Note:  This is part of a series that started with the March 28 post.

Small congregations are like Trader Joe’s—they have all of the basics:  bread, milk, fruit, but there’s not a huge selection. They’re not going for huge; they’re going for specialties… things you can’t get anywhere else. They often have specialty brands or flavors or styles that people really like. Trader Joe’s customers are often extremely loyal. But they know better than to go in with a huge grocery list and expect them to have everything. That’s not the kind of store this is.

Likewise, small churches can be great. Often they have good pastoral care, the people feel known and supported, there’s a sense of belonging. The people are loyal and often stay at the church for a long time. Small churches are statistically more likely to be healthy than larger churches. Yet people don’t go into a small congregation expecting a great band and a huge children’s program. It’s not that kind of church.