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The Gifts of the Small Church
Dizzying changes have taken place in American religious life in the last half century. Yet in spite of that fact, taking a snapshot of a “typical” Christian church in America would reveal a surprising number of small-to-mid-sized congregations, rooted in a local neighborhood or community, tied to a specific denomination, where most of the members know each others’ names, and hence are blessed (and cursed) with being the church together.
In this clear-eyed, humorous appraisal, Jason Byassee contends that the “church around the corner” occupies a particular place in the divine economy, that it is especially capable of forming us in the virtues, perspectives, and habits that make up the Christian life. Not that he romanticizes these churches, however. Having been a rural, small membership church pastor, Byassee knows too well the particular vices and temptations to which they are subject. But he also knows the particular graces they’ve been given, graces like the “prayer ladies,” those pillars of the congregation who, “when one told you she was praying for you it meant something. When one hugged you, you remembered all week. When one cooked for you the casserole tasted like love. And when you were around them you were in the presence of Jesus.”
Anyone who serves, or belongs to, a “church around the corner” will find their ministry strengthened by this enlivening, inspiring book.
In this clear-eyed, humorous appraisal, Jason Byassee contends that the “church around the corner” occupies a particular place in the divine economy, that it is especially capable of forming us in the virtues, perspectives, and habits that make up the Christian life. Not that he romanticizes these churches, however. Having been a rural, small membership church pastor, Byassee knows too well the particular vices and temptations to which they are subject. But he also knows the particular graces they’ve been given, graces like the “prayer ladies,” those pillars of the congregation who, “when one told you she was praying for you it meant something. When one hugged you, you remembered all week. When one cooked for you the casserole tasted like love. And when you were around them you were in the presence of Jesus.”
Anyone who serves, or belongs to, a “church around the corner” will find their ministry strengthened by this enlivening, inspiring book.
114 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
October 28, 2024
A beautiful, if rambling, testimony of the beauty of small rural churches. I hope this work makes the hearts of pastors and many regular Christians flutter and consider small- to medium-sized churches as a place to make their ecclesial home.
This is NOT an systematic or analytic account. Such small church life as experienced is so comprised of wonderful experiences and anecdotes that it might be challenging to do so. Instead, Byasse has shared stories about moments and aspects from his and his wife's first three churches (one his, two hers) including his brief stint as a pastor's husband.
His stories show the beauty and oftentimes exasperation that comes with serving in small communities. Such dynamics are by no means confined to rural areas, although many of the characters he describes likely are. Nor will all rural churches have the beauty of the ones Byasse describes.
It was brave of Byasse and the publisher to include what amounts to a rejoinder at the conclusion of the book by no less than UMC titan Will Willimon. He presents some things worth considering: it's challenging for rural churches to afford seminary-trained clergy without subsidy and the most new Christians are coming to the faith through the work of large churches. I think these points requires smaller churches to reconsider their mission and strategy of making disciples and even what type of ecclesial life one can have whenever one cannot afford a full-time pastor. The mere combination of those dilemmas would makes an interesting conundrum.
This is NOT an systematic or analytic account. Such small church life as experienced is so comprised of wonderful experiences and anecdotes that it might be challenging to do so. Instead, Byasse has shared stories about moments and aspects from his and his wife's first three churches (one his, two hers) including his brief stint as a pastor's husband.
His stories show the beauty and oftentimes exasperation that comes with serving in small communities. Such dynamics are by no means confined to rural areas, although many of the characters he describes likely are. Nor will all rural churches have the beauty of the ones Byasse describes.
It was brave of Byasse and the publisher to include what amounts to a rejoinder at the conclusion of the book by no less than UMC titan Will Willimon. He presents some things worth considering: it's challenging for rural churches to afford seminary-trained clergy without subsidy and the most new Christians are coming to the faith through the work of large churches. I think these points requires smaller churches to reconsider their mission and strategy of making disciples and even what type of ecclesial life one can have whenever one cannot afford a full-time pastor. The mere combination of those dilemmas would makes an interesting conundrum.
July 12, 2019
Excellent read from a great storyteller
Jason Byassee has some important things to say about small church and rigors of the role of the small church pastor. He does so through story after story weaved together around the single narrative thread, the small church was given to humanity as a gift of salvation from our God. As a small church pastor for more than a decade, I celebrate his effort to be true the nature of small church life and pastoring through love what is sometimes difficult to love, but is all for the glory of God on Christ Jesus. I laughed, cried, moaned, cursed with him through the storytelling and love spilt in the ink on the page.
Jason Byassee has some important things to say about small church and rigors of the role of the small church pastor. He does so through story after story weaved together around the single narrative thread, the small church was given to humanity as a gift of salvation from our God. As a small church pastor for more than a decade, I celebrate his effort to be true the nature of small church life and pastoring through love what is sometimes difficult to love, but is all for the glory of God on Christ Jesus. I laughed, cried, moaned, cursed with him through the storytelling and love spilt in the ink on the page.
August 29, 2015
Lately I've been wondering if I should change churches. I miss the monthly luncheon my childhood church hosted; it let you get to know people. My church, my city, my age demographic, is marked by fleeting transience. And the church I currently attend has such a vast staff that one can feel anonymous and unnecessary. Not so the small church. "Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name..."
This is a wonderful, warm, funny memoir about Jason Byassee and his family's time ministering in small, rural churches. As such, it's not what I expected - a straightforward pastoral ministry book. It IS pastoral, but autobiographically, not in a technical way. Byassee's writing style took some getting used too but it grew on me. He offered a lot of gracious reflections on the people in the churches he and his wife served in - earnest, conservative, blue-collar types in sharp distinction to his more liberal, Duke-education. Byassee often compares the small church to the megachurch - the intimacy, fidelity, often clumsy character of the small church contrasted to the hip, professional, anonymous megachurch that offers loads of programs. The author knows that the small church forces people to rub shoulders with friends, rivals and even enemies and that this can be tremendously vital to one's sanctification. He praises as well as calls out the triumphs and failures of the small congregations and their rag-tag, needy, saints but as he reflects on the scenarios and situations he found himself in, he also makes us aware of his own errors and laments what he could have done differently.
Byassee is United Methodist and that denominational identity hangs heavy over this memoir as Byassee explains how the UMC places its ministers and the tension that sometimes grips a mainline denomination that also has evangelical, conservative members in it. As well, the "rural" is just as much a part of this book as the "small," which disappointed me a bit because the changes things significantly. A small church in a rural area is much more clearly one of the main gathering communities whereas small churches nestled in metropolises have much more competition between not only other small churches but new church plants and established megachurches. How might Byassee's experience and narrative been if the churches he writes so tenderly about in this book were located in Houston or Minneapolis rather than Zebulon county? But Christians seem to have difficulty meditating on the city - the novels of Wendell Berry and Marilynne Robinson are set in small towns.
This is a hagiography of the small church and it is beautiful.
This is a wonderful, warm, funny memoir about Jason Byassee and his family's time ministering in small, rural churches. As such, it's not what I expected - a straightforward pastoral ministry book. It IS pastoral, but autobiographically, not in a technical way. Byassee's writing style took some getting used too but it grew on me. He offered a lot of gracious reflections on the people in the churches he and his wife served in - earnest, conservative, blue-collar types in sharp distinction to his more liberal, Duke-education. Byassee often compares the small church to the megachurch - the intimacy, fidelity, often clumsy character of the small church contrasted to the hip, professional, anonymous megachurch that offers loads of programs. The author knows that the small church forces people to rub shoulders with friends, rivals and even enemies and that this can be tremendously vital to one's sanctification. He praises as well as calls out the triumphs and failures of the small congregations and their rag-tag, needy, saints but as he reflects on the scenarios and situations he found himself in, he also makes us aware of his own errors and laments what he could have done differently.
Byassee is United Methodist and that denominational identity hangs heavy over this memoir as Byassee explains how the UMC places its ministers and the tension that sometimes grips a mainline denomination that also has evangelical, conservative members in it. As well, the "rural" is just as much a part of this book as the "small," which disappointed me a bit because the changes things significantly. A small church in a rural area is much more clearly one of the main gathering communities whereas small churches nestled in metropolises have much more competition between not only other small churches but new church plants and established megachurches. How might Byassee's experience and narrative been if the churches he writes so tenderly about in this book were located in Houston or Minneapolis rather than Zebulon county? But Christians seem to have difficulty meditating on the city - the novels of Wendell Berry and Marilynne Robinson are set in small towns.
This is a hagiography of the small church and it is beautiful.
August 20, 2014
At first glance you might nit think it, but this book is very controversial. In my previous experience in ministry I have learned how many believe that small churches are 2nd rate institutions. "They must be small for a reason" is what I hear. Even the church membets are adhamed of their smallness. This book not only makes the case they are equal but even provide a fuller glimpse into God's grace.
The major theme of the book is patience. Ministers of all context will appreciate and learn from Byassee's even when he himself never gives himself credit to himself.
I can't help but compare this to Robert Lischer's Open Secrets. On one hand Lischer provides an overarching story while Byassee is proving his point through stories.
Also the afterword by Willimon was the most enjoyable afterfird I have ever read. I have never seen an afterward disagree with a book in this way before.
If anything else this book is a great dialogue starter.
The major theme of the book is patience. Ministers of all context will appreciate and learn from Byassee's even when he himself never gives himself credit to himself.
I can't help but compare this to Robert Lischer's Open Secrets. On one hand Lischer provides an overarching story while Byassee is proving his point through stories.
Also the afterword by Willimon was the most enjoyable afterfird I have ever read. I have never seen an afterward disagree with a book in this way before.
If anything else this book is a great dialogue starter.
September 8, 2012
I truly enjoyed the book – even though my experience hasn’t been with rural churches. Due to the nature of this book, Byassee doesn’t focus on other manifestations of small church life, including those, that like the one I serve, once were much larger and struggle with a changed community. They may not have the ability to grow back into the size of yesteryear, but they desire to be good stewards and good witnesses. Their story also needs to be told – and David Ray is helpful here as well. I also understand, having now read this book, that the situation in the United Methodist church is very different from that of most other Protestant communities. Many Disciple, UCC, and Presbyterian churches, for instance, function not with pastors with M.Div’s, but with licensed ministers with rather minimal training, many of whom serve part time, earning their living by other means.
July 10, 2013
Byassee writes clearly and humorously in a way that helped me to care about the small church. Church growth strategies can become an idol, Byassee helps to honor the good work God is doing through small churches.
November 20, 2013
Wonderful exploration of what the small church offers a denomination full of small churches. As one who serves two small churches, I resonated with what Byassee loved about the small church.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews