You have heard me say this before … “big” and “small” are relative terms. I grew up in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. At a population of 35,000, Bartlesville was the “big city” for those who lived in nearby Dewey (population 3,400) or Ramona (population 500). However, Bartlesville is a “small town” to those who lived in Tulsa (population 411,000) … and Tulsa is a small town to those who live in New York City (population 8.25 million)! I could keep going, but you get the idea.
Occasionally, when people hear that I am a Pastor they will ask me what size of a church Wildwood is. “Is it a big church?” some will ask? Well, that depends on your experience.
Wildwood is the biggest church I have ever been a part of, so to me, Wildwood is “big.” Last Sunday, we had about 2,000 people attend our church. To many that is a “big” church. Since the average American church has 70 attenders each weekend and 2/3 of American churches average less than 250 people per Sunday … many might think that Wildwood Community Church is a “big” church.
But do you want to know which church makes Wildwood look “small”? Well, it would be the very first church that ever existed … and it would be that church on its VERY FIRST DAY. That’s right, on “launch day” for the very first church, it had an estimated 3,500 people!
Wildwood has been a church following Jesus and shining His light in our community for 57 years. God has been faithful to grow our church steadily over that time to the size it is today. The first church in Jerusalem in the book of Acts, though, grew from 500 to 3,500 after its first public service!!!!! WOW!
Jesus said He would grow His church, and He has done that. From 12 to 500 to 3,500 to over a million Christians by 250 AD to a cumulative estimated total of 14 billion Christians over the past 2000 years! JESUS. IS. BUILDING. HIS. CHURCH!!!!!!!
This Sunday at Wildwood Community Church, we will look at “Launch Day” for the very first church, the church in Jerusalem that was born when the Holy Spirit indwelt the first followers of Jesus on the day of Pentecost. We will dive into Acts 2:37-41 to see how Jesus was building His church Deep and Wide from the very beginning. Join us in our 8:30, 9:45, or 11:00 services for part 3 of our “Deep + Wide” sermon series. We will also celebrate the Lord’s Supper together. See you Sunday … and bring friends!