Encouragement for the Small Church

I really enjoyed Brandon O'Brien's The Strategically Small Church and felt like it offered some excellent insights with the caveat that it is so broad in the illustrations and examples it gives that it feels somewhat impersonal and lacking in direction. As a pastor's daughter and pastor's wife, acquainted intimately with small-church ministry, I applaud and relate to the discussion of the strengths of small churches, especially in today's culture. O'Brien indicates the appeal and niche for the small church today is first of all being authentic, not so polished. People very much want authenticity today, real world, natural products, real food, etc. Small churches also can better focus on a few programs that are generated and run by members. Pastors of small churches know their people and their weaknesses and strengths and can take their ideas and let them run with them. They shouldn't feel the need to have all the standard programs but simply those that fit their church and that people in their church have a heart for. Small churches also offer more of a family atmosphere, more interaction with people of different ages, more interaction with the same people, more interaction, period. In the day of broken homes, people are more than ever looking for a family. Lastly, pastors of small churches must utilize their membership and in so doing train leaders.
O'Brien strongly argues that there is both a biblical and a pragmatic need for the small church or at least a small church mentality. He says many of the very small percentage of mega churches (in comparison to the rest of churches which largely are 500 or fewer) currently emulate and try to incorporate some of the advantages of the small church, perhaps breaking themselves up into small churches. He gives examples from all kinds of different denominations and church ministry styles and strategies and it's in this effort that he starts to seem more like a researcher writing a report and less like a Christian with a distinct passion for the small church (he almost leaves you with the question what exactly is a church and what does/ should it stand for?) nor do I like the pragmatic emphasis. Christians should do what the Bible says, even if it doesn't make sense to the world. All in all, I'd recommend this book for those involved in small-church ministry and I would definitely encourage pastors to embrace the advantages of working with a small church.
I received this book from Bethany House for the purpose of reviewing it.