The Chapel Light - Aug./Sept. 2009

Just a few thoughts on handling the growth of our church…     The elders here at MVC have been praying about and discussing direction for a few years now. And as we’ve prayed and thought and discussed, some simple and basic ideas have bubbled to the surface. We know that the next step is to go to two services, but a number of folks have expressed displeasure with that option. Two services, they say, always creates two separate congregations, and it’s so hard to put them back together!     Yes, exactly.     So, if two services naturally forms two congregations, why not go with that flow, allow nature to take its course, and plan on constructing two congregations? This is the plan that I am suggesting we follow, the course that we begin to pursue. That course develops in four steps. First, we go to two services and I pastor both until we have enough income to hire an assistant pastor. Second, the new assistant and I share ministry to both services for a time. Third, we divide the services between the pastors. I take one and he takes the other and we solidify them as separate congregations, each with their own leadership. Finally, we move one of the congregations to a different location, planting a new church.     There are numerous advantages to this plan. Most importantly, it’s the plan the apostles followed. The Christian church grew and spread through the multiplication of smaller congregations. Additionally, smaller churches (under 500 people) are easier to manage with fewer staff. In smaller churches there are always plenty of niches in which to serve. Smaller churches require less overhead and can get by with the creative use of smaller facilities. Smaller churches make for more meaningful contact between people, and it is that “small” interaction that is the catalyst for spiritual growth in the lives of members.     Despite these things which I believe to be clear advantages, those to whom I have spoken seem skeptical of this course for the future. No one can quite put a finger on why they think it is a bad idea; people just seem to feel that it’s more desirable to keep the whole group together as one big and growing body.     I guess the upside of building yet a bigger building to house a bigger congregation is that we can maintain that comfortable feeling. But what really is the appeal of keeping such a large group together? Do you really have “more friends?” After all, most of us can’t interact meaningfully with more than five or six other families at a time. Our circles of REAL friends just aren’t that large. So what is the big advantage of going to church with 1,000 other people? Most large churches are working hard to create small groups so that people can have meaningful interaction and spiritual growth! Going further, consider some of the logistics for such a building project. If we go to two services, fill them and then plan on building, what size building will we need?  Two full services means 500 per service—so 1,000 people. And when you build you must build to accompany what you have AND to accommodate additional growth. So, if we plan to accommodate an eventual doubling of the congregation, we’d be building to house 2,000 people. Most of the local high school gymnasiums house half of that (or just slightly less). We are talking about a MONSTER of a building. And many of you have asked about building a Sunday school wing in addition to a new auditorium. Just understand that we are talking about tens of thousands of dollars in consulting costs before we even build—just to handle all of the variables of zoning and government regulation. And then we must maintain that big building, and run it weekly – with heat and air conditioning, etc., etc. And of course, such a large congregation would take additional staff. Are we that confident in the economy and the way things are going in America to believe THAT such a large step is wise at this time?     What is the real downside of starting a second congregation?     And what overwhelming upsides of an enormous church am I missing?