Big

Remember Tom Hanks growing up over night in the 80's movie, "Big?"

It was an awkward adjustment, to say the least. It's not easy to grow up overnight.

The same is true for churches. Rapid growth can make our heads spin, and leave us asking lots of questions, like, "hey, how big is too big, anyway?"

Good question. So, how big is too big…when it comes to churches?

In my years as a pastor (all the way back to 1997), I’ve from time-to-time seen good Christians furrow their brow with a worried expression and say, with total sincerity of heart, “I sure hope our church doesn’t get too big.”

I always wonder what that means.

I think it means, “I don’t want to feel like I don’t have a place here.” Or, “I don’t want to feel like nobody knows my name,” or, “I want to know everybody else’s name.” Or maybe it means, “I don’t want us to lose the stuff that makes us who we are.” Or, maybe it’s just an honest and legitimate way of saying, “change…and the unknown…scare me.”

Me too. Change, growth, the unknown…that’s scary stuff.

And besides, we all know how those “big churches” are. They’re cold. They’re shallow. They just treat people like numbers, and don’t help them make deep, life-changing connections. Right?

Mmm, maybe not. A new study, written about in today’s AJC says different. In reality, the “big churches” that surround us probably got big because somebody had a big vision for ministry, and a bunch of somebody’s got together and followed God’s call on their life to make it happen.

Churches grow because a community realizes that life changing things are happening in that place. Now, who are we to decide how many lives God might change through the things that happen in our church?

Usually, the “could we be getting too big?” question comes shortly after the first time that a long-time member walks into worship on a Sunday morning, only to have someone welcome them and ask if it’s their first time at the church.

No doubt, that’s a distasteful experience, even for the most mission and ministry-minded among us. It’s disconcerting to think that someone at your own church might not know that it’s “yours.”

Well, that’s the ironic thing about a church.

It’s not yours. Nor is it mine. It belongs to this guy named…Jesus.

The ironic thing about Jesus’ church is that when it’s fulfilling its mission the best, it can sometimes leave us the most uncertain and intimidated. We are called to “go into all the world and make disciples,” and there are just so many disciples to be made out there that we can’t possibly learn all their names.

They won’t all fit in our own small group. They’re gonna want different things than we want. They’re gonna use our stuff. They’re gonna make a mess. They’re gonna cost money. They’re gonna change the “family” dynamic.

What if “those people” take over?!

Why can’t things just stay the way they are, right?

Deep down, you know why.

There is no, “staying the same.” There is growth, and there is decline, but there is no “neutral.” It just simply doesn’t exist.

Now that’s a challenge, because I really like life just the way it is. Things are good, so why do I need to go wondering if God might have an “even better” out there around the corner?

That’s the question we all need to ask…and I believe that God will help us find the answer. If you love your church, or anything that’s good in your life, you’ve got to share it. It’s got to grow…or it will one day go away.

That’s God’s plan for the world that he’s made. And it’s a good one. May we grow together, one step at a time, one day at a time, in the way and love of Jesus Christ.

Grace & Peace,

Adam

LIFE AT SOTH:

Thanks to everyone from the Congregational Nurture team for a wonderful Valentine’s Day dinner last night at the church, and to our youth for the wonderful service they provided. It was a great time for everybody.

Don’t forget “Seismic Shifts,” where we’ll be studying chapters 4, 5 and 6 this Thursday night at 7pm at the church.

Also, Sunday evening at 4:00, “The Barbarian Way,” a truly wonderful book, hosted by Tim and Ellie Potate at their home.

Worship this Sunday at 8:30 and 10:00; “Turn it Over: Talents.” Our fifth installment in the series will look at all the ways we can share the gifts and abilities that God has given us.