On church size

I know that the focus of these discussions is on the length of the pastorate, but I want to say a word about the size of one's church.

I enjoy pastoring a smaller congregation. It's certainly not as small as when I came, but we have just over 200 members. Gone are the days of my youth when I envied those in large churches! Large churches -- for all their many benefits -- bring large problems! (Not that small churches don't have their share of large problems, just fewer of them, I suspect!)

I was reminded of this last night as I was driving home after visiting one of our families who are caring for a dying father and husband. "John" has been in ill health for some time and under hospice care at home for about a month. Most recently as he has declined significantly I have been able to see him and his family at least once a day and often two or even three times through the day. I can do that because I don't have 2,000 members to look after. Granted, if I did have that many I would also have additional staff to assist me, but I enjoy the face-to-face contact I am able to have with my sheep. The thought of passing that off to my Pastor of Visitation doesn't excite me!

I used to think that pastors of smaller churches were somehow inferior to those of larger churches. I now understand that we each have our unique gifts and places. Indeed, I suspect that many pastors of large churches would be as incapable of pastoring my church (and miserable being here) as I would be in their congregations.

Wanting what you have is so much more important than having what you want (or think) you want!