Church Leadership
Pastoring a Church Between 100 and 200 Without Going Crazy
Some Dos and Don’ts for surviving and thriving in the awkward, in-between world of 100 to 200 in church attendance.

Most small church pastors are shepherds.

It’s not our choice, it’s our calling.

There are good reasons for pastors of large churches to move from the shepherding/pastoring model to the ranching/management model. But most pastors aren’t called to be ranchers or to manage systems. Most of us are called to pastor people.

That’s the normal state of affairs when a church is under 100. It gets much more complicated when the church is between 100 and 200.

A church between 100 and 200 in regular attendance is still technically considered a small church. It operates by most of the small church principles, but it’s too big for the pastor to shepherd alone.

It requires an interesting, awkward hybrid of pastoring and managing skills. In this zone, the pastor is half shepherd, half rancher. So how do you manage this without going completely crazy?

Know Your Limits

I’ve pastored churches between 100 and 200 for about half of my 30+ years in ministry. To do it without going crazy, I've had to come to grips with this essential reality: A pastor can’t have meaningful relationships with 100 to 200 people. If we try, the pastor and the church will suffer for it.

A pastor can’t have meaningful relationships with 100 to 200 people. If we try, the pastor and the church will suffer for it.

We just aren’t capable of it. Not emotionally, spiritually or geographically.

There’s no quicker path to lost sleep and lost sanity than attempting the impossible. And no, I don’t mean the ‘without God it’s impossible’ kind of impossible. I mean the ‘God didn’t design us to work this way’ kind of impossible.

Here are some Dos and Don’ts that I’ve learned the hard way. They’ve helped help me and the church survive and thrive in the often awkward, in-between world of a church with 100 to 200 in regular attendance.

5 Things to Do Between 100 and 200

1. Become More Proactive than Reactive

Being a shepherd does not mean letting the sheep run your life. But that’s exactly what will happen without a proactive plan. It matters less what your plan is, than that you have one.

Take the time to prayerfully and intelligently assess your congregation, its culture, its strengths and its weaknesses. Then decide on a plan that works for you and your church.

That plan will change as soon as you implement it. Such is the nature of working with people. But if you don’t have a plan to adapt from, you will spend your days (and nights) being busy with everyone, only to have very little to show for it.

2. Invest In Leaders and Potential Leaders

One of the principles of ranching that I mentioned in The Grasshopper Myth, is the theory of spiritual triage. Triage is about assessing the needs, then prioritizing our response based on their severity and the likelihood of a positive outcome.

No matter how small our church is, we need to prioritize our time where it’s most likely to be of value. That always starts with making our largest investments of time and energy into equipping the saints – especially leaders and potential leaders.

This doesn’t necessarily mean people in leadership positions. In a church needing a turnaround, it may mean anybody but them.

I’m not suggesting that you start a leadership training class. That is often the worst possible way to invest in leaders, because most true leaders won’t sit in a class for long.

Instead, use your calling as a shepherd to mentor them. This post, Mentoring Is Better than Curriculum: Seven Steps to Better Discipleship, can help get you started.

Keep feeding the sheep. But teach them how to feed themselves, too.

Keep feeding the sheep. But teach them how to feed themselves, too.

3. Help Those in Immediate Crisis

Training leaders and equipping the saints doesn’t mean avoiding those who aren’t leaders.

We always need to take care of people with genuine needs. That’s one of the ways we put real shepherding into our pastoring.

4. Make and Keep Friendships

The Apostle Paul had the Jerusalem Council in authority over him, people like Timothy learning under him, and people like Barnabas alongside him.

Small church pastors tend to do alright under authority. And most of us know how to be in authority. But most of us don’t have enough friends.

We all need people like Barnabas who can encourage, provoke and protect us. If not in the church, find some pastoral peers to share your heart with.

5. Know and Utilize Your Strengths, Gifts and Passions

Do what you’re good at. And make time to do what you love. With the people you love.

4 Things NOT to Do Between 100 and 200

1. Don’t Let Problem-Solving Consume Your Time

Problems need to be fixed. But there’s no faster way to burn yourself out than putting out other people’s fires all day. Especially the same fires lit by the same people.

We need to prioritize important tasks, or the urgent needs will keep us spinning our wheels.

Problem-solving isn’t relationship-building. Relationships can be built around a project, but not if you’re constantly living in emergency mode.

2. Don’t Get Drawn Into Endless Theological Debates

I love talking theology. And I can hold my own while arguing it.

But people who want to debate every fine point of theology after each sermon are not helping you. And arguing with them is no way to build relationships. If you lose, they’ll hurt you. If you win – they’ll really hurt you.

Learn to value and nurture the casual conversation. If you’re an introvert like me, that will be hard work. But it’s worth it in the long run.

If you’re trying to build relationships, there are very few things more meaningful than time spent with a friend in meaningless conversation.

3. Don’t Let the Chronically Needy Drain You

Jesus himself said “the poor you will always have with you” (Matthew 25:11). I’ve learned that this also applies to the emotionally poor.

There will always be emotionally needy people who will want to monopolize your time and sap your emotional strength. Sometimes we have to help them with their immediate need, then move on.

4. Don’t Feel Guilty for What You Can’t Do

Sorry to break this to you, but pastors can’t do everything.

Even Jesus was limited in what he could do. Living in a human body does that. That’s one of the reasons he told the disciples he had to leave so the Holy Spirit could come and finish the task he started (John 14:12-17).

Don’t be guilty of trying to be better than Jesus.

Do what you can. Love the people, train other leaders, help the needy. And let the Holy Spirit do the rest.

Pivot is a part of CT's Blog Forum. Support the work of CT. Subscribe and get one year free.
The views of the blogger do not necessarily reflect those of Christianity Today.

Join in the conversation about this post on Facebook.

Recent Posts

Read More from Karl

Follow Christianity Today

Free Newsletters