A church that is “medium-sized” (250-400) begins to function and feel like this…

1. People don’t know everyone. There are too many people attending now for everyone in the congregation to know everyone else. The congregation begins to affiliate most closely by ministry, group, or class.
2. Leadership represents different constituencies. There will now be more ministers overseeing and advocating specific ministries like worship, children, youth, etc.
3. Leadership teams have significant power. Because more ministry needs to happen, powerful teams form like a missions committee, or worship team, who have significant sway over the church.
4. Leaders are picked by strengths and gifts. Leaders in smaller churches are often picked by availability, spiritual maturity, and relational connection. In medium-sized churches, leaders begin to be picked by strengths and gifts to lead forth different ministries.
5. Elder Board works closely with leaders. Because more work has to be done, the Board shifts more merely being a support to the pastor, to linking arms with other leaders in the church and helping them.
6. “Senior leaders” become ranchers. Because there are too many attending now for the pastors to know and care for all of them, the pastors will naturally have to “ranch” and invest their time with key leaders who will equip the saints for the work of ministry.
7. Change happens through leadership teams. Since powerful teams begin to form in the church, changes are often advocated for from those teams as they see needs arise or want to try new things.