Yesterday my family and I were blessed to worship with a small church. We were among two dozen who gathered for worship with Halls Harbor Road Church of Christ (hhrcoc.com), a congregation of eight members. When it comes to churches, everyone defines “small” differently, but that meets most everyone’s definition. Being on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, the church is blessed by many vacationers, but those vacationers come and go on a weekly and seasonal basis.
Now let me tell you what was not small – our worship together. The singing was spirited, the prayers were God-centered, the Lord’s Supper was reflective, and the message by Colonel Pratt encouraged me to find strength and direction in God’s word. It also seems that the vision at Halls Harbor Road is not small. This summer they are hosting FEMA training nights so that they are prepared to serve the community if/when a natural disaster comes to the Outer Banks. The church obviously is not using their size as an excuse to restrain God’s work through them. Their faith in God, His word & His work are anything but small!
Being the church is not about size. Some want “their church” small because they are comfortable with small. Some mistakenly believe that a church’s sense of family or intimacy can only be experienced in small churches. Some tragically enjoy remaining culturally isolated and unwilling to take Jesus’ good news to the lost. This is a small church mindset not because of the church’s size, but because of people’s view of the church.
On the flipside, some seek big churches where they can get lost among the crowd and remain disconnected. That way no one can know too much about their lives or notice when they’re not present. Some like big churches for the programs they offer but refuse to give their own time and talents to the church’s efforts. This is a small church mindset not because of the church’s size, but because of people’s view of the church.
Being the church is certainly not about size. I have seen small churches with both small and big faith. I have seen big churches with both small and big faith. Numbers had nothing to do with faith. In Revelation 3:8, Jesus acknowledges to the church in Philadelphia that they “have but little power.” But He tells them, “I know your works,” and that was a very good thing for those struggling Christians. As a result, He “set before [them] an open door, which no one is able to shut.”
While the world might reward numbers, the Lord rewards faithfulness. If you have let church size influence your faith, open your eyes to see the Lord. After all, the church is about Him. When the church sees Him and shows Him to others, their faith will never be small.
On a final note, if you are ever in the Outer Banks area, encourage the Halls Harbor Road Church of Christ (hhrcoc.com) with your presence. Whether you find yourself out-of-town or in your hometown and tempted not to worship with a “small” church, just do it. After all, God remains God and Christ continues to live in his church, no matter the size of the church. You may find yourself surprised at how God can bless you and use you to bless others.
Now let me tell you what was not small – our worship together. The singing was spirited, the prayers were God-centered, the Lord’s Supper was reflective, and the message by Colonel Pratt encouraged me to find strength and direction in God’s word. It also seems that the vision at Halls Harbor Road is not small. This summer they are hosting FEMA training nights so that they are prepared to serve the community if/when a natural disaster comes to the Outer Banks. The church obviously is not using their size as an excuse to restrain God’s work through them. Their faith in God, His word & His work are anything but small!
Being the church is not about size. Some want “their church” small because they are comfortable with small. Some mistakenly believe that a church’s sense of family or intimacy can only be experienced in small churches. Some tragically enjoy remaining culturally isolated and unwilling to take Jesus’ good news to the lost. This is a small church mindset not because of the church’s size, but because of people’s view of the church.
On the flipside, some seek big churches where they can get lost among the crowd and remain disconnected. That way no one can know too much about their lives or notice when they’re not present. Some like big churches for the programs they offer but refuse to give their own time and talents to the church’s efforts. This is a small church mindset not because of the church’s size, but because of people’s view of the church.
Being the church is certainly not about size. I have seen small churches with both small and big faith. I have seen big churches with both small and big faith. Numbers had nothing to do with faith. In Revelation 3:8, Jesus acknowledges to the church in Philadelphia that they “have but little power.” But He tells them, “I know your works,” and that was a very good thing for those struggling Christians. As a result, He “set before [them] an open door, which no one is able to shut.”
While the world might reward numbers, the Lord rewards faithfulness. If you have let church size influence your faith, open your eyes to see the Lord. After all, the church is about Him. When the church sees Him and shows Him to others, their faith will never be small.
On a final note, if you are ever in the Outer Banks area, encourage the Halls Harbor Road Church of Christ (hhrcoc.com) with your presence. Whether you find yourself out-of-town or in your hometown and tempted not to worship with a “small” church, just do it. After all, God remains God and Christ continues to live in his church, no matter the size of the church. You may find yourself surprised at how God can bless you and use you to bless others.
RSS Feed