
about pastoring small churches in small communities.
(The whole blog is worth a look!)

A Mid-Week Quotation

The pastoral itch to be where “the action is” should be resisted.  ~Eugene Peterson

Just saying....

I'm sure this is lifted from its context,

but it may be for SOMEone today.

I Love You, South Scipio

Early in my tenure at South Scipio United Brethren Church,  I implemented a practice that I observed at the church in which our son served on staff.  The senior pastor ended the service saying, "I love you, New Castle!" From the first time I said it until my retirement Sunday, I don't believe I missed a Sunday in the pulpit to communicate verbally what I sincerely felt. "I love you, South Scipio!" Imagine how surprised and blessed I was by the thoughtful inscription on the back of the stopwatch I received from this Real Small Church when I retired!

“Working for love is a curse. Working from love is a ministry.” ~Kris Valloton

Regardless of what you know or think about the late Dr. Jack Hyles, the first chapter of his book on building attendance in a church contained some valuable insight and suggestions.   The first two are these:  

1. Love Your People. Ask God to give you a heart full of love for the people you serve. This does not mean that you can always condone what they do. Many times a parent who loves his child will have to spank him hard, and the child may doubt the parent's love; however, behind the heart of a true parent there is a love that realizes it is best for the child to receive punishment for his errors. This is also true with a pastor. A pastor who scolds his people because he is tired of their sinning, is wrong. A pastor whose heart is broken because of the sins of his people, and scolds them for their own good, is right. Many evangelical ministers have failed in this respect because of the lack of a deep, abiding love for their people.
2. Be Expressive in Your Love for Your People. Some preachers carry a little pad around with them, and a pencil, and when they think of some member who has been a blessing to them, they jot the name down and later write the member a note or express appreciation personally to one who has been a blessing. Our people do much for us-they pray for us, overlook our faults, forget our mistakes and make us what we are. Let us express to them our love and appreciation.

See the other eight  (and equally wise) suggestions HERE (or get your hands on a copy of his book).

Tasks of One Real Small Church Pastor

When I  (Gary) informed our church board of my plans to retire, I prepared a list of the tasks I or my wife were responsible for during at least the last year of our ministry.  I hoped it would serve as a guide during the interim until a replacement was found. This exercise was an eye-opener for me.  I realized there were many things I might have delegated more effectively.  Some I had done because they NEEDED to be done and no one was available.  Some just seemed easier to do myself.  Some I picked up when the "ball was dropped".  Combined, they filled my days as pastor of a Real Small Church (60-70 in attendance). 

• Prepare, print & fold bulletins
• Prepare power points for Sunday services & special services
• Select music for worship
• Report songs to CCLI
• Contact singers re. songs for Sunday
• Order Sunday school material
• Select/contact adult Sunday school teachers
• Visitation - shut-ins and hospital
• Arrange/promote monthly Guys' Breakfast
• Make contacts for and assist with seasonal decorating as needed
• Shoveled walks in the winter
• Decisions re. cancellation when necessary
• Communication of announcements, from pulpit/newspaper, etc.
• Maintain church directory
• Sermon prep
• Prayer
• Initiate the "hard" conversations that are part of being a pastor
• Secure guest speakers, Gideon, etc.
• Pass donut signup list in adult Sunday school; notify people when it was their turn
• Pick up water for the water cooler
• Communicate prayer needs, announcements etc. during week via facebook, text, blog, etc.
• Change the church sign
• Purchase office supplies
• Arrange for equipment repairs
• Communicate with and encourage board members re responsibilities 
• Prepare pastor's report for monthly board meeting
• Youth group planning, contacts, leadership
• Youth Center representative
• Initiated and participated in a bi-weekly small group
• Maintain church mail boxes
• Maintain attendance records; sent out bulletins & notes o absentees
• Made annual reports to National office
• Emptied dehumidifiers daily
• Funerals  (including help setting up for dinners, communicating with Service Committee, etc.)
• Baby dedications
• Weddings
• Participated in a Cluster Group (fellow U.B. pastors) monthly
• Planning and carrying out special programs, holidays, etc.
• Communion - Purchased bread and juice.   Prepare and clean up.
• Mop up when roof leaked
• Writing thank you notes for services rendered
• Pulled weeds in flower beds when they got really bad. 
• Participated in community Lenten and Advent luncheons 
• Pick up, sort, distribute mail