Small Congregation, Big Potential: Ministry in the Small Membership Church

Rating:
Summary: Buy the Book Only If You Buy the Assumption
Review: Small Congregation, Big Potential is Lyle Schaller's latest examination of the world of the small church. His previous works on the subject include The Small Church is Different! (1982) and The Small Membership Church: Scenarios for Tomorrow (1994). Schaller bills himself as "the country's leading interpreter of congregational systems and their vitality," and I see no grounds to quibble with that claim. He also pastored three small churches in the 1950s.

Schaller acknowledges, "Small Protestant church averaging two to three dozen people at worship should be affirmed as a legitimate order of God's creation." Still, he offers many suggestions for radically restructuring these small churches. Most of these suggestions are accommodations to the "new consumer-driven American culture."

My main critique of Schaller is that he abandons the idea of a countercultural church. Instead of placing the countercultural teachings of Jesus at the center of his faith, Schaller embraces the faith of consumerism. He just assumes that the faith of Jesus and American consumer culture are compatible.

Schaller likes technological solutions. He is particularly enthusiastic about small congregations buying/renting videotaped sermons instead of calling resident preachers. Schaller sees this as a way for cash-strapped congregations to get great preaching. He does not think it necessary for a minister to know the congregation in order to produce a high-quality sermon.

Schaller is also enthusiastic about McChurches (my term, not his). He envisions a large central congregation with many satellite sites of small congregations. These would operate under a single brand name with a single staff and governing board. Schaller sees this as a parallel to the modern central bank with numerous branches in area supermarkets.

Schaller has many other ideas, but he seems most excited about these two. These ideas and Schaller's experience may make Small Congregation, Big Potential a book worth considering. If you agree with Schaller, that lessons from America's consumer culture show the future path for the small church, then you should probably buy his book. However, if you are like me and don't buy Schaller's assumption, I would hesitate before buying his book.

Rating:
Summary: Buy the Book Only If You Buy the Assumption
Review: Small Congregation, Big Potential is Lyle Schaller's latest examination of the world of the small church. His previous works on the subject include The Small Church is Different! (1982) and The Small Membership Church: Scenarios for Tomorrow (1994). Schaller bills himself as "the country's leading interpreter of congregational systems and their vitality," and I see no grounds to quibble with that claim. He also pastored three small churches in the 1950s.

Schaller acknowledges, "Small Protestant church averaging two to three dozen people at worship should be affirmed as a legitimate order of God's creation." Still, he offers many suggestions for radically restructuring these small churches. Most of these suggestions are accommodations to the "new consumer-driven American culture."

My main critique of Schaller is that he abandons the idea of a countercultural church. Instead of placing the countercultural teachings of Jesus at the center of his faith, Schaller embraces the faith of consumerism. He just assumes that the faith of Jesus and American consumer culture are compatible.

Schaller likes technological solutions. He is particularly enthusiastic about small congregations buying/renting videotaped sermons instead of calling resident preachers. Schaller sees this as a way for cash-strapped congregations to get great preaching. He does not think it necessary for a minister to know the congregation in order to produce a high-quality sermon.

Schaller is also enthusiastic about McChurches (my term, not his). He envisions a large central congregation with many satellite sites of small congregations. These would operate under a single brand name with a single staff and governing board. Schaller sees this as a parallel to the modern central bank with numerous branches in area supermarkets.

Schaller has many other ideas, but he seems most excited about these two. These ideas and Schaller's experience may make Small Congregation, Big Potential a book worth considering. If you agree with Schaller, that lessons from America's consumer culture show the future path for the small church, then you should probably buy his book. However, if you are like me and don't buy Schaller's assumption, I would hesitate before buying his book.