1 Corinthians 3:6-8,
"I planted the seed, Apollos watered it,
but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who
waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The
one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be
rewarded according to their own labor."
Since church growth is of God, Pastors of small churches are no less faithful if the measure is the size of the congregation. Even if we could see the measure of Faith in the membership, that Faith is not the result of gifted speaking. Sermons, lessons and prayer are parts of ministry, but not the result of man's efforts.
Ephesians 2:8-10,
"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them."
If the Faith that saves is not of works, then the rule applies to the church leader as well as to the individual believer. Why then does God choose to make some churches large and others tiny? While we are on the topic of God's moving among people, why are there a disproportional number of churches in one country versus the next?
Isaiah 29:16,
"Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter's clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? Or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding?"
God works in the small and in the large. Jesus gathered for Himself, twelve, and one of them was a traitor. In the public ministry, Jesus had crowds measured in the thousands. Did these masses stay in Jesus's teaching?
John 6:63-68,
"It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him. And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father. From that time many of His disciples went back, and walked no more with Him. Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered Him, Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life."
Jesus knew how the crowd would respond. He didn't go running after them crying, "Oops, I'm sorry, I didn't really mean that. Please come back." Jesus let them walk away, KNOWING they would never return. The heart of His disciples was his concern, not the numbers. Not everyone will believe, in fact the John passage shows The Father has a specific list, and "few the be that find it".
To the leader of a small group I write, (to myself as well) obey God, teach His Word and His Way. The Father will draw to Himself those that He chooses.
Galations 6:9,
"And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."
2 Thessalonians 3:13,
"But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing."
We need the books written by leaders of the few, as well as the leaders of many.
