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If your small church has a big vision, there’s no reason to wait on growth to embrace what God has for you. If your small church doesn’t have a vision for a big impact, it’s time to think bigger. Keep reading to learn:

  • Why you don’t need to grow in church membership to have an incredible impact in the Kingdom of God.
  • How becoming part of your community is an essential step for every church body.
  • Biblical truth about ministry success when you’re disappointed by your numbers.

Where Do We Start? 

When it comes to making an impact, it’s hard to find the right place to start or even the best way to do it. I often question how to choose one need out of a million others. Understandably, it’s hard to narrow it down. However, it’s important to remember that we are not called to serve everyone and fix every issue in our broken communities.

We’re living in a broken world which is why Jesus came in the first place, to restore, redeem, and reconcile us back to God. This doesn’t mean we should stop finding different ways of helping our communities. This just means that our work will look a little different. Our goal shouldn’t be to solve every problem because that’s unrealistic. Our goal should be to make a bigger impact than we are now. Continue to strive to do better and help where we can by using our unique strengths. 

I encourage you to identify the social issues in your community in which we are called to serve, and ask the important questions! This goes beyond community outreach, this is community involvement. These needs will vary depending on where you are because each community is different, but ask yourself how you can better serve these people, best show them the love of Christ, and solve these issues with a biblical Kingdom mindset. 

Big Impact In Small Spaces

Large churches aren’t automatically successful What I mean by this is that just because there are larger churches, it doesn’t mean they are inherently making a big impact. This also means you can make a huge impact even if you have smaller congregations.

One of the most important things to remember is that God is actively at work everywhere. He is in the small groups of people trying to evoke change. He is walking with the smaller churches.

You don’t need a big congregation to have a big impact. Your church size doesn’t matter. God can take something small and do big things! 

Something I want you to remember is that we are called to shepherd, and if God has given you 10 sheep, then shepherd the 10 sheep. We may question why there are so few or beg God for more people to come to our church, but remember that God has a plan. Do the work of ministry, and leave the rest up to Him.

How To Identify The Needs In Your Community

As a church, our responsibility is to live out our faith in the community. The best thing we can do is step outside of our church. Engage in the community, meet people, and connect with them. Go to a local coffee shop or wherever others gather, and find out what’s happening in the community. It’s simplified for us in Jesus’ teaching. He says that by the love you show one another, the secular world and those outside the church will know you’re my disciple. So make it simple. 

You don’t need to barge in and solve all the problems you think they need help with. Simply be in community with those around you. Meet new people. Listen to what they have to say. Be attentive. Be compassionate. We don’t always have to be focused on an outcome. Sometimes, the biggest impact can be made by simply being there and listening. 

This isn’t about going, figuring out a need in the community, and fixing it. It’s about getting connected in your community. This is where a significant impact can be made. Rather than thinking “Let’s go and win the world to Jesus,” maybe we should start mirroring what Jesus did. Be with people, listen to them, love them, and if there’s a need that you can meet, meet it! This is a great way to be intentional without having a specific outcome in mind.

Connect With Your Local Community

It is such a blessing to be part of small congregations. Small churches are uniquely positioned in the community. We have the opportunity to make an impact in such a big way, by simply being there. Start getting connected in your community! Go to community events, meet people, and take part in community programs.

By truly listening to your community, not only will you figure out their specific needs and how to best help, but you will also be able to create long-lasting relationships with the people around you. The big impact comes from making sure that others don’t feel alone, loving these people the way you are loved, and simply learning.

Learn about the community you’re in. Understand its strengths and weaknesses. When you do this, you’ll open up other opportunities to make more of an impact.

Read More:

Small Church Committees Can Make An Impact

3 Creative School Outreach Ideas To Help In Your Community

Dinners For Six: Build Deeper Community In Your Small Church