The Magic Number
I have spent a lot of time lately thinking about the “perfect” size of a congregation. I suppose it’s because I’m in a “small” congregation compared to many of them in the area around (although it’s “large” compared to national averages, etc.) More than that, though, I’ve thought about it a lot since our denomination (and regional synod… and classis) are unduely obsessed with numbers.
To be fair, I understand why. Each of our denominational levels require money to exist. Money needs to come from people. More people are required for more money to be available. They can only assess at a certain level if they expect anyone to stay around. If it were that pragmatic, I don’t know that it would bother me so much. The problem with such numbers talk isn’t the totally logical recognition that “more people=more money.” It’s the idea that “more people=better church.” There is a problem with the latter.
So, what is is the perfect size of a congregation. My suggestion 75.
As I see it, there are two competing factors in this discussion. On one hand, is the number of people necessary to have an appreciable impact on the community. It seems to me that honesty requires that we admit that a congregation must be at least a certain size so that it has enough resources to no longer be entirely focused on its own survival. On the other hand, congregations must also be small enough to truly be the “body of Christ.” To live in right, holy relationship with one another requires that we aren’t so large as to prevent the development of true relationships.
So, my suggestion: 75.
Much bigger than 75 and (even for an extrovert like me) it becomes impossible to keep up on what’s going on in each others’ lives. Bigger than that and we can’t help mutually discern each other’s gifts; we can’t truly mourn or celebrate with one another; we can’t be honest about our struggles, needs, hopes, problems, etc.
Smaller than 75 and the fact of the matter is, we’re forced to spend such a high percentage of our time and resources on sustinence that we can’t turn our attention to the needs and problems of the world around us.
So, my suggestion: 75.
That means, when a congregation hits 125, perhaps it ought to split into to 60-ish people congregations (giving a little room for growth to the magic 75). I’m not suggesting that they need a new building or a new minister, or a new approach to ministry. Each of them may look exactly like the other… or not…. Worship style, focus, etc. can actually be communally discerned (rather than ministerially dictated) in a group that small (as can any number of other things!)
There you have it. My newest ecclesiological theory in a nutshell.
Grace and Peace,
`tim
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