The Intimate Church

The world is changing. Well, that might actually be an understatement. Recent statistics tell of the changing culture and how the church will be affected in the future.

Issue #1: The digital world is outpacing the physical world.

• 60% of all nonprofit giving is digital

• More people work digitally than ever in history

• 80% of Schools use some form of digital textbooks

• 33% of US college students taking online courses

Issue #2: Church attendance is declining overall

• An increase in focus on Youth Sports/Activities

• More money = more travel

• Digital Options (You can hear the best preachers in the world whenever you want on YouTube)

• Lack of Value (What do you offer people that they cannot get anywhere else?)

• 40% of Christians don’t have a home church

• 40% of Millenials have no religious attachment

In the midst of these dramatic changes, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. The small church is growing!

There are a number of reasons the small church could be growing, but there is one reason that I believe trumps all others: Intimacy.

Small churches can offer a level of relationship that large churches may not. And that comes with benefits.

• You can talk to the pastor after a great service.

• You can know everyone and more easily find others that match your life stage.

• There is a rise in the number of young families who are focusing more on finding community within the church. 

I believe this leads us towards a new paradigm for the future of the church. The new paradigm is the Intimate Church.

So what is the Intimate Church? It is a ministry philosophy that encourages churches of 150 or less to see their size as an asset instead of a liability. To see that being intimate could be a goal rather than something we fall to.

In short, the goal of the Intimate Church is: To build Christ-centered churches that offer deep connection in a disconnected world.

Within this philosophy are several nuances, but the core principles of the Intimate Church are:

• Intimate Worship- Embrace small gatherings with a goal to plant new churches.

• Intimate Discipleship- Ingain discipleship into the culture by capitalizing on organics connections instead of creating ministries that are not well supported. 

• Intimate Leadership- Senior leaders develop other leaders in a one on one capacity.

• Intimate Teams- Every leader operates with at least one apprentice leader. 

• Intimate Evangelism- Empower the congregation to reproduce themselves by equipping them to share Jesus. The church grows through one on one invitations.

• Intimate Hospitality- Allow guests the opportunity to engage with the Senior Pastor and other staff weekly.

• Intimate Theology- Share the heart of God concerning intimacy. Highlight Jesus' desire and willingness to connect with people individually.

• Intimate Preaching- Include the stories of the congregation's life change in preaching. Allow them to see how their stories fit into the grand scheme of the gospel. 

This is just the tip of the iceberg for the Intimate Church. Which part do you agree or disagree with most?