The small church is a lay run ministry where the people retain the power and authority for operating the church. In constrast to the larger church where the decision making process is top down, in the smaller church the congregation demands the right to be involved in the decisions that are made. Consequently, it is crucial for renewal for the congregation to be involved in the whole process. Without their involvement they will not gain ownership to the renewal, and without ownership there will not be any commitment or willingness to sacrifice their time and resources to bring about renewal. Central to involvement remains clear communication.
Communication is more than sharing what is being done and what needs to be done.
It involves constant listening. To gain the trust and commitment of the people, the leadership needs to carefully listen to what the people are thinking. It involves gaining their ideas and input from the very beginning of the renewal process, not only on what they would like to see happen, but what would be the best method to achieve it. When people feel that they have been heard and their contribution valued, they will develop trust for the leadership and a strong sense of identity with the ministry. When that happens then they will devote their time and energy to the task.