Over the span of my career as a pastor, I have read several books that attempt to categorize churches by different features or qualities. One theory, popular decades ago, was that people join churches of different sizes for different reasons. This theory posited that smaller congregations are primarily family churches. People join to belong to a close group of people with similar ideas and life situations. They want to be known and appreciated for who they are. Larger congregations were classified as program churches by this theory. People join these congregations to participate in the programs that they offer. They might be looking for specific types of programs, such as children’s educational classes or adult fellowship groups. In this theory, making the transition from a family church to a program church is difficult for a community. This challenge can prevent a congregation from growing. When the congregation gets to be a certain size it no longer feels like family to participants. They are willing to sacrifice programs and members for the feeling of being a part of a family congregation. Following this theory, which I have simplified here, one of the keys to congregational growth promoted by the theory is small groups. By delivering programs in small groups a congregation can grow as a program church while offering the intimacy and family feeling of small groups. This strategy has worked well for many congregations, including a few mega churches that have grown to large sizes, while emphasizing participation in intimate small groups.

Despite some rhetoric to the contrary, faith formation in contemporary congregations is primarily a program-based project. The educational ministry of a congregation is evaluated in terms of the programs that are offered. Are there regular classes for children? Is there a youth group? Does the church offer mission trips? Are there retreats and camps? Can adults find book clubs, creative arts classes, and other programs?

Our current position, though an interim position, comes with high expectations that the congregation will offer programs. The church publishes a weekly “Connections Calendar” that lists activities in the congregation. Most of the activities listed in the calendar are programs offered by the Faith Formation Board. While the congregation offers small group opportunities through service on church boards and committees, participation in music programs, and other venues, the primary evaluation of the effectiveness of faith formation is made by looking at the list of programs.

Autumn is traditionally the time when new programs begin and there is a flurry of activity each autumn. Programs run through out the year, but there are generally fewer programs in the summer. This is our second autumn in this position and, as was the case last year, we didn’t fire up all of our programs in September. October is the month of launching for several small groups.

Sunday, I participated in the launch of a new small group. Today, I will facilitate a small group bible study that has its first meeting. Tomorrow I am responsible for a small group book study that is new. In addition there are meetings of ongoing groups both days. These programs for adults are offered with online components. That means that I need to have the technology and knowledge to facilitate meetings over the Zoom platform. Several of the programs I facilitate are hybrid, with options for participating in person at the church as well as the use of a conference camera, microphone and speaker for those who are participating online. We use a large television as a monitor to display the online participants in the meeting room.

In order to facilitate these meetings, I have to have a certain level of technical knowledge to make the various parts of the program work. I am beginning to teach others to use the various technologies, but training takes time and requires the launch of additional programs. The result is the the work I am doing in the church is a bit surprising to me. When I began my career, I couldn’t imagine the type of work I am now doing. I began my career in a time before computers were used in congregations. Now I cannot do my job without access to multiple computers.

The computers, however, are not what inspires me to do the work of the church. The inspiration comes from relationships with people. I use computers to connect individuals with each other. I still have a personal preference for in person meetings, but I also acknowledge that there are people with whom we need to maintain connections who are not able to attend in person. Hybrid and online offerings expand the outreach of the congregation. Furthermore, I have discovered that significant relationships can be built through an online presence. There are members of the congregation whom I know primarily through Zoom meetings and those relationships are important.

Sometimes it feels like I am operating in a whole new environment with a whole new set of definitions and challenges. Still, the concepts of family church and program church, developed before churches had online presences and before Covid-19 forced churches to re-evaluate all programs, are useful in my understanding of the work that I do. It is still true that people are attracted to our congregation by the programs that we offer. It is still true that the work of ministers in the church is evaluated in terms of programs offered.

Sometime in the next year this congregation will begin the transition from our ministry to whatever is coming next for the congregation. It still is not clear exactly what shape that ministry will take. There will probably be a search for a new permanent minister, but it is unclear whether that will be part-time or full-time. The need for significant lay leadership will continue. The demand for programs will continue. The need for technical skills will continue. My role at the church is not to lead that transition, but to design and promote programs that can continue through the period of transition.

These are exciting times to be involved in the ministries of the congregation and I am fortunate to be part of these times. I am not sure what comes next, but I know that God’s call will remain strong and there will be meaningful work for the next phases of my life. Onward!