We think you can’t. We think you can’t.
Every little church knows the litany. It’s the Church’s own version of the The Little Engine That Could. It’s called The Little Church That Can’t.
- “You can’t afford a pastor.”
- “You are too small to fulfill your mission.”
Sometimes the two statements mean the same thing. At some point, affording a pastor becomes the mission.
The list grows.
- “The demographics don’t support ministry.”
- “Every church has a time to die.”
- Etcetera. Etcetera. Etcetera.
Small churches don’t get much help in overcoming objections, especially when their property and endowments are up for grabs. We forget that the biblical model of “church” always worked at overcoming objections far worse. Remember, it was actually illegal to be a Christian way back when and still the Church grew.
It’s not just the little churches that get trapped by this frame of mind. The whole church embraces it. The erroneous belief is that small churches need bigger entities to fulfill mission.
There may have been a day when this was true or at least more true than today. But the world is changing. It is time we all sit up and take notice.
This is good news for small churches. Small churches can play a huge role in the life of the church.
Here is 2×2’s most recent experience.
2x2virtualchurch.com was started two and one half years ago by Redeemer Lutheran Church in East Falls when our denomination locked us out of our property. About 18 months ago we began an online friendship with the Christian Church in Pakistan.
We were amazed that our friendship resulted in facilitating a meeting of Christians from Pakistan and Kenya earlier this year.
We were already in strong conversation when a Pakistani Church was bombed by terrorists in September 2013. We checked on our friends. They were not directly affected but they were close to those who were. They were in hiding behind locked doors.
As weeks passed, we heard firsthand accounts of the devastation and terror. We were sent photos of the prayer vigils. For the first time, the Pakistan Church asked for help.
How could a little shunned church like Redeemer respond?
We looked to see if the ELCA had a mechanism for help. (We never voted to leave the ELCA. They kicked us out.)
We found none in the companion synod system or on the Lutheran World Relief website. We heard no mention of the tragedy in Lutheran churches or in The Lutheran magazine.
The Pakistani Church told us their biggest need was winter clothing for the many orphans that resulted from the terrorist attack.
Redeemer had many children, but the persecution of our church has hurt our network among families with children that could donate clothing.
We mentioned the need on our virtual church website.
Readers in Michigan picked up the ball and ran. They said “Just call us 2×2 Michigan.”
They gathered three large boxes of clothing.
Then came the next hurdle. Shipping costs were $1500. We were all discouraged. But a 2×2 reader mentioned the need to a business associate that ships products all over the world. They offered to help.
So this week, only a month after the need was made known, 2×2 shipped boxes of children’s clothing to Christians in Pakistan.
That’s a place where it is even harder to be a Christian than East Falls!
The modern church will be built on the reliance of member networks more than denominational networks. This is a power waiting to be unleashed.
We think we can. We think we can. And we can! 2×2.
God is doing something new, indeed!