Viewpoints need to be challenged if congregational leaders are always talking about the past, the limitations of the present, and of doing things the way they've always been done. Realize that the church is God's. Here we grow in faith and seek to do God's will. Go to them in the name of Christ. Listen carefully to their hopes, needs, and interests, and you will make crucial connections.
Small churches learn the most effective way to work together.
Their pattern of life together may have been shaped by the customs of a specific time or place or by people who have served as leaders. The impression persons get during their first visit will encourage them to return . . . People are hungry for a life with meaning, purpose, and hope. They long to meet a God who loves them and invites them to discover and use their gifts to make a difference in their community. People involved in ministry in and through smaller congregations find purpose and meaning in opportunities to worship, study, and serve.