Why I Don’t Hate “Big Church” Anymore
All right—truth be told, I never really hated big church. But I was always a little suspicious. I mean, after all, could a big church really “do community”? Not likely, I thought.
Prior to my time at Harvest, I served on staff at a smaller church in Fremont, Nebraska.A great church in so many ways. We had an average attendance of around 250 people, and I still think back with fondness to the fellowship and relationships I had there. In many respects, it felt like one big rocking-chair-on-the-front-porch-after-church-pot-luck sort of thing. It probably wasn’t that idealistic, but that’s how I remember it anyway. Regardless, great memories to be sure.
So when my wife and I moved back to Chicago, we were skeptical about attending a large church like Harvest. We tried a smaller church in the area, but for a variety of reasons we decided to give Harvest a try. Early on we joined a home group, got connected with a great group of friends, and immediately felt like we belonged.
Now I can’t speak for every large church in America. Nor can I even speak for every person whose tried to plug in at Harvest. But having been at Harvest as a lay person, and now as a staff member, I can say that community is one of the things we do pretty well. In fact, the depth of relational interaction my wife and I encountered through Harvest’s small group ministry matched—perhaps even exceeded—that of our smaller church in Nebraska.
On the surface, one might think that a smaller church would more naturally lead to relational connectedness. But I’ve since come to realize that intentionality—more than anything else—is the key to robust community. At Harvest we don’t just hope a sense of community develops—we plan for it. And our small group ministry is the backbone of that plan. Small groups aren’t just another ministry at Harvest. Everything Harvest does is some form of a small group. Our Men’s Ministry, Women’s Ministry, Student Ministry, Recovery Ministry, Sports Ministry, etc., etc., are all built around the small group model. To participate in a ministry at Harvest is ultimately to participate in a small group. And to participate in a small group is to participate in the lives of fellow believers. As James has remarked on more than one occasion, “Everything at Harvest is a trick to get you into a small group.” Indeed.
Our small groups at Harvest begin with a time of study, which is followed by a “break-out” time where the men and women separate for accountability and prayer. Let me tell you, a lot of really serious business gets taken care of during these break-out times. Nothing brings people together like walking alongside one another in the midst of our common struggle to live in a way that honors our Lord. And community care also takes place via our small group ministry. Just yesterday I learned of a young couple in our church (not in a small group) going through a very difficult time. The wife lost her baby (would have been their first) on Monday due to a viral infection, and she is now in critical condition herself. I sent an e-mail to four of my small groups that live in their area and within hours we had a team of people mobilized to pray, bring meals, send cards and visit as needed.
In some ways, I think a smaller church can be lulled into a false sense of security when it comes to community. Just because you know everyone’s name doesn’t mean you know what’s really going on in their lives. Biblical community doesn’t just happen on its own, regardless of size. It takes intentionality, and a gracious “pressing into” of those around you. To be sure, this can happen outside the context of a formal small group ministry. I’m not saying Harvest’s way is the only way. But I do know that a church can’t just go with the flow in this area. As with all things vital to the Christian life, the flow of our world isn’t going the right direction.
I’m neutral on whether a church should be big or small; it should be no more or less than what God is blessing. But I do believe that every church, regardless of size, needs to be intentional about creating a context for meaningful connectedness. And I’ve experienced the reality that a big church—just as much as a smaller church—is capable of providing such a context.
Categorized as: Church, From Gerald, Ministry
