Church Envy
Even before I visited Collegedale Church, I was awed by their reputation. Through many years of working as Admin for ECKCM, I got to know many of their members. I had heard about how every week they have to make potluck lunches to feed hundreds of Southern College students. According to the Collegedale members, they considered it their ministry to do that. When I heard accounts like that, I guessed that it was a very loving, giving, serving church.
So when I flew into Chattanooga Airport to attend ECKCM@Collegedale Church, I was very excited to finally enter the doors of the Collegedale Church. Even with high expectations, the Church exceeded my calculations. The church grounds were spacious but not overwhelmingly large, there were plenty of classrooms for the variety of age groups, and children of all ages were milling around with their friends. The church was big in members, programs, and ministries but had a warm, family feel to it.
ECKCM ran smoothly with Collegedale Church leadership in charge. Beautiful praise music, great outreach programs, wonderful childrens’ programs, great sermons and plentiful food made the event truly special.
I was thinking to myself that attending Collegedale Church was similar to being at ECKCM. With their large membership and gifted leaders, every Sabbath at Collegedale is what we strive to do for a single week in a year for ECKCM. I had to admit to being envious.
I attend Westchester Korean Church and we have a very small membership. Whereas the Collegedale sanctuary was packed like sardines, our sanctuary has many more empty seats than filled ones. Our church duties are spread among very few, overworked leaders. Potluck duties come way too often.
But while I was feeling sorry for our small, overworked church, God gently reminded me of the blessings of attending a small church. Having to do a lot of duties and not enough leaders force our members to step up and take charge of ministries. This is a place where we can grow our talents in public speaking, playing instruments, leading our small groups, and sharing our burdens. We recognize when church members don’t show up for church. With such a small number of congregants, we all hang out together, regardless of age or gender.
Moreover, I was reminded how blessed we are to have a church, to be able to worship freely without any persecution. With so much religious persecution in so many parts of the world, it is not a small thing that we can worship on the blessed Sabbath with our church family.
I would still love to be a large church like Collegedale but I am also thankful for my small church. And I pray that we can share the three angels’ message with our friends and neighbors so that the family of believers can grow. But whether small or big, we have Jesus as our leader. He will soon bring us home where we can worship altogether in one big church. What a blessed hope we have!