By: Asher LeVos
I grew up in a small, multi-generational church. This church, which was once a house, is located in the beautiful foothills of Colorado, with a congregation few in number, yet dedicated. This is a church where the members know each other’s names and microphones are often unnecessary. For every major life decision, every little praise, every life-altering moment, the Aspen Park church is there. This small church is not just a service; it’s a community and family.
For college students, finding a church community is important, yet it can be overwhelming. Perhaps you have never attended (or thought of attending) a small church. You should. Many offer strengths in connection, engagement and involvement.
Small churches can enrich your life by providing connections that would otherwise be unlikely. For example, from an early age, I regularly engaged in conversations with older adults, asking questions to hear their stories and telling them tales of my own. Many of the older people in my home church I regard as “bonus grandparents” who are rich in life experiences.
Seven-year-old me loved asking questions about their childhoods. I heard stories of a young Adventist girl living in World War II Germany and stories of a young boy whose father was a World War I veteran. The members of my small hometown church offered weekly advice and words of encouragement, which I would have been less likely to receive, had I not been attending a small church.
Belonging in a welcoming, family-like church enabled and empowered me to ask questions. It shaped much of who I am and taught me to approach every person with curiosity.
Even now, as a college student, it is encouraging to know I am a part of a loving church family back home that regularly prays for me. I hope that everyone, Southern students especially, can feel a similarly strong sense of community in their church family.
For college students who may not have a community outside of fellow students, small churches offer a closer congregation, making it easier to develop intergenerational relationships. In a 2025 article published by the Journal of Mental Health and Aging, the author states, “Strong intergenerational connections can lead to more cohesive and compassionate communities.” These interactions aid us in better understanding differing perspectives, which allow us to become a more inclusive community in Christ.
Engagement should be central to every worship experience. In recent vespers and church services, I paid special attention to those around me. One thing caught my eye: smartphones. While I am by no means offended by the sight of a phone, I couldn’t help but notice the large number of people my age who were disengaged. I, too, fall into passive attendance from time to time as my phone’s notifications—an ever-present distraction—successfully divert my attention.
When I become disengaged, it is often because I feel more like an attendant than a participant. While I do believe that spiritual blessings can be obtained regardless of a church’s size, a particular strength of the small congregation lies in its energetic engagement and interaction with anyone walking through its doors.
In my experience, members of a small church will envelop you in a warm embrace, showing a special interest in you. In small churches, people see you. There is something extraordinary about the leaders of a small church welcoming you from the front by name.
Small-church communities facilitate engagement. There is so much to gain and to give in a small church. No matter the church, individuals ought to feel valued as active, engaged participants in worship.
Allison Grundy, a senior business administration student who attends “The Well,” commented on her experience participating in a smaller congregation.
“Other college students could benefit from joining a smaller church because they may be able to connect with more people on a deeper level,” she said. “At a smaller church, it’s easier to become familiar with others in the congregation and meet new people.”
Highlighting why she values small churches, Grundy said, “In my experience, smaller churches make me feel more involved, and I feel more likely to come back due to the sense of community I feel.”
Small churches value young people who contribute their time and spiritual gifts. In Scripture, “church” is characterized as an assembly of believers in Christ. Romans 12:4-5 says, “For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.” Christ invites us into community with one another, calling us to make use of our spiritual gifts. What spiritual gifts do you have, and how can you contribute to your church community?
I write this not to condemn large churches or well-produced services, but to emphasize the relevance of the small, humble church culture. As college students, valuing smaller congregations is important. Feeling connected, engaged and involved in your congregation is vital. When valued, the small church offers this engaging form of community. If we passively come and go from services, we forget the true purpose of church. Church is intended to provide a community in Christ. Church is not a building or a service; church is a body of believers. The people are the church.
