Being a Small Church in a Big Church City
Jacksonville has some big churches. Historically FBC Jacksonville as been one of the largest churches in the SBC. Celebration Church is a large non-denominational church and Christ’s Church, Chets Creek, and others have come along through the years. Currently, Eleven22 has been one of the fastest growing and now one of the largest churches in all of America and it seems to grow by leaps and bounds almost every year.
The point is, Jacksonville is a “big church” city and it has been for a long time. Knowing that as I took over as the pastor of Glendale Community Church (GCC), a church of about 40 people, I had not idea what the implications of having multiple large church options all around would be.
Let me preface this with a couple of things. First, I have no hidden agenda or secret issue with large churches. In fact, I love them and I am thankful for them. Second, I am not specifically trying to keep Glendale small nor do I think there is something inherently good or bad about small places of worship. Third, there are definite plusses and minuses for both large and small churches.
With those things stated, let me make a few observations about what it is like being a small church in a city full of large ones:
A small church’s mission has to be focused and understood. Most people who come into our area looking for a church will try out other churches first. We have to focus on reaching out to the lost in our community (which is a good thing) knowing that most people who just show up at a church will do so at a larger gathering.
Most Christians who are strong and established in their faith are already attending another congregation. Small churches like ours could be totally transformed by 2 or 3 families who already love Jesus but many of those families will never hear of or consider smaller churches.
GCC has one of the nicest, most family-like atmospheres of any church I have attended. One of the great things about a small church is knowing everyone really well, and this is something we want to keep no matter the size.
Most people, even people who drive past our church every single day, have no idea we exist. I teach at a school less than 1/4 of a mile away from the church and only 2 out of about 45 people who I have told about our church even knew we existed!
Our programs (ie youth, children, etc.) will not be the impetus for growth for GCC because other churches are lightyears ahead of us programatically. We can try our best to offer environments for people to grow in Christ in many different ways, but we will not have the same resources or programs as other churches close by, and that’s ok!
We have an incredible opportunity to serve a community directly behind us that is primarily unreached by any other church. As a smaller church we can be hyper-focused on this community in our backyard. It is a small community and we are the only church imbedded there which gives us a lot of potential to proclaim Jesus to them!
This is not a complaint blog at all! This is just a simple discussion about 6 of the many plusses and minuses of serving and pastoring a small church in a city like Jacksonville where multiple large and megachurches also exist.
The bottom line is that any church that preaches the Gospel, loves GOD, and attempts to make disciples of all nations is a church that we love and we are trying to figure out our place in Jacksonville as we attempt to see the city and the world know Christ!