I have had the privilege of serving as pastor of churches of all sizes, from 50 to 3,000 in attendance. There are certain numerical trigger points where a pastor and church leaders must make a change in the way they lead the church. If these changes are not made, often the church will hit a ceiling and never go any further.
When a church runs less than 100 in attendance, as the vast majority of our churches do, then the pastor must pull the greatest weight in leading the church. He will recruit the Sunday School leaders. He will be the main person who visits not only members in need but visitors who come to church. At times I even cut the grass and vacuumed the sanctuary.
When a church moves from 100 to 300 in attendance, the church is able to begin to start hiring others for staff positions. Often this is little more than a part time youth minister, worship leader or secretary. Since the church has grown, the pastor works in real partnership with lay leaders to see the ministry go forward. There are now more people and needs in the church than one person can manage.
During the years when the church grows from 300 to 800 in attendance, the church is usually able to begin hiring other full-time ministerial staff. Many pastors never learn how to entrust their staff with the work. If a pastor needs to be hands-on the way he has been in the past, then the 300-level will become a ceiling that they never seem to grow beyond. This partnership between ministers and lay leadership begins to move more toward staff leadership in directing the church as the church nears 800.
Once a church reaches 800 in attendance, the church needs to allow the ministerial staff to lead the church with the lay leadership serving as “the multitude of counselors” that proves as a check and balance (Proverbs 11:14). The church cannot move forward unless its lay people learn to trust the staff to set the vision and lead the church with their lay feedback.
When a larger church begins to consider replacing a pastor, as a former pastor moves on or retires, it is normally wise for them to look among potential pastors who have led similarly sized congregations, either as senior pastors or staff. I found it to be a difficult transition going from a church that was operating in the 100-300 range then finding myself serving a church that ran more than 800 with a large ministerial staff to lead.
We need pastors who will serve and love our smaller churches! One of the greatest joys is to grow along with a church. May God help us all stretch and change as the situations in our churches change.
(EDITOR’S NOTE – Steve Scoggins is pastor at First Baptist Church in Hendersonville and immediate past president of the state convention.)