Mission Mindedness

Making a church larger is not a worthy goal.  What's the point?  A church can be large for all the wrong reasons (and, of course, for all the right reasons).  An attractive, but unbiblical "gospel" and a dynamic leader can draw a crowd.  Having a small church is not a worthy goal either. Again, what's the point?  A church can be small for all the wrong reasons.  Some churches are small because they are inwardly focused on their own survival and well being.  If survival is our focus, we exist for ourselves.

In describing a particular mission-minded small church, Bickers says the people were "not doing this because they want their church to grow...Growth will be a byproduct of their willingness to be on mission with God" (p. 99).  This gets to the core of what "missional thinking and practice" is about.  It's not about survival or finding the "silver bullet" program that will make the church grow.  Missional thinking takes us first to our roots, finding answers to questions like: Who is God?  Who are we as God's people?  What is God doing in our particular community?  What is he doing in the world?  How does he want us to participate with him in his mission?  Rather than focusing inwardly on our own survival and carefully hoarding our resources, these questions take us to our core identity and lead us to an outwardly focused purpose.

My encouragement to leaders of small churches is to dig into these questions of our core identity and purpose.  Take seriously the deep questions Bickers asks in this chapter as an assessment of your church's current ministry.  Look at your current activities and honestly assess what they tell you about "Who are we here for?" and "Is what we're doing here really worth the life our our Lord?" (pp. 100-101).  These are penetrating and difficult questions and may lead to some "holy discontent" with your present situation - or they may result in some reassurance that you are on the right track.

Healthy small churches are not focused on themselves or on getting bigger as an end in itself.  "Healthy small churches will be on mission with God at home and around the world" (p. 103).  I pray you will find refreshment and renewed energy for ministry as you rekindle your understanding of the church as a missionary people of a missionary God, as you find that mission that God has placed before you as a small church, as you get at it at his invitation and in his strength and wisdom, and watch what God will do.