CHICAGO -- A leading expert on church growth and church health recently told a group of Southern Baptist associational directors of missions that video-based preaching is becoming an increasingly attractive alternative to small churches, according to a report by Baptist Press.
Lyle Schaller, a consultant and author of 52 books, spoke on "Models for Ministry in Small Churches" during Connection 2003, a conference sponsored by the North American Mission Board May 18-21.
His focus was on helping directors of missions guide churches through alternatives that would allow them to grow beyond the Southern Baptist median attendance of 75 people or fewer.
Among the possibilities, Schaller told the group, small churches could receive video preaching from a megachurch to supplement their own worship and leadership. A bivocational or lay pastor may lead in other areas of church matters, but the responsibility of preaching would not be necessary.
Another possibility is the church could become a satellite branch of the larger church. The branch churches would benefit from the full range of specialized staff at the mother congregation, BP reported.
Schaller said there has been little resistance in churches where video-based preaching has been tried.
"I'm intrigued that young people born after about 1960 have no problem with it at all," he said. "Even among older members, the common reaction is, ‘I was opposed from day one, but now I see the tradeoff. I'll take first-rate preaching on the screen rather than second-rate preaching live.'"
