"If 'your' Church disappeared would anyone notice?"

I've reflected on that question a lot over the last several years. And I used to think it was a clear cut, obvious sort of answer. If your surrounding community doesn't know who you are, then no. They wouldn't notice.

But is that a bad thing?

If the Church is made of many textures for various purposes, that means the localized significance looks different. And, the smaller the Body, the less obvious the "tangible" impact.

Truly, it's hard to see the greatness of small acts of faithfulness.

These sort of questions, while well-intentioned, can become a slippery slope of influence and power.

I am not sure that we should frame how we live and worship in terms of noticeability, or even impact. Because frankly, that sets us up for heartbreak.

Faithfulness does not equal "who takes notice."
We simply can't measure things in this way.

Faithfulness is often unnoticed but may have generational impact.

Hence the harvest we walk into, from the seeds planted by those who came before us.