In his book, Messy Spirituality, Mike Yaconelli talks about his journey pastoring what he calls “the slowest growing church in America.” I think he partially meant this tongue-in-cheek when he talked about the small church in Northern California that he pastored. But he was also serious. Let me explain.

            Sometimes in churches we come to believe that bigger, fancier and flashier is better. Usually, the fastest growing churches in America are brand new church plants that are offering something new that feeds the “grass is greener on the other side” curiosity in all of us. The reality is, and statistics will back this up, that churches that grow too quickly lack depth of relationship to sustain healthy body life. Not surprisingly, these churches mainly attract Christians instead of unbelievers and the unchurched.

            What if we were to embrace a desire to be a part of one of the slowest growing churches in America? I could really get behind that if it meant that those whom we invite, and those whom God brings our way, are folded into Hillcrest Church because of a depth of relationship that exists.

The reality is: God is bringing people our way. Is there more room at the table?