The Small Congregation

How do you know God loves you?

Stated so baldly, I’m sure you know the answer: Because He has declared it to be so. He sent His only Son to suffer and die for the sins of the world — yours included — and declares that you are forgiven on account of Christ’s sake and that you are His child.

In practice, however, this question can become more difficult to parse. Consider two men: One has a successful job and nice house, a wife and four upstanding children. He donates regularly to church, and his children always participate in youth group. One of the boys will probably become a pastor and one of the daughters a teacher. Now consider the other man: His life has been one stretch of difficulty. He struggles to hold a job; his wife left him, and his children barely know who he is. He holds to God’s promises and faithfully gathers for the Divine Service on Sunday, but he can’t financially support the church. In fact, the church spends more on him than it receives, helping in times of particular difficulty.

We would rightly say that God has greatly blessed the first man. But that does not mean God has not blessed the second, nor that the second man has less favor or love from God. Nor does it mean that the second man is not a true Christian or has offended God in some way (John 9:3). Quite the contrary, God has bestowed a particular honor on the second man by providing him a congregational family to provide and care for him.

The point, in short, is this: We often treat external, material blessings as indications of God’s favor. The one who appears to be succeeding in life, we think, has an extra measure of God’s favor, while the one who has less is learning a bit of a lesson and probably deserved it.

We often think in similar ways when it comes to our congregations. We’re tempted to treat growing congregations as those that are “doing something right” and small or declining congregations as “missing something” or “on the ropes.” But in truth, the size of the congregation is no indication of God’s favor or disfavor.

What is the indication of God’s love and favor? Once again, return to the beginning: God’s declaration of His love for you on account of Christ’s redeeming work. And this favor is found wherever the Word of God is declared in its truth and purity, and the Sacraments are administered according to God’s institution.

I pray this issue encourages all LCMS congregations, regardless of size. We are focusing on smaller congregations and how they are not only the current norm in our Synod, but have almost always been. We focus on both the struggles and joys of smaller parishes. But in all things, we keep our eyes ever focused on Him who was crucified for us and who will never leave us, regardless of the number of people who gather in our sanctuaries on Sunday.

See table of contents for the February 2025 issue

Gathered together with you,

Roy S. Askins

Executive Editor, The Lutheran Witness