4 Reasons Why Attending a Small Church Can Help Your Christian Walk

The majority of churches in NZ have less than 100 people.  While the big churches are naturally the most well-known, there are some strong advantages to being part of a small church. Being a part of a small church is like being a part of a family. We get to know everyone easily and it's fun being a  part of a small church as there's total freedom. While worship you can jump, you can dance, you whatever you feel like doing for the Glory of God. Whereas in a big church, there's a structure to it. there's no freedom. pretty much you can do which you can do in a small church. To be honest I like being a part of a small church, it's fun.

Also being a part of small church, you can get involved in church ministry, like setting up the church before Sunday service, maybe jump on the worship team, do the dishes after church service. You get a opportunity to serve each other and the community.

1) It’s easier to get to know people in a small church
Because it’s easier to get to know people in a small church, it’s easier to have real relationships with other Christians. Connecting personally with other Christians is crucial to your faith.  If you’re in a big church you need to get into a small group to build relationships.  But in a small church it’s far easier to know everyone, and everyone knows you.

2) There are more opportunities for being involved in ministry.
You’re more likely to have opportunities to be in the music team, or to preach, share around communion, or lead a ministry in a small church than you are in a big church.  Big churches still have opportunities, but it is easy in big churches to just become a pew-warmer. To grow in your faith you need to be stretched and stepping into ministry opportunities. This is much easier in a small church.

3) Your church attendance is likely to be more frequent
In a small church it’s obvious when you’re not at church on a Sunday.  In general people going to church less frequently. This is especially easy in larger churches, because people won’t even notice if you’re not there. But in a small church your presence feels more meaningful because your church family will notice you’re not there.  So your church attendance will be more frequent, and therefore you will have more godly input into your life and grow more in your faith.

4) It can test and strengthen the genuineness of your faith
Small churches are less polished than larger churches, which can help with the genuineness of your faith.  There’s nothing wrong with larger churches, but because larger churches can do things so well, with people focusing on their specific areas of ministry, and a responsibility to do things well because of the number of people they’re serving, things like church music, stage lighting, special events and most aspects of ministry are done to a high level of professionalism. While that’s great, sometimes it can lead to people equating well-polished music with a great mix and good lighting to the worship time being good.  But those things aren’t true worship – they are there to help us worship.  In a small church a lot of the polished presentation is stripped away, which can actually help us to be more genuine in our worship and service to God.

So if you’re looking for a church, or are considering changing churches, don’t just look at the big churches in your city. Your faith might actually grow stronger by being involved in a small church. One small church in Hamilton is Grace Evangelical Church. There are bound to be many small churches in your city or town too.