Free Training
Small Church Week
Practical Training for Everyday Churches
January 29-February 2
1 pm ET M-F
Most churches in North America are small churches.
But few resources or training experiences are designed with smaller congregations in mind.
Small Church Week is a week-long live training experience designed to equip the leaders of the average North American church for the opportunities of 2024.
You will learn:
- How small churches can reach people no one else will
- What to do if your small church is in a rut
- How to experiment without blowing up your congregation
- Essentials for directing powerful programs with minimal volunteers
- Effective approaches for utilizing technology to enhance worship and foster community
Small Church Week is FREE and perfect for the everyday church looking for new ideas.
What to Expect
A Week Just for You
Tailored For Small Churches
Hear from other small church leaders who understand your context
Live or On-Demand
Watch the live broadcast or when you have availability
Ongoing
Online Community
Six-months free membership to FX Connect community and resource library
Most churches in North America are small, but it doesn’t always feel that way.
70% of U.S. churches have 100 or fewer weekly attendees, and this trend towards smaller congregations is growing.
At the same time, it can feel like megachurches dominate the North American religious landscape. With stories of megachurches appearing in pop culture and books by megachurch leaders landing on the New York times bestseller list, “normal” church leaders can feel left out.
Small Church Week is about helping the majority of church leaders find practical resources tailored for the needs and opportunities of their congregations.
At Fresh Expressions, we love churches of all size. But we also believe that it is important that we “do not despise small things” (Zech. 4:10).
We believe that churches of all sizes should be actively experimenting with new ways of reaching people who have no faith community. Small churches have unique skills and capacities that can draw people to the love of Jesus.
Small Church Week is a pivotal event for small churches that aims to:
- Inspire participants with real stories from other small church leaders, showcasing how they have successfully navigated the unique challenges faced by smaller congregations.
- Provide clear, practical processes for overcoming issues common to small churches, using tools and methods grounded in the principles of Fresh Expressions.
- Empower attendees to formulate effective plans for 2024, with a focus on growth, community engagement, and spiritual vitality in the context of their specific congregation size and demographic.
Small Church Week is a vital resource for all church leaders that will leave you filled with new energy for joining God’s mission, no matter what size your church is!
Your Guides
Theo Stanford
Pastor, Cliftondale Church in Atlanta, Musician, Retired from Delta Airlines
David Blackwell
Pastor, Florence Carlton Church in Montana
Shannon Kiser
Director of U.S. Ministries & Training, Fresh Expressions, North America
Mary Jackson
Pastor, Ebenezer United Methodist, Jacksonville, Florida
Jason Moore
Coach, Hybrid Worship & Guest Readiness
Your Hosts
Kathleen Blackey
Sourdough Baker, Co-host of Rural Renewal Podcast, Co-pastor at First Baptist Church of South Londonderry, Vermont
Chris Blackey
YouTube Weatherman, Co-host of Rural Renewal Podcast, Co-pastor at First Baptist Church of South Londonderry, Vermont
Five Days of Training and Resources
Schedule Overview
Everyday at 1pm ET
January 29-Feburary 2
MONDAY
Small Church, New Tricks
How to Try New Things Without Blowing Up Your Church
Theo Stanford
In a fast-changing world, small churches often resist new ideas. Drawing on decades of experience in corporate and church leadership, Pastor Theo will share his process for introducing new ideas into small, established churches.
TUESDAY
Small Church, Deep Bench
How a Small Rural Church is Reaching Across Their County
David Blackwell
Rural churches are typically small, but they can still have an outsized impact. With twenty years of experience in Montana’s heartlands, David Blackwell shares simple yet powerful strategies for maximizing the capacity of any church.
WEDNESDAY
Small Church, New Hope
How Small Churches are Getting Out of the Rut of What’s Not Working
Shannon Kiser
There’s a world of unmet needs and exciting opportunities in your community just waiting to be discovered. Shannon Kiser offers tested methods for reenergizing your congregation while fostering new ways to connect with neighbors.
THURSDAY
Small Church, Big Table
How 20 People Started a Dinner Church with 60 People
Mary Jackson
What if your small church could serve groups even bigger than themselves? Mary Jackson shares her experience leading small congregations to serve people hungry for food, friends, and faith.
FRIDAY
Small Church, Powerful Technology
How Small Churches Use AI, Streaming and Other Technologies to Reach New People
Jason Moore
As churches shrink in size, the load on pastors remains heavy. Join Jason Moore as he unveils user-friendly tech solutions, accessible even to non-experts. Learn to harness the power of modern technology for more effective ministry.
Fresh Expressions provides access to outstanding resources, training and tools to our 900+ local churches in their quest to make disciples.
James Swanson
Retired Bishop, Mississippi Conference of the United Methodist Church
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FAqs
More questions?
What do you mean by “small”? Does my congregation count?
Small church is a “state of mind.” For some, a small church could be a few hundred, for others, a few dozen. Small Church Week be valuable to you, no matter the size of your church.
What is the format of this event? What technology do I need to participate?
Small Church Week will air live for one week on YouTube. All registrants will registrants will receive an email with the link and a reminder.
I can’t watch it live. What should I do?
Sign up! We’ll send you the video as soon as it goes live, along with a summary and suggested resources.
My entire leadership team wants to come. What is the best way to do that?
We are thrilled to hear that your entire leadership team is interested in attending! You may want to gather in a living room or at your church building to watch the sessions together. Make time to talk about the ideas and how to put them to work in your context.
What else are you doing to help small churches?
Fresh Expressions training is for individual leaders, small churches, big churches, denominations and everything in between. Learn more at freshexpressions.com/training.