“For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them” (Matthew 18:20).
Is your church small? Does it all feel incredibly hard work? Does news of church planting initiatives give you mixed feelings of both joy and sadness? If this is you, then much encouragement can be found in the promise of the Lord Jesus Christ in Matthew 18. While sometimes understood as an all-encompassing promise every time a small number of Christians meet informally, it is actually made in the context of the gathered church (after all, God is omnipresent and with his people all the time.)
Let’s think about the twin realities of being a small church and of Christ’s presence with us. I pastored a small church in the North East of England for nearly a decade. For much of that time I preached two sermons each Sunday to a small but faithful congregation. Double figures were good. More than twenty was rare especially during a holiday period or when there were illnesses going about.
Living in such a reality poses various temptations and challenges: there are few conversions, there is an aging congregation. Why, we might wonder, should we keep going? Sometimes we do need to honestly ask these questions provided our concern is for gospel progress. On the other hand, we need to see that these churches are often in places where there is little other gospel witness. The hard work of persevering and supporting such churches should at least be seen as an alternative to closure and starting again somewhere else. Meanwhile, the wider evangelical church might be tempted to dismiss or undervalue these works. New church plants can seem exciting (and often are). Yet the challenges there also are great. Established churches, however small, may have advantages such as being known in the community and having a building that is their own.
Even more importantly, we must consider Christ’s heart for his Church, both universal and local. In his other reference to the Church in Matthew 16:18, he says “I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” He has died to purchase his Church with his own blood. He has risen again and ascended into heaven. He reigns, and he has poured out his Spirit and is present with us by His Spirit. Anywhere that the gospel is preached and where he is loved and worshipped is precious in his sight.
Very small numbers are a reality for many. There is, however, a greater reality. Jesus says “there am I among them.” He promises that he will build his Church. He promises to be with each local church. So there is a place, in light of these supreme realities, to rest in his sovereignty for our own local churches. Our responsibility is to remain faithful and trust him for fruitfulness.
