In my years of ministry I have planted a church and currently pastor a church where I am about to celebrate 19 years of ministry. Both are “small.” 

Here is the dynamic of a small church I am grateful for as I reflect on ministry: You don’t need huge numbers to develop great people.

We planted the church in my hometown almost 30 years ago. In 3.5 years of ministry there, we had 2 people go from there into ministry. We also had a strong elder team that didn’t have to go find an interim pastor while they took their time selecting the next pastor. That was out of a core of about 25 people.

This current place of ministry is fulfilling as well. This year will be our fourth straight year of having someone from our church get ministry credentials in our denomination.

The most important point for me in that number: they are all women.

We’ve had others come through our church who are on the mission field in the hardest places of the world. Others recently have gone from our church to help in other churches and bless churches far bigger than our place.

This from a church that runs out of a coffee shop and doesn’t average “high” numbers.

Develop ministers. I used to say “leaders.” I’m trying to get past that. Develop ministers. No matter the size of your church, invest in people and show them they are able to do amazing things for the Kingdom.