1-2-3, Count With Me

A few weeks back Steven Furtick, pastor of Elevation church, wrote a blog entitled: “We are all about the numbers.”  His point?  While some people disparage focusing on the number of people attending a church, he’s strongly in favor of measuring and emphasizing it. 

I want to make a radical statement in response: I agree.

Okay, so that wasn’t very radical.  But I’d like to throw a little perspective in the pot as well. 

I love numbers.  I’m a closet bean counter (accountants unite!)  I like how honest numbers are and how starkly they point out what needs to be either applauded or addressed.   At The Journey, we carefully track numbers.  How many people gather on a weekend.  How many adults; how many kids.  How many people put their faith in Christ; how many are baptized.  How many of us complete Launch.  We count how many people sign up for a Life Group, and how many show up.  We track the number of people volunteering, tithing, and taking Discover.

We do this because numbers matter – for the same reason Pastor Steven says they do: they represent changed lives.

Numbers are useful in some cases.  But they can be destructive in others.  They’re great for celebrating what God is doing and creating room for him to do more of it.  But they’re a terrible thing to count on, compare with, cling to, or get cocky about. 

• Don’t count on rising numbers because churches aren’t machines.  They grow sometimes; they pause sometimes.  They’re spiritual bodies, not spiritual abacuses.
• Don’t compare with other churches based on numbers.  That makes it about you instead of God.  Not good.
• Don’t cling to numbers, as if they somehow define who you are.  If you do, when they rise you’ll be manically happy… and when they drop you’ll be dialing your therapist’s phone number quicker than you can say “we were down this week.”  Neither is healthy.
• Don’t get cocky about the numbers.  An increasing number of people attending, joining, or giving to your church doesn’t mean you no longer need to be humble in the face of criticism and advice (this doesn’t involve being a doormat for Jesus, but listening to the right people at the right time).

Looking for a biblical precedent for all of this?  Try Moses and David.  Moses counted while he was in charge in the wilderness, very carefully and precisely.  God blessed him for it.  Moses used the results to celebrate what God was doing and create room for him to do more of it – to rejoice and to strategize.  

David counted while he was in charge as well.  God judged him for it.  David used the results to count on continued prosperity, compare himself with the nations and kings around him, cling to his own temporarily inflated ego, and get cocky with his critics – to pat himself on the back.

I want to be all about the numbers.  Like Moses (and Pastor Steven), not David.

Comments

[James]

Mark, as always, I enjoyed your perspective on this topic.

"Numbers" obsessed churches, at least the ones that get most of the criticism and poor reputation, tend to run their church like a well-oiled marketing machine, leave that used car salesman feel, offering programs, incentives and rewards --- they gloat about their new membership classes and are constantly coming up with something else to offer as a service to those who attend their club -- err, part of their fellowship. It goes well-beyond good hospitality and into a Rewards program. The focus becomes about membership via numbers, and not necessarily about discipleship and people, making their way to Jesus.

For the reasons you stated, numbers are important, and we should continue to count -- and be aware of what God is doing. But when our culture becomes about numbers, that worldly capitalist attitude bleeds top-down. The pressure machine for growth squeezes out as much as it can. One has to wonder the depth of discipleship and authentic coming-to-Christ experiences, or are they cut short because we are trying to get as many diners into our small little restaurant before the night is over?

The Spirit, ultimately, draws all men. He does the work. Our role is small, in perspective.