Posts by Jimi Williams

Leading in the Small Church Series (pt 4)

Posted by Jimi Williams on Apr 19, 2010 | 1 comment

2 Essential Questions

What is my field to plow, and am I plowing it?  These two questions came from a blog post by author and speaker Donald Miller (Blue Like Jazz). His thoughts gave me incredible insight into my own perceptions of ministry and how not to get ahead of God (which I have a habit of doing). However, his thoughts have implications far beyond church ministry. Every believer should answer these two questions for themselves.

http://donmilleris.com/2010/02/14/following-god-and-farming/

Leading in the Small Church Series (pt 3)

Posted by Jimi Williams on Apr 12, 2010 | Comments Off

Noticing the Small Things

I recently took a hike with my family in a local park. Now because I’m a “do-er”, my goal when hiking is to finish in record time. So as we set out, I blazed out in front of my wife and kids making sure nobody passed me on the trail. However, when I looked back, my family was not keeping pace. In fact, they were saundering – stopping to look at every wild flower, bug or interesting stick.

Reluctantly, I stopped and waited for them to catch up. In the process, I began to see all the things I was missing in my fury of hiking: delicate little flowers, a turtle sunning on a log, springtime exploding throughout God’s creation.

Sometimes we move too fast in ministry and we miss all the little things God is doing: a marriage is restored, a prodigal child comes home, the Gospel explodes in a heart. As your ministry grows, it will become harder and harder to slow down and “see”.

Leading in the Small Church Series (pt 2)

Posted by Jimi Williams on Apr 5, 2010 | 2 comments

Use What Ya Got!

Many times in the small church we devote much of our time and energy to trying to get bigger. We think “If I could just have a full band, I know people would be beating the door down to worship here!”

So we go outside the church to find musicians instead of using what God has provided for us within our church family. You may be able to find a better guitar player outside your church, but you’ll miss the opportunity to develop the musician who is willing, ready and committed within the body. The person outside the church may be a better player, but the homegrown musician will be more effective because of their relationships with others.

There’s nothing wrong with planning and dreaming (to an extent). However, God is at work in the present. He has a plan for today. He has given us everything we “need” to accomplish His purposes. As leaders, we need to tap into that.

Leading in the Small Church Series (pt 1)

Posted by Jimi Williams on Mar 29, 2010 | 3 comments

Most churches in the United States have an attendance of 250 people or less. I’ve been a ministry leader in a church of 1,500 and a church of 150. The differences are light years apart. For the next few weeks. I’m going to share blessings, opportunities and challenges of leading in the small church.

Unity is easier with 150 people than with 1,500! If you ask any basketball coach, he’d rather have 13 players who were unified and knew their place on the team than 100 who didn’t buy into the vision. Jesus changed the world with 12 disciples. A small church provides the opportunity to build critical mass for the Gospel.

Unity is a vital part of every church for spiritual and numerical growth. If you are leading in a small church, don’t spend all your energy trying to boost your attendance. Instead, pour yourself into boosting church unity through vision casting, teaching, worshipping and fellowship. Then, growth will come naturally.

“Make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.” Phil 2:2

Jimi Williams

Worship Pastor, The Bridge