In a world with a large amount of choices, the popular win.  When we visit YouTube an incredible array of video choices pop out at us.  But we click on “most viewed” to get a good idea of what YouTube is.  If we subscribe to Netflix we might default to the Netflix Top 100 to help make our picks for us.

We do this because we don’t want to waste our time.  We want quality and we don’t want to dig for it.  If other people have enjoyed the product, we will probably enjoy it to.  So, what is popular expands to greater influence, while the least known, no matter the quality, shrinks from view.

This is just a principle of investment.  “All that have will be given more, and those that do not have, even what they do have will be taken from them, and given to the one who does.”  That quote is from Jesus talking about those who invested in eternity and those who did not.  But that statement IS a principle of investment.

Look at Walmart.  Isn’t that a classic case of those that have, having more?  And those retailers who are struggling, even what they do have (customers) are eventually taken from them and go to Walmart.  This is just a principle.  The same is true for churches in America.

The large churches will get larger. With a large amount of choices we go to what is popular because we don’t want to waste our time.  This is not a critique, just an observation.

The small churches must be aware that they can eventually lose their people if they don’t continually strive for a return on their kingdom investment. (I am writing this as a pastor of a small church). This doesn’t mean that small churches will disappear entirely, but mainly they will exist to satisfy the niche desires of a small group of Christians.

This is not necessarily a bad thing, everyone has their particular call from God.  But it is better not to kick against the goads.

*Disclaimer: I am not saying what is popular is RIGHT.  And I am also not saying that what is popular is WRONG.  Both good and evil flow along this principle.