Is Bigger Always Better? Rethinking Church Growth and Structure

Is bigger always better when it comes to church growth? Join me, Todd Rhodes, as we challenge conventional wisdom and explore this intriguing question on the latest Healthy Church Staff Podcast. With insights from Warren Cole Smith's article on Bethel Church, we critically examine the traditional markers of success, such as larger congregations and hefty budgets, and consider whether they might actually impede genuine spiritual growth and accountability. Questioning whether megachurches can facilitate deep relationships and discipleship, we assess the role of church size and structure in nurturing spiritual communities.

The conversation takes an introspective turn as we evaluate how churches, regardless of size, measure success and prioritize spiritual formation over mere numbers. We ponder if our church structures truly foster healthy relationships and accountability, or if they reinforce a culture of consumerism rather than discipleship. Furthermore, we discuss the need to ensure that the voices of the marginalized and vulnerable are heard. Through this exploration, we challenge the notion that bigger is always better, urging a thoughtful reflection on what truly constitutes a healthy church community.

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Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:08

is bigger always better. Let's rethink some of our church growth and structure strategies today. On today's edition of the healthy church staff podcast, again we're going to tackle a question that's been debated for decades is bigger always better when it comes to church? I'm Todd Rhodes, your host here on the Healthy Church Staff Podcast, also one of the co-founders over at chemistrystaffcom. Now we often equate, if we're honest, kind of church growth and success. You know, more members, bigger budgets, larger facilities these are often seen as signs of God's blessing. But let me challenge that today. What if bigger isn't always better? What if there's a point where size becomes a hindrance rather than a help? That's the question that Warren Cole Smith explored in a recent Ministry Watch article about Bethel Church out in California. You know, many of us know about Bethel. It's a megachurch with a global reach. It's known for its worship music and it's a charismatic ministry. And even if Bethel isn't in your tribe which they're not in my tribe, to be honest but there are some things that we can learn.

Speaker 1: 1:23

And Warren Cole Smith raises some concerns about the church's size and organizational structure and suggesting that it actually could be hindering genuine spiritual growth and accountability. And he points to the potential abuse of power and lack of transparency and a focus on outward appearances rather than inward transformation. And he questions whether megachurches can truly foster deep relationships and discipleship in the same way that smaller churches can. And I want to come right out here and be really honest. I don't agree with Warren Coalsmith here. I don't think that church size can, as any other thing can, but I don't think that church size alone sets any church up for abuse of power or lack of transparency. There are small churches, very small churches, that have very abusive leadership and abusive powers. There are very small churches and very large churches that lack transparency. There are small churches and large churches that have a focus on outward appearances rather than inward transformation. So I don't particularly agree with him that larger churches. I don't have the presupposition that megachurches are evil or that they don't do some things well. Some megachurches do discipleship incredibly well, much better than small churches do. Some small churches do things incredibly better than large churches. There are great small and large churches. There are horrible small and large churches, and large churches there are great. There are horrible small and large churches. But I do think that Smith does ask some really important questions, regardless of whether you serve a large church or a small church?

Speaker 1: 3:16

And the first question is how are we measuring success? I mean, are we focused on numbers and outward growth or are we prioritizing spiritual formation and discipleship? So it's the whole external-internal thing right? I am a both-and guy. I think you have to. If you're going to measure numbers and I think you should, because numbers are important we shouldn't measure both outward growth and inward growth. We should measure how many new people we're reaching for Jesus. We should measure how many people we are discipling and walking and helping them take their next steps. So how are we measuring success?

Speaker 1: 3:53

Second of all, are our structures promoting healthy relationships and accountability? And again, for large churches and small churches, our structure can create barriers to intimacy and transparency, no matter your church size. What's your structure like? Does it help promote healthy relationships and accountability across the board? Third thing are we creating a culture of consumerism or discipleship? Are we catering to people's felt needs or challenging them to grow in their faith?

Speaker 1: 4:25

Again, I want to push back here a little bit. You can do this in a small group. You can do this in a large church. Are you creating a culture of consumerism in a large church and there are some larger churches, megachurches, that have a bent toward the extravagance and the consumerism, but there are also small churches that do this as well, that are more interested in kind of building their own kingdom than in discipleship. And then, fourthly, are we prioritizing the voices of the marginalized and the vulnerable? And again, large church, small church issue, it's both. Are we silencing dissent and maintaining the status quo? That happens in large churches, but let me tell you it also happens in small churches. So here's the bottom line Bigger isn't always better. We need to be intentional about evaluating our church's size and structure, no matter what size you are, and ensure that it's promoting genuine spiritual growth and healthy relationships and authentic community.

Speaker 1: 5:31

I'm a both-and guy. I think there needs to be small churches. Some people thrive in small churches, other people thrive in larger churches thrive in small churches, other people thrive in larger churches. And wherever God has placed you, it doesn't mean that you're better than anybody else and it doesn't mean hear me here it doesn't mean that you're lesser than anybody else If you're the pastor of a church of a hundred or the pastor of a church of 5,000. God has uniquely gifted you and called you right where you are and the person that has a church that's larger than yours is not better than you and the person that has a church that's smaller than you don't you dare look down on them, because God has called them where they are as well.

Speaker 1: 6:18

Push back if you don't like what I said today or if you have any questions about what I said. I'd love you know, be nice, but I'd love to hear from you. You can contact me anytime. Podcast at chemistrystaffingcom. And you know kind of the area that I work most with churches is in healthy church staff culture and in helping churches and staff members find a really great fit where they can serve for the next five years or more.

Speaker 1: 6:45

If your church is hiring staff or if you are looking for a new church position, reach out to me podcastchemistrystaffingcom. I'd love to talk with you and see if there's a way that we can partner together and work together to network and find that next staff member or that next church for you. Reach out to me. Podcast at chemistrystaffingcom. All right, that's enough for commercial. I hope you will join us again tomorrow right here on the Healthy Church Staff Podcast. If you haven't already subscribed, hit the subscribe button and we will tell you every weekday. Every weekday Monday through Friday. We will tell you when we have a new episode ready to go. All right, thanks so much. Have a great day. We'll talk to you tomorrow.