Welcome to the fifteenth article in a series designed to enhance the use of the Small Membership Church Guideline. Ideally, this Guideline will be shared among your church leaders, read, discussed together, and used to strengthen ministry.

This article is especially written for you: the leader in the small church. You may be the pastor or a lay leader. Regardless of whether you are a resident lay leader or an appointed or assigned pastoral leader, you are one of the most important resources in your small-membership church.

In these times, it may obvious to you that larger churches have many programs, staff, and financial resources. You may hear about these ministries at annual conference sessions — with the implication that the leadership style of the large church is the model of effectiveness. It may be, for the large church; but in The United Methodist Church, most of our congregations are small. They resemble a family or close group. While membership numbers may be small, their ministries extend into the wider community making a significant difference.

Use the following ministry reflections/activities as encouragement for your leadership. Remember, the difference between the small and large church is not the number of needs people have, but the number of people who have the same needs. The small church is important — your leadership role is vital!

Reflection 1: It's About Ministry!

1. Define "ministry." (Use as many words you like.)
2. Who does ministry? (Is it the job of the pastor, the laity, or both?)
3. How well do people in your congregation work together?
4. What is done well? How might this be celebrated?
5. What can be improved and how might this be accomplished?
6. How would you describe the relationship of your congregation with the wider community? with other churches? with the district?

As you review you answers to the above questions, think of the specific people in your memory who have been leaders in the church who have helped shape healthy ministry. In what ways are you like them?

Reflection 2: Imaging Ministry

• If you had one wish for your congregation what would it be? How could you help others get there?
• What do you believe God wants to happen in the congregation? in the community?
• What will it take from the leaders (pastor/leaders? congregation?)
• What will you do with these hopes and beliefs? What difference will it make to your leadership?

Reflection 3: Share a Ministry Story
Think of a time when . . .

• God has blessed the congregation. When have people in this congregation felt active and excited about being a part of this church? What happened?

  OR

• The congregation experienced a challenging time in its past. What happened? What was learned? How did God bless you through this experience?

Reflection 4: Define Great Leadership
Write key words under the following columns to describe lay and pastoral leadership. Think about the organizational characteristics as well as the discipleship qualities.

Lay Leadership             Pastoral Leadership

• What do you notice about the differences? similarities?
• Does your list offer information about complementing leadership?
• If you are a pastor, how do you actively respect the leadership roles of laity?
• If you are a lay leader, how do actively respect the leadership role of the pastor?

Reflection 5: Leaders I Have Known
Picture the faces of three past leaders you respect. Remember what they did as leaders and how they led. Next, list the qualities or characteristics that you admire in them.

If you can identify people in your church who exhibit a specific leadership characteristic on your list, write their names beside the appropriate choices. Where would you write your name?

Find time within the next week to let the people you identified know that you admire their leadership qualities and explain why those qualities are important to the church's ministry.

Reflection 6: When Asked to Serve
Describe a time when you felt that you had been asked to jump in and take a new leadership role.

• What happened?
• What would help you today be a better leader?
• How does your experience help you be sensitive to encouraging others to take on leadership roles?

Copyright © 2004 The General Board of Discipleship. Permission is granted for use in local church training or study groups. No portion of this article may be reprinted or republished in any form for any other reason without written consent.

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