Size and Health. What are we talking about?

A grape at the peak of its health will never grow to the size of a watermelon. If it did, people would consider it abnormal or unhealthy. Similarly, tumors grow—does that make them healthy? When you injure your knee, it swells—does that mean swelling equates to health? Growth, in and of itself, does not signify health or success unless the entity is designed to be that large. A watermelon the size of a grape would be considered unhealthy, just as a grape the size of a watermelon would be unnatural.

Small does not mean unsuccessful, just as large does not mean successful.

A healthy adult is not necessarily tall or overweight. In fact, obesity is often linked to poor health. Likewise, a healthy dog will never grow to the size of an elephant. I once had a Dachshund that was fully grown yet remained small—especially her legs. Despite her size, she was perfectly healthy. If all healthy things grow, then the real question remains: "Grow to what size?"

Healthy children grow to the size they were designed to be. An unhealthy child also grows, but that does not make the growth healthy. A three-year-old child may not be the size of an adult, yet they can still be healthy. Growth occurs over time, but health is not determined by size alone. Not every child grows to be 7 feet tall. Some reach 5’7”, 6’0”, or even 4’11” and are still healthy. Why, then, do we assume that churches must all grow to a certain size to be considered successful?

Size Is in the Seed

Unhealthy children continue to grow, just as unhealthy organizations can expand. Healthy things should grow to their optimal size, but unhealthy things can also grow.

"Mega, super tall, and large are exceptions in life, not the rule."

There are always more short people than tall ones, more small buildings than skyscrapers, and more small animals than large ones. Elephants, whales, and giraffes are the exception, not the standard. Dinosaurs captivate our imagination because of their enormous size—they are not the norm. We do not attempt to engineer a drug to make a kangaroo grow to the size of a dinosaur.

In every city, there will always be more small churches than large ones. Likewise, there will always be more small businesses than corporate giants. A locksmith running a small business does not need “business fixing.” He provides a valuable service to the community and does not need to be turned into a massive corporation. Both the small business and the corporate giant serve their purpose. Starbucks does not attempt to build stores the size of Walmart. Instead, their success lies in having many smaller stores, which serve their business model effectively. We will discuss this concept in greater detail later.

If healthy churches grow (and they do), then we must ask: to what number? There are healthy churches with 20,000 members, 1,500 members, 300 members, 50 members, and even 10 members. To what number does a healthy church grow? Will a church of 50 ever become a church of 10,000? Perhaps, but if it does not, does that mean it is unhealthy? Not at all—it could still be the most powerful spiritual force in its city.

Some churches are small and unhealthy, but not all small churches are unhealthy. Likewise, some large churches are unhealthy, though their size may obscure their issues. As Francis Chan wisely stated, "In the United States, numbers impress us… We measure churches by how many members they boast… Jesus questioned the authenticity of this kind of record-keeping."

Have you ever considered that some churches are large because they are unhealthy, rather than assuming they are healthy because they are large? Some churches grow due to unhealthy dynamics, while others grow because of true spiritual health. Likewise, some churches remain small because they are unhealthy, while others remain small despite being spiritually strong. It is time to dismantle these fallacies among church leaders.

The truth is, there are successful churches of all sizes—small, medium, and large. Frankly, I am tired of the ignorant conversations among church leaders.

Get a Copy of my Book "Small Church. Large Church" and learn more. https://a.co/d/8nvaYD2