Our story
God Did Something
Remarkable in a Small
Indiana Town.
We've Been Telling That Story Ever Since.
In 1998, Terry Thompson became the lead pastor of a small, struggling church in Crawfordsville, Indiana — a congregation of about twenty senior saints with no clear pathway forward. What happened over the next two decades wasn't the result of a megachurch strategy or a high-budget program. It was the result of biblical renewal, strategic leadership, and a stubborn belief that God wasn't finished.
By 2022, that church — Rock Point Church — had grown from 20 to more than 1,000 in Sunday worship attendance. Terry didn't build a program. He built a healthy church.
After 40 years of full-time vocational ministry, Terry founded Small Church USA in 2019 with his wife Kelly — not to replicate Rock Point's story, but to help pastors write their own. Since 2021, SCUSA has served 142+ pastors across 21 states, partnering with Baptist conventions, fellowship networks, and individual churches to accelerate church health through strategy and leadership.
Small Church USA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Crawfordsville, Indiana.
Our team
Committed to Small Churches
Terry Thompson
Founder & Lead Facilitator
Terry brings 40 years of full-time pastoral experience to every cohort and conference. As the former lead pastor of Rock Point Church, where he led a congregation from 20 to 1,000, he knows firsthand what it takes to lead a church through genuine renewal. Terry holds deep conviction that small churches are not broken versions of big ones. They are vital outposts of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ.
MIKE VAUTERS
Vice President
Mike is a fellow practitioner and pastor who serves alongside Terry in cohort facilitation, coaching, and training. His experience in local church ministry gives him the credibility to speak into the real challenges pastors face, and the relational warmth to walk alongside them through the hard work.
KELLY Thompson
Ministry Support & Author
Co-founder and Terry's wife, Kelly plays a vital behind-the-scenes role in SCUSA's ministry. She co-authored the Pastor's Wife Survival Playbook, which is given to the spouse of every cohort participant.
Our board of directors
Committed to Small Churches
TERRY THOMPSON
Mike Vauters
Kevin Parker
Jeff
Bannon
Brian Saunders
our beliefs
Grounded in Scripture.
Clear on what we believe.
Small Church USA holds to the historic Christian faith. Our ministry is built on the conviction that the local church — however small — is Christ's primary instrument for reaching the world, and that the Bible is the authoritative guide for all matters of faith and practice.
The Word of God: We believe that the Bible is the Word ofGod, fully inspired and without error in the original manuscripts, writtenunder the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, and that it has supreme authority inall matters of faith and conduct.
The Trinity: We believe that there is one living and true God, eternallyexisting in three persons, equal in every divine perfection, executing distinctbut harmonious offices in the work of creation, providence, and redemption.
God the Father: We believe in God the Father, an infinite, personal spirit, perfectin holiness, wisdom, power, and love — who hears and answers prayer, and whosaves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ: We believe in Jesus Christ, God's onlybegotten Son, conceived by the Holy Spirit — in His virgin birth, sinless life,miracles, teachings, substitutionary atoning death, bodily resurrection,ascension, perpetual intercession, and personal visible return.
The Holy Spirit: We believe in the Holy Spirit, who convictsthe world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and who regenerates, sanctifies,and empowers all who believe in Jesus Christ, indwelling every believer ashelper, teacher, and guide.
Regeneration: We believe that all people are sinners bynature and by choice, and that those who repent and trust in Jesus Christ asSavior are regenerated by the Holy Spirit.
The Church: We believe in the universal church — a livingspiritual body of which Christ is the head — and in the local church,consisting of a company of believers united for worship, work, and fellowship.We hold a complementarian view of male pastoral church leadership.
Christian Conduct, Marriage & Gender: We believe Christians should live for the glory of God and the well-being of others. Webelieve God's design in marriage is between a biological male and a biologicalfemale. We believe God disapproves of attempts to alter one's gender by surgeryor appearance.
The Last Things: We believe in the personal and visible return of the Lord Jesus Christ to earth and the establishment of His kingdom.