During a bit of training Yoda is teaching Luke to use the Force to lift his crashed ship out of the swap. After struggling Luke gives up and says, "I can't. It's too big." Then Yoda says this,
Size matters not. Look at me. Judge me by my size, do you? Hmm? Hmm. And well you should not.Yoda, who was hardly as tall as Luke's knee proceeds to lift the ship out of the swamp on to dry(er) land. Luke, astonished say, "I don't believe it." Yoda replies, sadly, "That is why you fail."
Ok, keep that in mind cause I'm gonna diverge a bit here. I recently saw a magazine for church leaders with a cover article along the lines of "Is Small Church the Next Big Thing?" Now I wasn't able to read the article to see what they were saying. So I'm passing no opinion of the actual material. But one thing is very clear to me.
Size Matters Not.
Yoda was able to lift something much larger than himself because he believed. Luke, by all appearances was more capable. Looks are deceiving.
What I'm getting at is not that small churches are better than big churches. What really matters is the hearts of the people gathering. Small churches may be more like what happened in Acts. I personally don't like attending mega-churches. I've had a hard time keeping my attitude toward them in check. But God kinda smacked me in the back of the head recently (like a loving father) and I realize that the size of the church is wholly, utterly, completely irrelevant.
A small group of 20 that meets on Sunday just to listen to a person lead a discussion or message, sing songs with out a worship team, and go through their week not living out what they discussed is no different than a mega-church that has 4,000 people, two worship teams, and a parking lot to embarrass a football stadium where the people don't live out during the week.
The revolution that followers of Jesus need to see is not about the size of the church they are in. It is how we live our life between the services and sermons.
We can't wait for our pastors or whatever title you like to tell us to go to our neighbor with a 3 step plan of conversion. There doesn't have to be a massive event to bring Jesus into the life of your co-workers. Invite them into your home, into your life. Make the time. Skip a church event or 2 and go get to know these people. Listen to them. And don't jump right into your church no matter how wonderful it is.
Show them Jesus in YOUR life.
Size matters not. The size of the congregation doesn't matter to Jesus. He left us a few specific instructions. Go into all the world, baptizing, and making disciples of all people.
So let's go. You and me. Out into the world. Away from the pews and couches and live life along side others.
Jesus is out there, lets go take him a drink of water.
grace, peace + hope
-Bear
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