CHAPTER 4 - THE BEAUTY OF LEADERSHIP IN THE SMALL CHURCH

We’ve already established that Jesus Christ is the Head of the church, therefore, when we talk about leadership in the small church, we’re talking about the church’s human leaders.

Recently, I had occasion to stand on a hill which is said to be the highest point in Forsyth County, NC. It just so happens that the church where I pastor is located on that hill and the occasion was the dedication of a historical marker identifying the location of the church as a historical site. Our church was established in 1881. As I stood on the front lawn of the church property, gazing at the marker, I was reminded that Jesus is the One who built this church for the past 126 years. In that span of time, Jesus worked through many people to accomplish His purposes.

Since the church was established in 1881, Jesus has brought 20 pastors to shepherd His church. In all probability, each person who was called by Christ to pastor our church at a certain time in the course of its history was earnestly striving to follow the leadership of Christ by ministering to Him, to His people, and to the community.

Malcom McDow was my professor for two classes when I attended Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, in Ft. Worth, Texas. The two classes were Personal Evangelism and Church Growth Evangelism. Dr. McDow said something to us “preacher boys” in Church Growth Evangelism which I have not forgotten. Dr. McDow said, “When you are called to pastor at Anytown Baptist Church, please remember that the people are the church. They were there before you and they will be there long after you leave.” I have always tried to remember Dr. McDow’s words of wisdom. My job as pastor is not to go to the church which Jesus is building and assume they have been doing everything all wrong and I’m the person God sent to fix them. My job is to love them, care for them, serve them, pray for them, feed them the meat of God’s Word, and help them to live out their faith.

The pastor is one of the leaders of the small church but he is not the only leader. Other leaders include deacons, Sunday School teachers, WMU leaders, youth leaders, children’s leaders, music leaders and others. In the small church many of these leaders hold multiple positions. They are known and beloved by everyone in the church. Last year, at our church’s 125th anniversary, the youth group from the early 1970’s came, all grown up now, and each one of them expressed their appreciation to the man who had volunteered to work with them when they were youth in the church. It was touching to hear their stories of how God had used this person to touch them for Christ.

Small church leaders are remembered for generations. Sunday school classes bear their names, plaques placed on pews and windows bring back memories of their days, stained glass windows have their names etched in them. Many a cynical young Christian may question the wisdom of these kinds of remembrances scattered throughout the church. However, these names of distinguished past leaders of the church are witnesses to the activity of God in the small church. When the church places the name of a former leader on a plaque, pew, or pulpit, the intent is not to glorify the person but to bear witness of the work of God through the person. Their stories should be told to new generations of believers as evidence of the work of God in the church as well as being inspiration for the current leaders to follow in their footsteps of faithfulness.

Mabel Puryear, my paternal grandmother, began teaching Sunday School when she was a girl of 14 years old. She faithfully taught her Sunday School class until the age of 89, when she could no longer attend church due to poor health. For 75 years, she faithfully taught her class week after week, month after month, and year after year. I have spoken to many of her former students who told me that my grandmother taught them how to pray, or gave them a bible, or led them to Christ. “Miss Mabel,” as she was known then, was a leader in her small church, not because she was trying to gain any glory for herself or make any statements about women in church leadership. She was diligent and faithful to teach because of her love and devotion to Christ.
Every small church has a “Miss Mabel” or two or three. Thank God that He works through them in the small church. Their faithfulness and perseverance is beautiful to behold.