Different size churches serve different functions. And they face different challenges.

Here are 5 mistakes that are more likely to be made by small churches than by big ones. The smaller, the more susceptible they are.

Holding On To Stale Traditions

Some traditions strengthen a church. some weaken a church.

And some traditions that used to strengthen will eventually weaken us if we hold onto them past their sell-by date.

Some churches need to ask themselves a very serious question. Namely, ‘what’s more important to us? Holding onto traditions that are killing our church, or letting go of some traditions to save the church?

Poor, Or Nonexistent Planning

Not long ago, I was chatting with a pastor of a dying church. He was excited about his plans to revitalize it, so I asked him to send me an outline of those plans. What did he send me? A six-month calendar of committee meetings!

Having more meetings is a poor substitute for having a plan. Healthy churches will prioritize outcomes.

A plan includes a roadmap for how to get from where you are now to a better, more desirable future. Certainly that plan will change as circumstances change, so the ability to adapt and change needs to be built into the plan. But, to repeat the old cliche, those who fail to plan, plan to fail.

Not Enough Assessment Or Evaluation

After Jesus sent out the 72, He gathered them together and asked how their mission went. The He told them how to evaluate their effectiveness. (Luke 10)

Every time we do any ministry, we need to gather the leadership to assess;

What went right

What went wrong

Why it went right or wrong

What we can do to improve it the next time

Too Much Inward Focus

Many dying churches are doing so because of so many years of obvious, intense conflict.

If we aren’t willing to listen and adapt our methods (but not our core theology, of course) based on the changing needs of the community around us, we will be seen as increasingly cold, distant and irrelevant to them.

No, the church must never abandon the saints who built and support it, but if all we’re doing is a holy huddle, we’ve stopped being a light in the darkness.

Depending On The Pastor Instead Of Making Disciples

No church can survive if its ministry doesn’t grow beyond the capacity of the pastor. We need to expand our ministry base by equipping and involving everyone.

Numerical growth is not the goal. Health is. Sometimes that health will produce numerical growth, sometimes not.