Carolyn Tomlin
Several years ago, I heard friends speak of a small southern Baptist church that was still fighting the Civil War. Although the War ended in 1865, the wounds were still as fresh now as they were over 150 years ago.
The congregation was split between the North and South as some of their ancestors had fought on opposing sides. Those whose forefathers supported the North, sat on the right side of the auditorium. Those who favored the South, assembled on the left. When putting a committee together, the pastor had to know their loyalty. Opposing sides would never accomplish anything.
But something happened during a church fellowship meal with the congregation sitting around tables. Both the North and South group leaders began to talk. Laughter echoed across the room. Soon, they were telling stories that had been handed down in families from generations ago. When the meal was over and people started to leave, it was a different group. They realized they could disagree and still be agreeable.
Small churches have many opportunities to grow in Christian fellowship. And sharing a meal around a table is just one way of accepting that we have much more in common as believers than in our differences.
In the article “God Loves Small Churches” by Steve Holt, of the Tennessee Baptist Convention, states that the convention is primarily composed of smaller membership churches. Approximately 2,200 of the 3,000 TBC churches have fewer than 100 people in Sunday School and most of these are rural churches. Each one of these churches are important to our Heavenly Father. Each one has the potential to affect the community and missions around the world for Christ.
According to the Baptistrecord.org, 73% of SBC churches average less than 100 in the worship service; 46% have less than 50 for a typical service.
Pastor Randy Kellough, pastor of Woodland Baptist Church in Haywood County understands how small churches can be a beacon of light in the community. “Fellowship is vital to a healthy church,” says Kellough. “For example, our church can have pot-lunch meals or Wednesday evening suppers with little effort. Imagine trying to feed a church of several hundred — or even several thousand — a simple meal. It would be like trying to feed a football stadium filled with people.”
Kellough believes that in a small church, people can easily get to know each other. There is a sense of rapport which is a close or harmonious relationship in which the people or groups concerned understand each other’s feelings of ideas and communicate well.
Small churches rely on Sunday School classes and other groups as a way to bring new members in and help them become part of the larger membership of a church.
Like individual members, each church is different. Each church has its own personality. Larger churches can also plan similar activities, but the logistics often makes it challenging.
The following ideas are only a few of the ways small churches can reach out to the community in Christian fellowship.
- Connect with another small church for a short mission trip.
- Participate in Disaster Relief Teams when natural disasters occur.
- Build ramps for wheelchair bound individuals in your church area and community. Grants can pay for materials. All work is volunteer from members.
- Provide after-school tutoring. Back-ground checks for anyone working with children and youth. Grants can often pay a stipend for qualified teachers.
- Provide free music lessons for children and youth led by the minister of music or worship.
- Combine recipes from church members to give to visitors. Include a scripture verse.
- Gather together to sew small quilts or lap throws for Hospice patients in your community.
- Crochet baby blankets for new community babies.
- Supervise a monthly activity for teens and youth in the church gym or activity room. Encourage each person to bring a friend.
- Conduct a survey of your church area. How many people are not attending a church?
- Place your church weekly activities and worship service on Facebook and social media.
- Teach carpenter skills to teens and youth.
- Plan a wild game supper for men and boys.
- Encourage mentoring teens by matching a particular interest or skill.
- Plan short monthly trips on the church bus for senior adults. Fellowship at a local restaurant or special event in your area.
- Celebrate summer with an outdoor picnic.
- Observe major holidays with a church meal. Invite people in the community who do not attend a church on a regular basis.
- Rent a Christian movie to show in your activity area. Serve popcorn and soda.
- Teach children to be involved in missions by visiting a nursing home as a group.
- Create birthday cards for senior adults, provided by a children’s Sunday School class.
- Plan a fishing trip to a nearby lake or river. Cook the fish for First Responders as a way to say “Thank-You.”
- Involve adults and youth by teaching a skill such as writing, cooking, gardening, or another area.
- Provide a meal for your church family after a funeral.
- Plan a baby shower for a new adoption.
- Deliver a meal after a hospital stay — provided by a Sunday School class.
- Recognize military service men and women on Veterans Day. Children hand out small American flags and say “Thank you for your service.”
- Plan an annual Bible Drill for children during a Sunday night service.
- Volunteer to remove fallen limbs or simple home maintenance from homes of widows and seniors.
- Maintain church buildings and buses by church members skilled as an electrician, plumber, mechanic and other jobs as needed.
- Encourage attendance at Wednesday night prayer service and bring-a-dish supper.
- Organize a prayer walk around the outside of your community school.
- Train a group and have a security plan for your church.
- Plan for rainy days by having several large umbrellas on hand to help people, especially senior adults from their cars when attending services.
- Help people in wheelchairs and walkers to and from their cars before and after services. B&R — Tomlin, of Jackson, writes for numerous Christian publications. She also teaches the Jackson Christian Writers Fellowship. Email: tomlinm@bellsouth.net
