Randy Raynes

Pastoring the Small Church Randy Raynes

I have read that half of the churches in America have seventy-five or fewer attendees, thus half of the churches in America are small churches. Yet the same survey says that most church goes in America go to the larger churches. If half of the churches are small churches then it stands to reason that the majority of pastors are pastoring the smaller churches. It stands to reason then that it is more likely that God's will for you is to pastor a small or smaller church. The problem is that most colleges do not teach its future pastors how to pastor a small church and stick with it. Most small churches are just stepping stones used by the pastor to reach that larger ministry, that more lucrative and more successful ministry opportunity. The general thought that is taught and promoted is that the small churches are to become bigger and if not then the pastor leaves for greener and bigger pastures. The first volume in this set of books [Pastoring the Small Church: The Comparison Game] deals with the subject of the small church. This second volume deals with the pressures of the ministry from a small church perspective. It is the result of thirty-eight years of experience in the ministry. There are pressures that are a part of any ministry, yet come with a uniqueness that belongs to the small ministries. Included in the book are Ministry Pressure, Performance Pressure, Financial Pressure, People Pressure, Family Pressure, and Sacrificial Pressure. In section two of the book, we look at some points on how to deal with problems in the ministry, what to do when overwhelmed, and how to deal with loneliness in the ministry. Every ministry deals with these issues, yet they cannot all be resolved or endured the same. The size of the church has much to do with how they are handled. This three-volume set is written so as to provide some Bible truths about the ministry from the small church mentality. A ministry of vision, the power, and blessings of God, yet in a small ministry package.