It's All About Numbers

I have often heard people berate churches and pastors for being driven by numbers, attendance numbers, offering numbers and numbers of churches.

Let's be honest for a moment. Isn't it all about numbers? I mean seriously, if one of the brethren who constantly bemoans churches who seem to attract numbers woke up one Sunday to 1,000 in his church, would he really panic, trying to figure out how to run those people off? No. He would be praising God. Why? Because it is about numbers.

Before I go any further, let me emphasize that it is rebellion against God to compromise doctrine for the sake of drawing numbers. It is sin to hide the Gospel to draw numbers. It is worldly to preach feel-good encouraging messages to draw numbers. Still, any pastor or church who wants to reach people with the Gospel wants numbers.

Numbers do not equate success. A church can draw thousands every Sunday, yet be a complete failure because the Gospel never gets preached. On the other hand, a small church can be successful by discipling people and seeing them grow in ministry. Still, numbers present a better opportunity at success.

The ministry of Jesus drew numbers, On up into the thousands. Yet after three and one-half years, His congregation had only retained 125 (after the ascension). Still, Jesus didn't turn down the opportunity to preach to the multitudes. It was from those multitudes that He gained His disciples (not apostles, disciples. Some disciples became apostles. Not all disciples became apostles. All Apostles were disciples, save Paul, who, well, actually, was discipled in the wilderness.) You see... Numbers.

So, why are numbers important? Simple. The bigger the audience (i.e. the bigger the numbers), the greater chance you have of reaching someone with the preaching of the Gospel. This concept applies not only to Gospel preaching, but to all forms of communication. It's why stations with 16 percent of the radio audience sell more, and charge more for advertising than the stations with 3-4 percent. People want to put their message out in front of larger numbers, knowing that the larger the number, the better the chance to reach someone. It's why direct mail sells its bundles by the thousands. Numbers. (It is estimated that a successful direct mail campaign will net a 3 percent response rate. So, if you want to reach 300 people, you need to send out 10,000 mailers. Numbers.)

So, why put forth the effort for numbers? Simple. The more people you come into contact with, the better the chance you will have toward reaching someone with the Gospel. The more people you reach with the Gospel, the fewer people will be going to Hell. The more people you successfully disciple, the more evangelists and disciple-makers are on the streets, which will, in turn, lead to more converts. You see? It's all about the numbers.