The Numbers Don't Lie...Do You?

This has got to be one of the most hilarious times of the year, because it's the time of year when different magazines and websites come out with their reported "Fastest Growing" or "Top 100 Most Attended" churches in America.

When I see these lists I have to laugh, because there are only a handful of churches that count accurately. Only in the church world do we get away with this. I don't know why we lie about our numbers so much, but we do. We tend to exaggerate, elongate, double count and guesstimate. And we end up with numbers that aren't reflective of who is really there.

So I'm going to start an "Accurate Counting List." That's right...an accurate list of church attendance. The criteria are very simple. All you do is report:

          * Your annual giving (excluding building funds or other special projects)
          * Children, birth through fifth grade
          * Your attendance in worship services that present the same content

So many churches will add their midweek, Sunday night or special event services that don't share the same content as the weekend.

Just the other day we went to a well-known church (one that pretty much everyone would know) and we asked them what their attendance was in that particular service. Then our staff counted and there were 1,500 less that what they said!

From the get-go we have tried to be ruthlessly and brutally honest about our numbers at Fellowship Church. Why? Because numbers matter to God. They represent lives. They help us in planning buildings and programs. And they let us know if we are being effective in reaching people.

There is a balance, though, between OD-ing on numbers vs. not counting at all. So it's time that we all step up to the plate and be honest about our numbers, because the numbers don't lie.

Happy counting!

Comments

[mike]

ha! I love it you hit it on the head... We know several of the churches on the last list a major magazine published with the 100 fastest growing churches in America and non of them fit in the category... Its fun to go to a church that claims 10,000 and to go sit in all there services and count 3,000... RIGHT ON ED!

[BC]

do you think we overplay the numbers thing? can't attendance & $$$ be manipulated to "seem" as if God is blessing or doing something when in actuality the only number that counts in God's economy is "transformed lives" that add to the Kingdom of God and its effectiveness in being Jesus-like??? You may be interested in another blog that is quite thought provoking & challenging, www.echo-of-hope.blogspot.com , its from a church in Eugene, Oregon called ECHO "a church for people who don't like church"...makes you think...hmmmm

[Dave Quinn]

Numbers are a funny thing. At various times over the years I have counted number of people we have reached in an event or service. I think it helps to count them as you are reaching people, but I wish we could count the depth or effect that our teaching or events had on them. We have all probably had times when record numbers have attended with minimal impact and others when we have really hit the spot in a home group with ten people. I guess the main thing is we are faithfully trying to reach people for Christ and helping them to make a life long commitment to Him.

[sacornwell]

hmm yes, ego combined with the thoughts that higher numbers will gain you more respect and get you noticed. I find it interesting in general that we judge our events by people that show up. If 10,000 people show up in a weekend then we succeeded, even if the event was a total flop. Sometimes i wonder how God would measure a success. If the feeding of the 5000 had only been the feeding of th 12 would the miracle have been a success?

[Autumn Beck]

It's definately not just a church thing. My husband is a chiropractor and we laugh at the fudging of numbers docs give to the question "how many patients do you see in a week?" I mean seriously why lie??!

[Jason Curlee]

Kudos Ed....numbers-gate....I so agree. the only reason to fudge or elongate anything is simply for ego.

You do not have an accurate picture unless there is an accurate count of physical people that came...not that came twice or where there Wednesday.

I think your number system is simple and would reflect accurateness.

[Nate Westerfield]

Ok first I have to say that you remind me of my youth pastor growing up and it ROCKS! Love your creativity, honesty and passion for seeing people coming to CHRIST and your openess to share your life with other pastors and leaders!

On the counting issue our Usher teams do a great job of counting correctly. Its awesome to be in a church that is honest through and through.

Thanks again for all you do!

[Amy Waddell]

This is so true...and we're crazy to tell fibs about numbers in God's house!! Let's hold accountability to being real and honest...God knows it all anyways! Thank you Ed for continuing to challenge each of us in our daily lives, sometimes I think we tell the sttrreettcchhiinngg truth and don't even realize what we're doing. We need to get back to the basics and use a fine tooth comb to really check ourselves!

[Kyle Hammond]

Amen! We always said, "We count people because people count!" Balance is the key. If you live by numbers you'll die by numbers!

[Jim]

Numbers are important - God did name a book in the Bible that!

Really though I have seen through the years that it is a pride thing. Many ministries and people think that they are not being effective if they are no reaching a large number of people. That is a real mistake.

No matter what the numbers are, there is always room for more people! Numbers are people and they are what is important. God wants churches of 50 to reach more people and churches of 10,000 to reach more people. As long as people are going to hell we need to add more numbers!

Thanks for the post!

[PJ Moon]

that is so funny... My staff and I were just talking about that the other day. I am a youth pastor in Olympia WA. So there are many times in the past where we have "fudged" the numbers, but we came to that same conclusion. Numbers matter cause they are lives. We have begun to strive to keep a way better count of numbers. By the way, I read your blog quite often and I love what you have to say. People probably tell you all the time, but I really appreciate you. To know that there are other pastors out there that are trying to reach this next generation in a fresh way is awesome. Thanks so much!