Teresa J. Stewart
Author, Speaker, Teacher, ConsultantSmall congregations are my passion.
Small congregations are not big places in miniature. They work differently. With different challenges and with distinctive strengths not generally available in big settings.
SmallChurch.org is a free online resource for small-setting worship and ministry. It includes practical ideas, inspirational sparks, and seasonal plans that actually fit congregations with fewer than 100 folks.
Ready to share a story, question, or idea with me?
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Aug. 25, 2023
Book Sneak-a-Peak: Worshiping with Conversation
Excerpt from The Small Church Advantage: Seven Powerful Worship Practices that Work Best in Small Settings (Chapter 11)
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Aug. 25, 2023
Seven Vibrant Communion Practices for Small Congregations
Celebrating communion together should be one of your greatest small-setting strengths. It calls
for hands-on, everyone’s-invited, full-body-contact participation. Your worship superpowers!
Here are the seven communion practices I see shared by vibrant small congregations.
Here are seven characteristics shared by small congregations with lavish communion practices.
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Aug. 24, 2023
Two Simple Labor Day Resources
So why do our congregations need to link rest to Labor Day? Without a connection to rest, our
expectation of work becomes corrupted. We step over the needs of actual working bodies–our
made-in-the-image-of-God bodies. And without connection to rest, our expectation of workers
also becomes corrupted. We risk treating them like a utilitarian thing. Instead of a precious,
blessed part of our very good cosmos.
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Aug. 08, 2023
“What even megachurches can learn from small congregations”
The following is reposted with permission from prolific author and faith columnist for the Kansas City Star, Bill Tammeus. In Bill’s Faith Matters blog, he provides excellent and free resources about religion and ethics.
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Jul. 25, 2023
Book Sneak-a-Peak: Small Congregation Worship Matters.
“ . . . . Small congregations also matter to the future of the whole Church—in all places.
Really?
Yes. Small congregations are crucial local laboratories.
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Jul. 10, 2023
Why the Worship Music Report Matters to Small Churches—Differently
May. 31, 2023
Book Sneak-a-Peek: “The Glorious Gospel of Making Do”
May. 30, 2023
In Praise of Scrappy Congregations
Jul. 07, 2022
A Blog Pause for Book Work
Jun. 23, 2022
But We Used To Be A Big Church…
Jun. 06, 2022
Participation Lessons for the Pentecost Season
May. 23, 2022
A Superpower Story of Small-Setting Nimble
May. 12, 2022
In Lament of Praise Bands
Apr. 25, 2022
Four Hybrid Worship Lessons from Small Congregations
Apr. 18, 2022