Well...another Sunday has come and gone, and I'm left thinking about yesterday's worship services. The people seemed to be happy, the music was good, a brother from out-of-state spoke, and two little girls were baptized into Jesus. Sounds wonderful, doesn't it?But I'm not happy.
I could worry myself sick...to be absolutely honest with you. Why? Because the attendance was horrible. There were only 109 in the morning services.
On the one hand, something tells me that the emphasis on attendance is overblown. Something tells me that it has to do with our inbred desire for something tangible to tell us that we're successful. We want to believe that what we're doing matters, and that we're good at what we do. I understand that we're not supposed to use the world's standards to judge our effectiveness or worth.
But on the other hand, each number in the attendance total represents a real person. And who really knows what's going on with that person? They could be fine...just enjoying a weekend away with family or friends. They might be on vacation. But they just might be struggling with their faith. They might be sick in their body. They might be sitting at home in the dark wondering if anyone really cares.
So, maybe church attendance matters. Maybe it doesn't. I have friends on both sides of the issue, but tell me...please...what do you think?
4 comments:
Denny and I were talking about Steve's message yesterday and about how it amazes us how much of an impact our "little" church makes. When I got to thinking about it, it hit me. We have had prophesy after prophesy stating that we would be a "mega" church. Is this in numbers? I have always taken these prophesies to mean in numbers of people attending, but then I heard Steve's message about how much of an impact our church had made on him and his whole family. When you think about how many people have come through the doors of CFC over the last 20+ years, we are a mega church by all accounts. Do we currently have numbers that would make the world consider us that? Probably not, but I think as far as God goes we are. In the end shouldn't it be God's perspective that we should be concerned with anyway? We take what we have in God for granted and we need to not do that.
I think it is important to check on those who have missed and make sure they know they are loved and cared about, but we can't make them come.
I don't necessarily think big numbers mean big success anymore.
Just my thoughts.
I don't feel numbers are that important myself. If the church is doing what God says to do, the numbers will grow. I do feel that it isn't stressed enough to congregations on how important it is to be in church. I have found that out the last 2 years. Also, like Lisa said, people NEED to be contacted when they have missed. It is unbelieveable what just a simple phone call does to a person's faith and causes then to want to be in church if they are struggling. No we can't make them come, but it would show them that they are truly missed and cared about just by checking in on them.
I look at the churches that have thousands on Sunday. What are they doing? Every one of them are out in the community with the lost. They are out meeting needs of those who don't know Jesus. Not necessarily preaching to them, just loving them and meeting whatever needs they can. Constantly looking for what they can do for someonme else. They aren't sitting behind the walls of the church waiting for people to come in. They see that the church really cares about them FIRST and then the church will start filling up. Next, it is time to make disciples just like Jesus said to do in the Great Commission.
I have always said it is very important to be in church. I use to never miss a service. You never know when you will be at a point when you can't go. So much is taken for granted. Sometimes Christianity becomes so much of the "norm" in a person's life that it, nor Jesus, isn't "important".
People are so selfish. They think that their time is more important. They don't realize that you come to church (or go anywhere) to serve others. They want people to call them even when they haven't told anyone that they are having trouble. It is so frustrating. The solution to church attendance is to find people that love God with their whole heart and their neighbor as themselves.
Your right...that all important number represents a "real" human life.
There are all kinds of reasons why people don't come to church but to worry & fret over numbers is wrong. To pray & help the human is right.
I think ultimatly each individual needs to be accountable on this subject b/c again its just a decision.
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