Karl Vaters - Small Church Essentials: Field-Tested Principles for Leading a Healthy Congregation of under 250

Small churches seldom get the respect they deserve, or the resources they need. Karl Vaters put thirty years of effective ministry into this practical, winsome, and informed word of encouragement and challenge to the small church pastor. It is clear to me that a church does not have to be big to be great. But not many people can tell how to become great while being a small church. Karl does. He covers the aspects of leadership, ministries, and pastoral care in a way that will connect with and serve you well.

ED STETZER

Billy Graham Distinguished Chair, Wheaton College

Small Church Essentials was what I expected, i.e., a book filled with insight, ideas, and encouragement from someone who really understands the dynamics of a small church. I anticipate that this will be another hugely popular book by Karl.

DAVE JACOBS

Small Church Pastor, Inc.

My first conversation with Karl about the power and potential of small churches blew my mind. Every conversation since has not only challenged me but inspired me and helped me to think outside the box. As a pastor and consultant, I think just the chapter on being a welcoming church and his G.I.F.T. Plan for a friendlier church is worth the price of the book. I highly recommend this to all pastors and church leaders.

GREG ATKINSON

Author and founder of the First Impressions Conference

Karl Vaters gets it. He knows church size isnt necessarily an indicator of church health. Small churches can and do impact Gods kingdom. In Small Church Essentials, Vaters provides insight and ideas for the pastoral majoritythose leading smaller churches under 250 in attendance.

THOM S. RAINER

President and CEO, LifeWay Christian Resources

Karl Vaters is a voice to and for small church pastors, and Small Church Essentials speaks their language. With keen insight and remarkable clarity, Karl both affirms and equips small church pastors. An absolute must read, whether youve been pastoring for months or decades.

CARL AND KALANI CULLEY

Pastors of Lacamas Creek Church

Founders of Big Little Church Conference, Camas, WA

In todays big equals better world, Karl Vaterss refreshing approach to small churches is an authentic game changer. With the deft skills of a surgeon and the heart of a shepherd, Karl implores us to focus less on size and more on quality. Small Church Essentials will change your thinking about small churches. Even better, it will give you proven strategies, honed through decades of frontline pastoral ministry, to grow a healthy small church. I will be recommending this book to my clients and pastors of churches of all sizes.

JOHN FINKELDE

Founder, Grow a Healthy Church

Karl Vaters has once again given us practical advice and unique insights for the sake of the kingdom. His book is a must read for those who serve or worship in a small church context.

JIM POWELL

Lead Pastor at Richwoods Christian Church and Founding Director of 95Network

Karl Vaters doesnt just love the small churchhe loves the church and his desire to see God bless it comes through on every page. Small Church Essentials isnt a book you need to hunt through to find something you can use. Almost every page contains something that is immediately applicable. As a fellow small church pastor desperately wanting to encourage and equip small church pastors, Karl has written a handbook I would recommend to not only the veteran small church pastor but the young leader just starting out.

CHRIS VITARELLI

Pastor, author, creator of the Small Church BIG Deal Conference

Sitting down with this resource is like sitting down with an old friend, one you may not know you have, but desperately need. Thats because when it comes to being a small church pastor, Karl has lived it, denied it, dreamed it, tried it, succeeded at it, failed at it, tried it again, and written about it all. Karl has done his best to remove the stigma of being a small church pastor, because its OK to be one. There are a bunch of us in this world, and we need his transparency and his insight. So, grab a cup of coffee, a soda, or your beverage of choice and sit down across the table with Karl as he shares his experience while encouraging us all to fulfill our calling of building Gods kingdom.

SCOTT AND DEENA SIDDLE

Small Church Pastors, LifeSpring Foursquare, Ridgecrest, CA

2018 by KARL VATERS

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All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version, NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.

Scripture quotations marked NASB are taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)

Scripture quotations marked KJV are taken from the King James Version.

All emphasis in Scripture has been added by the author.

Names and details of some stories have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals.

Edited by Amanda Cleary Eastep
Interior Design: Ragont Design
Cover Design: Evangela Creative

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ISBN: 978-0-8024-1806-7

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For my church family at Cornerstone Christian Fellowship. Without you, this book would never have been possible. The only reason I get to share good ideas with other churches is because you lived with me through the experiments that crashed and burned.

For 25 years and counting, weve celebrated victories, mourned losses, and kept moving forward together. Our small size has never stopped us from worshiping Jesus, loving each other, and reaching the world in a big way. You are the greatest example I know of a church whose impact is bigger than its footprint.

Friend,

Thank you for choosing to read this Moody Publishers title. It is our hope and prayer that this book will help you to know Jesus Christ more personally and love Him more deeply.