My church has around 120 members currently, which technically puts it in the midsize category. It still feels like a small church to me, though, as I have attended much larger churches in the past. Here are twelve reasons I love my “smaller” church.

While it may seem as if large churches with lots of programs are the most popular choice for Christians, the statistics tell otherwise. In a recent release regarding the state of the church, the Barna Group (Ventura, California) reports,

…the largest group of American churchgoers attends services in a more intimate context. Almost half (46%) attend a church of 100 or fewer members. More than one-third (37%) attend a midsize church of over 100, but not larger than 499. One in 11 (9%) attends a church with between 500 and 999 attenders, and slightly fewer (8%) attend a very large church of 1,000 or more attendees. (www.barna.org)

My church has around 120 members currently, which technically puts it in the midsize category. It still feels like a small church to me, though, as I have attended much larger churches in the past. Here are twelve reasons I love my “smaller” church:

1. I hear Christ preached every Sunday.

My pastor preaches about the saving work of Christ every Sunday. Whether he is going through an Old Testament or New Testament book, he makes the drama of the Bible come alive, which helps me to remember the sermon. Each Sunday, my pastor comforts the congregation with the peace we have with God because of Christ’s finished work on our behalf.

2. The pastor knows my family.

I don’t have to worry about getting to know the pastor and having him get to know my family. His whole family knows my whole family, and we get to talk with each other between church services and Sunday school every week.

3. I get to visit with lots of people after the service.

I know this might sound strange, but I actually get to chat with more people at my small church than I ever did at big churches I attended. When I was a member of a large church with multiple services, I wasn’t always at the same service as my friends. I also had trouble even finding them during the social time between services. I literally do not have enough time to chat with everyone at my small church. It’s so much fun to connect with my brothers and sisters in Christ and catch up with them from the previous Sunday.

4. My church hosts monthly get-togethers for the whole congregation.

My church has a monthly event called Third Friday Fellowship. On the third Friday of each month, we go to someone’s home (usually the pastor’s house) for food, drinks, and fellowship. There is always a theme such as Spanish tapas, French cheese, stone oven pizza, paella, or homemade ice cream. My pastor usually does a lot of the cooking, and the food is delicious! Still, the fellowship is the best part. We talk, laugh, and sometimes even shed a tear together. I get so disappointed if I can’t make it to a Third Friday Fellowship.

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