A couple of weeks ago we celebrated our first anniversary as a local church. In light of this milestone, Patrick shares a few reflections on the last year and where we are as a church.
We launched Restoration Hill out of a Bible study that met in our home for one year. The church began with the Hubbard’s and the White’s as the only initial members. There were a few families that had been part of the Bible study, but were on the fence about committing to Restoration Hill. They attended for a few weeks before ultimately deciding to put down roots at another church and we were happy to see them follow the Lord.
By February we found ourselves with attendance as low as four or five adults at times. This was understandably discouraging, but I have learned through other ministry endeavors that this is not unusual when setting out on new kingdom endeavors. When Easter arrived, we had about forty people in attendance and have averaged between twenty five and forty since.
While we don’t evaluate our effectiveness by attendance numbers, they are a gage of how many people are able to impact. More exciting than the numbers is that most of the people who have been attending Restoration Hill have been out of church. The Lord is giving us an opportunity to connect with hurting people and reengage them in the life of the local church. This was one of the primary goals we set when launching Restoration Hill.
As I look back over the past year there are many things that could be shared, but I will only include a few thoughts.
It is difficult to start a church with a small group of people. Many have a hard time entering a small environment. In some ways, it is easier to slip into a larger church undetected, which makes visiting a new place less intimidating. I have been involved in this type of church planting overseas for 15 years and I have gained a greater respect for the church planters I work with in Brazil and Thailand.
People often evaluate churches based on programs. Many of them will not consider attending a small church because the church lacks programs they believe are essential. I believe that churches can be too program centered. The larger point here is that many fail to realize that plugging into a small church and using their gifts is a wonderful way to be involved in effective disciple making.
There are many people who have fallen through the cracks or have been hurt in churches. It is difficult for them to heal and feel confident enough to embrace the vulnerability that is required to connect in a local church. It takes time and effort to cultivate relationships with people who have been hurt, but it is important work that needs to be embraced as part of making disciples.
Little churches can do big things. Over the past year we have served the local community through various projects at Heritage Elementary School and we have also volunteered at Park View Community Mission. We provided Christmas gifts for ten families in need. We regularly provide financial support for a church plant in inner city New Haven, CT. We support church planting among the global poor and have given to the Wings project to empower women in Africa. We have also been able to bear one another’s burdens within the body. This has been possible because we are committed to give a minimum of 20% of all offerings to disciple making ministries and local outreach among the needy.
I have been very pleased with the direction of Restoration Hill over the past year. I thought we would be further along in our ministry and disciple making efforts at this stage, but the Lord is steadily growing His church. I am excited about the year ahead and the opportunities we will have to care for the broken and hurting in our community and around the world.