{"id":31668,"date":"2020-09-29T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-09-29T16:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thinkorange.com\/how-and-why-orange-works-in-a-small-church-2\/"},"modified":"2020-09-29T12:00:00","modified_gmt":"2020-09-29T16:00:00","slug":"how-and-why-orange-works-in-a-small-church-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thinkorange.com\/blog\/how-and-why-orange-works-in-a-small-church-2\/","title":{"rendered":"How and Why Orange Works in a Small Church"},"content":{"rendered":"

There are many different expressions of church. They come in all sizes\u2014big, medium, and small. I\u2019ve been in all three, but most of my time in ministry has been spent in small churches. It’s here that I’ve noticed how people can<\/span> carry an inferiority complex about what they\u2019re able to offer. They try (and fail) to emulate big churches without the big budget, big facility, big staff, professional musicians and actors to deliver perfectly curated sermons from any location in the world.<\/span><\/p>\n

But the truth is . . . small churches have advantages, and we can leverage those advantages to better serve the kids and parents within them.<\/p>\n

The Truth About Church Sizes<\/strong><\/h3>\n

While we small-church people can definitely relate to the feeling of being in constant competition with big churches, I believe our church value is much richer than size. <\/span>I\u2019ll start with a couple of truths I\u2019ve learned during my time in ministry:<\/span><\/p>\n

Truth #1
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Shaping the faith of the next generation isn\u2019t a big church versus small church competition. Our diverse world<\/span> needs diverse expressions of the Church<\/span> to connect with all kinds of people and meet their diverse needs.<\/span><\/p>\n

Truth #2<\/span><\/h4>\n

There are opportunities and advantages\u2014along with challenges\u2014for every church size (yes, even big churches come with unique challenges). <\/span>One of the most powerful things about Orange is that it\u2019s not just a curriculum.<\/span> It\u2019s a strategy<\/span><\/a>. And it\u2019s a strategy that will work in any size church with a few simple adaptations to fit your specific context.<\/span><\/p>\n

Small Churches Have Connection
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One of my favorite natural features of our small church is that people know each other\u2019s names. They know their children\u2019s names and their parents\u2019 names and their pets\u2019 names! Big churches know the value of that type of community and are almost always structured in some type of small groups to replicate the kind of connection that comes naturally in a small church. <\/span>Leaders are able to leverage that natural connection to implement Orange strategy in a this smaller setting.<\/span><\/p>\n

Partner with Parents
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One of the essential Orange strategies is<\/span> to partner with parents<\/span><\/a>. In a small church, chances are you know most, if not all, of the parents in your church. Talk about a head start!<\/span><\/p>\n

You may have heard that a church has, at best,<\/span> roughly 40 hours a year with a kid<\/span><\/a>. Parents, on the other hand, have up to 3,000 hours a year with their kids. So the vast majority of time spent shaping the lives and faith of kids occurs at home.<\/span><\/p>\n

Whether a family is in a church of 60 or 6,000 is beside the point between Sundays. No matter the size of the church, the strategy is to empower, inform, and provide tools for parents to have spiritual influence with their kids throughout the week. Through the natural connections a smaller church cultivates, there\u2019s a simple path for<\/span> passing along resources to help families win<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

Learning to Lead Small<\/b><\/h4>\n

Another key part of Orange strategy is for every child to have<\/span> a relationship with a consistent, caring adult<\/span><\/a>. In other words, the best way to know God is to know someone who knows God.<\/span><\/p>\n

In a small church, leaders are often pouring into kids they\u2019ve known since birth. Kids are connecting with caring adults who have been consistent in their lives for more than just this season. The task, of course, is bigger than \u201cI knew you when . . .\u201d<\/em><\/strong>\u2014but that\u2019s a rich start to a meaningful connection. <\/span><\/p>\n

Family ministry is about building faith in the next generation. These churches are naturally connected, and connection breeds influence and faith-building. The idea that these are \u201cour\u201d kids, and we have the sacred privilege and opportunity to influence their faith is a powerful thing.
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Ability to be Nimble <\/b><\/h3>\n

While it\u2019s certainly possible for any size organization to dig its heels into the way things are done,<\/span> making changes<\/span><\/a> at a church that is small versus a larger church can be like the difference between turning a kayak versus turning an ocean liner. <\/span>When implementing new strategies, the advantage sometimes goes to those who can more quickly respond to individuals and unique circumstances.<\/span><\/p>\n

The ability to quickly reach all the families in the church is one example of the nimbleness smaller churches enjoy. When you\u2019re starting with a group of people who already know each other, it\u2019s easier to<\/span> pass on a message or a vision or a strategy<\/span><\/a> There\u2019s power in<\/span> that kind of unity<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s also more likely to get the \u201cstage time\u201d needed to effectively cast a vision for Family Ministry and bring the church together with updates on their kids and students. If you haven\u2019t had that space in your church, ask for a few minutes the first Sunday of every month to talk about family ministry. Use this time to cast vision. Share monthly themes and bottom lines. Talk about how parents can continue the conversation at home. Encourage them to<\/span> download the free Parent Cue app<\/span><\/a> to help lead the conversation.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ability to Easily Experiment and Test
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While it takes some work to prepare a healthy and delicious family dinner, it\u2019s a lot less work than preparing a meal for an extended family reunion. And while your kids may balk at the new brussels sprouts recipe, the fallout of a Tuesday evening dinner disaster is way less than figuring out a \u201cplan B\u201d for Grandma\u2019s 90th birthday soir\u00e9e. Similarly, churches with less attendees are freer to experiment and find what works best because it takes relatively less effort to plan and implement on a smaller scale.<\/span><\/p>\n

Take advantage of the small scale and creatively explore what connects with and meets the needs of your church family.<\/span><\/p>\n