Celebrating Your Significance

Dear Pastor,

Greetings! We have just finished the MFI Columbia River Regional. In this region are churches and members from northern Oregon and some in Washington. We had a great Regional and the largest attendance we have ever had in this region. Just as we are talking on the subject of momentum, we are experiencing a great wave of momentum in the Regionals, both with the materials and also with the spirit of each Regional. New pastors are consistently joining MFI every month. The number is not astronomical, but there is a steady flow of new pastors and leaders.

Ben Trolese and I leave at 6:20 AM tomorrow (Saturday) for Richmond, Virginia, for the Southeast Regional hosted by Steve Stells and his team. The Southeast region has the most new pastors registered for its Regional of all the MFI Regionals. Let’s give Steve a big shout out! This is a region that has experienced some changes in the past, but Steve and the team are building amazing momentum. Thanks Steve.

From Richmond, Ben will travel on to Puerto Rico on Wednesday, meeting Mike Servello and Danny Bonilla there. I am sad to miss the Puerto Rico Regional this year. I love those people and I know they will have a great conference.

Let me take a moment to encourage all the churches in MFI that are smaller in number. Smaller churches far outnumber mega-churches in our nation and in all nations. Jesus commanded, "Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32). The little flock is recognized as an important part of how God will expand His Kingdom.A Hartford Seminary study reported that there are only 1,210 Protestant churches in the U.S. with weekly attendance over 2,000 people. The U.S. has 350,000 churches. In this light, the small church is the one doing all the real work every day, every week, year in and year out.

By far, the publicity and attention is given to the large churches and the ones with the large buildings. But the fact is that the small churches are doing 90 percent of the work! To all the pastors and leaders of small churches, we give you a huge shout out. You are the best, hard working leaders in the Kingdom of God! Be encouraged, be strong, and stay the course. You are making a difference!

Let us believe Psalm 115:13: "He will bless those who fear the LORD, both small and great.” Small and great alike, all sizes will receive God’s blessings. God is equally and thoroughly pleased as each sized group accomplishes what He has distributed to them to do. God evaluates things differently from man’s appraisal. Be faithful with what God has given you. God rewards the faithful:

"And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant; because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities.’” - Luke 19:17

He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. - Luke 16:10

In these verses, the good leader was trusted with very little and what some may think insignificant. But all things are important to God. Celebrate your significance. Don’t think that because you are small, you are not significant. Celebrate every single life change in your church. Celebrate! Remember that what you celebrate, you become. Life change happens best in relationships and relationships thrive in smaller churches – or at least they are supposed to.

Ninety percent of churches in MFI have 300 people in attendance. The same is true of churches in the USA, Canada, and really the rest of the world. So let’s celebrate all sizes, all kinds, and all types of churches. Let us live with Holy Spirit contentment yet with passion to be all we can be!

Blessings!