Lyle E. Schaller, The Small Church is Different. Abingdon Press, 1982.
Referenced in: Small Church Leadership
LifeandLeadership Summary
Schaller is one of the most prolific authors in the field of church leadership, and if he has written a book on a subject, it usually makes sense to read it. He also ministered in several small churches. This is one of several volumes by Schaller on the issue of small church development. Others include:
- The Small Membership Church: Scenarios for Tomorrow (2000)
- Small Congregation, Big Potential: Ministry in the Small Membership Church (2003)
- The Middle-Sized Church: Problems and Prescriptions (1985) – addresses the unique issues of 100-200 member churches.
Each of these has content distinct enough to merit separate consideration.
This book was written over a quarter of a century ago, thus many of the cultural realities it mentions have shifted (e.g. migration from urban to rural) and the statistics are outdated. Since that time, a plethora of other texts have been written on the subject, both by Schaller and a host of small church specialists. For these reasons and others, one may be tempted to prefer other volumes, perhaps rightly. If there is enduring value of this text, it stems from two factors. First, it is written by Lyle Schaller. Second, some of the dynamics of small church ministry remain the same, and to the extent they do, Schaller covers them well.
For our purposes, his chapter on “Staffing the Small Church” is still one of the best surveys available of twelve alternatives and the criteria for evaluating them. The rest of the book is organized in such a way that a reader may quickly scan and find other helpful pieces. Like most Schaller books on the small church, it is not a primary read, but a valuable supplement.
About the Author
Lyle Schaller is the country’s leading interpreter of congregational systems and their vitality. He has written over 60 books.
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