“The mission of the Church is to make disciples of Jesus Christ. Local churches provide the most significant arena through which disciple-making occurs” (The Book of Discipline of The United Methodist Church, 2008, ¶120.

Small Membership Church

The vast majority of United Methodist churches are small membership churches that can be and are vital places of ministry that matter. Most are situated in areas where there are people outside any faith community and have great potential for ministry. Look for this and more:

• A biblical/theological basis for small church ministry
• Finding vitality and gifts with the members you have
• Being faithful stewards with the gifts and talents available
• Establishing the necessary ministries for nurture, outreach, and witness
• Caring for the administrative ministries

The twenty-six Guidelines cover church leadership areas including Church Council and Small Membership Church; the administrative areas of Finance and Trustees; and ministry areas focused on nurture, outreach, and witness including Worship, Evangelism, Stewardship, and Christian Education, age-level ministries, Communications, and more.

Church Council
Pastor
Pastor Parish Relations
Finance
Stewardship
Trustees
Lay Leader/ Lay Member
Leader Selection & Development
Small Group Ministries
Small Membership Church
Christian Education
Adult Ministries
Children’s Ministries
Family Ministries
Youth Ministries
Evangelism
Worship
Advocates for Inclusiveness
Church and Society
Church Historian
Communications
Higher Education & Campus Ministry
Mission
Men’s Ministries
Women’s Ministries
Scouting & Civic Youth-Serving Ministry