Go Big!

A few months ago, I was given a book, "Go Big!". This isn't really my type of book, as I'm not one of those pastors consumed with the idea of church growth at ridiculous exponential rates. But there were a couple of portions that really stood out to me; I shall relate them to you:


The Small-Church Comfort Factor
Pastoral Leadership Style
"With less than 200 people, the church grows by a relational connection to the pastor. Everyone is connected to the pastor and spouse. People come to the church because they love the pastor. That's a nice thing and it makes you feel good and important. But it also causes a problem. You will fall victim to feeling as if you should try to be everything to everyone - that is the beginning of the end."

"To break this barrier, the pastor has to focus on reaching out, spending more time outside the church with the unchurched than inside the church with the members."

"No one grows a church by sitting in his or her office."

"In a church with less than 200 people, the pastor can single-handedly bring in enough people to grow it past the 200 barrier."

"The pastor should focus on making phone calls to visitors every week, meeting with them, and building relationships with non-Christians."

"With less than 200 people, most of the growth is the result of the pastor's effort."

"What matters most is that you spend time doing whatever it takes to bring people to worship. The pastor needs to be constantly bringing people to church."