Our generation is mesmerized by mega churches. As I have had the privilege to be in churches of all sizes, the words of my mentor, Pastor Clarence Sexton, have become more meaningful: “The greatness of a church is not in its size, but in its likeness to Jesus Christ.”
“For who hath despised the day of small things?” (Zechariah 4:10)
A “widow’s mite” I keep to remind me of the Lord’s love for little things given to Him!
It seems that the Lord loves to use little things! Faith as a grain of mustard seed. The widow’s mite. A young boy’s lunch.
Christ compared His work in this world to “one pearl of great price” hidden in a field (Matthew 13:45-46). Not a large field – a little pearl.
He came to a small place on the map. “And thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting” (Micah 5:2). And again, “And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel” (Matthew 2:6).
Little, but not least.
The Savior’s heart was always for little ones. “But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 19:14).
Christ loves to use little things to accomplish big things! In so doing, He alone gets the glory.
This doesn’t mean that large churches cannot be used. It simply means that they are not being used because they are large. The measurement of a church is not in the math. The Lord Jesus Christ began with 11 men in the opening chapters of the book of Acts. That is a small church.
In a short period of time they were saying that these 11 men had “turned the world upside down” (Acts 17:6). By the time the book ends there are countless thousands!
The power of a small church, the power of a large church, the power of any church is in Who it belongs to! Not buildings, resources, or crowds. Christ alone.
Read through Acts chapters 1 and 2 again. Discover the secrets of a small church empowered by the Holy Spirit. A small church can change the world! If every member has truly met the risen Christ, and will wait before God in prayer, those few people can make a worldwide difference.
It is not the power that is in us, it is the power of Christ in us.
Whatever size church you are in, remember this: “It may be that the LORD will work for us: for there is no restraint to the LORD to save by many or by few” (1 Samuel 14:6).
Amen, its all about Jesus!
A much needed message to ALL THE CHURCHES TODAY!
A “small church” mentality is dangerous. Nothing is small if God is in it. Never use the word small and God together. He is a big God so we should have Big Dreams and strive to do Big things for HIM!
I appreciate your observations and agree that God always does big things! I do believe that He often uses small things to accomplish that end. In fact, it is through the small things that His greatness is seen. That is the emphasis of Scripture, “Who hath despised the day of small things?” Smallness is relative. God is bigger than all. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. God bless you!