The Intimate Little Flock

[tyndale1946]

I grew up in a small family Old Line Baptist Church... It was a small congregation and we had a close intimate fellowship, with the Lord and each other... Though removed from this little congregation as the church has now closed it doors, I can look back with tear stained eyes and recall over the 50 years I was there, every member in it... There was such and intimacy and love in this little church, that I have seen lacking in others... Have some churches become so big they lose the congregation?... Have you become a member in your church or a number?... What is more important intimacy and fellowship or the size of the congregation?... There must be something to this subject as the Lord says fear not little flock for it is your Fathers good pleasure to give unto you the kingdom... Now I know I'm going hear some brother or preacher say now hold on brother, the Lord added 3,000 to the church in one day... But ask yourself this did all those that the Lord added stay to make up many one big churches?... If they did could also be said that the problems of the seven churches of Asia arose because they did and let all these errors and false doctrine get a foothold because many had forgotten their first love?... I hear some say well that maybe so but little churches have problems too... No doubt about it that maybe so, but I do believe that in smaller church, with the intimacy and fellowship, you look more to the Lord before you do... We all walk with feet of clay!... Your thoughts... Brother Glen

 

[Bible Thumpin n Gun Totin]

Hi Brother,

I also am a fan of smaller churches. The Church then gets the chance to function as an actual family. Just as if your family had 3000 people vs 100, you can't devote as much time to each person in a 3000:1 setting versus a 100:1 setting. As such the relationships with people are not as developed.

In my second year of college I got Saved. I went to a local IFB church of 250-300 people at the top of a ridge over in Jackson County, NC, deep in Appalachia. Those folks showed me such love and kindness that I'll never forget. One time I couldn't go home for Thanksgiving. A local widow and her daughter invited me to their family's thanksgiving in a double wide on the side of a hill. I'll never forget that. Them folks had hardly any money, the cars were rust buckets, but they let me share in their food. It was literally the parable of the poor woman with the 2 coins. Because of the small size of that Church I was able to develop a relationship with the Pastor, and many of the congregants. It WAS a family. I doubt I could have had as close of a relationship with 3000 people. Heck, I probably wouldn't recognize some of the people outside the Church if it was that big.

I was married in the Missionary Baptist Church that I go to when visiting kinfolks up in the High Country in Ashe County. That Church has only 17 people in it, but the relationships built there will last a lifetime. First time I went there was Pastor appreciation day and those folks let me share a meal with them even though they hardly knowed me. Had it been a Church of 3000 people, none of the congregants would ever remember me, and you wouldn't be able to have events like that potluck.

My current Church in the Piedmont has 100 people in it, and the small size lets me stay in the loop with how everyone is doing, who needs help, who is looking for something, who needs prayer requests, etc, just like a family does. I couldn't do that in a Church of 3000. I mean, heck, I could pray for Cousin XYZ in a big Church, but I wouldn't know who I was praying about.

So yes, I think small Churches lead to better relationships, and because of that lead to more Christ-likeness.

 

[tyndale1946]

You've felt it as a Pastor and I felt it as a member... Your recollections reminded of mine and the experiences we both had were priceless... To bad we can't go back to way churches use to be, and maybe there are some still like it, but very few... Thank you my brother for that beautiful post, maybe there are others on here who have had similar experiences... Brother Glen

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

Saint Francis instructed his people who walked the streets to always seek out small churches where you’d be a pilgrim and a stranger.

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

The closest I ever came to that Glen is a Sunday Alcholics Anom meeting in a delapodated building of an old monistary ... meeting run by a few iron workers and the Abbott, himself an alcoholic (we called him the drunk monk... lovingly of course). Funny but I find that kind of spirituality at the cancer treatment center. At both places they are treating the sick, the broken. That is when you are truly humbled. That’s my communion.