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Teresa J. Stewart

Author, Speaker, Teacher, Consultant

Small 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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Featured image for “Book Sneak-a-Peak: Worshiping with Conversation”
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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Featured image for “Seven Vibrant Communion Practices for Small Congregations”
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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Featured image for “Two Simple Labor Day Resources”
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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Featured image for ““What even megachurches can learn from small congregations””
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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Featured image for “Book Sneak-a-Peak: Small Congregation Worship Matters.”
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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