YOU WON’T BE INVITED TO DINNER BY A DENOMINATIONAL EXECUTIVE.
Maybe I should say it this way, “Your wisdom on church life will never be sought.” Why? Because you pastor a small church. And, if you pastor a small church you have automatically disqualified yourself. The big church, megachurch, market-driven, money-centered machine has decided you’re not chic enough. So, if you seek to climb the success ladder the small congregation is not the place for you. Be warned.
If you write a book on the small church it will never be purchased by the denomination and mailed out to all the pastors. The mail-outs, and I know you get them too, seems to be such obvious pandering. It smells of a party spirit. When will we receive that “free” book that hails the wonderful advantages of a small church and encourages the small church pastor?
If you attend a denominational conference, any denominational conference, get ready to be talked down to if you are a small church pastor. You will be forced to listen to the latest success story delivered by a hip, millennial church planter. When will we be treated to the wisdom of the man who gave his life serving a small church for 40 years? He has far more to say to a pastor’s conference than what is presently on the menu.
No. You will be ignored by your denomination’s leadership. But, honestly, that’s ok. The advantages of pastoring a small congregation outweigh all the dinner’s you could ever be invited to.
The Bible Bistro 