Crazy about the numbers

Churchianity drives me crazy.  Talking about discipleship but evaluating a program based on numbers drives me really crazy.

Why is it all about numbers? Where is the depth in the American church? Three years ago, Willow Creek's research revealed that their emphasis on programming over relationships had failed. Has it really been like this for over 30 years?

Focusing on quantity over quality is a sign that spiritual growth has been replaced by a measurement of success.  The church sees the tantalizing numbers of early Acts, and want the same for their own ministries.

Paul states in I Cor 3:6:

 ⁵ After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us. ⁶ I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. ⁷ It’s not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What’s important is that God makes the seed grow. ⁸ The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work. ⁹ For we are both God’s workers. And you are God’s field. You are God’s building.
 ¹⁰ Because of God’s grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful. ¹¹ For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ. (New Living Translation).

Can we presume then, by a measurement of numbers, that if a program isn't growing numerically, that God isn't in it?  Must we value activity for activity's sake to evaluate success?

It's easier to count numbers and declare that a ministry is growing than to spend time evaluating it from within to determine if true discipleship is occurring and spiritual growth is happening.

I propose that growth can occur even if numbers don't increase.  How do we measure influence and impact? How can we measure significance?

I can't recall any Scripture that states that God's goal or measure of evaluation in the body is numeric growth, but depth of growth:

Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. (Eph 3:17, NLTse)

Church leaders, if a program doesn't seem to be growing, are you equipping your staff and volunteer leadership to help it grow?  Have you spent enough time in the program to see where the growth is really occurring before creating an artificial measurement of success?  As pastors and teachers are gifts to the church (the body of Christ) for the purpose of equipping, so are church leaders the gifts to the staff and program leaders – pastors and volunteers alike.

Equip us before you evaluate us.  Then we're all working toward the same goal, and being evaluate by a common standard – and with the same purpose!

Pay me to play?

Not too long ago, I had a conversation with a worship leader about the practice of paying musicians who serve on worship teams. Initially, I was surprised by the practice, as I've never ever been in a church that pays its musicians. But it may not be such a bad idea.

Don't get me wrong, I don't think for a minute that people should ever be paid to serve. Paying musicians sets a precedent for paying every volunteer, and that's not what service is about. Even if it were offered, I don't think I would accept it (there are plenty of underfunded ministries in most churches, particularly youth groups, that can use the money). Personally I don't need the money; I know plenty of professional musicians who are far better than I am and would do a far better job. If paid to play, then I'm not truly serving out of my love for God and a desire use my gifts in service.

Paying musicians would create an expectation of performance: if you are paid to play, you will be prepared; you will know your music; you will have listened to the worship set before you arrive for rehearsal. If you're not prepared, it's quickly evident, and if you're not scheduled to pay you won't get paid.

If you're like me, you serve because there is an area in the church that aligns with your gifts. You believe you have something to contribute, to the greater good, the Cause, and that by participating you're being obedient to your calling.  if nothing else, I'm prepared because that's important to me – my personal integrity is aligned with my sense of responsibility to my fellow musicians.

Just having the gifts isn't enough. The most suitable individuals to participate on a worship team may not always be the best musicians, but in a team may show surprising ability to contribute to the whole. Too often the attitude and condition of the heart are overlooked in the supposed "need" of a certain number of musicians; the effect that one individual can have on a team can be very demotivating. A right heart and musical talent is a powerful combination.

I don't want to get paid. I want to serve as a musician because I love to play music; to honor God by using these gifts before the congregation is a very high calling. We are all leaders when we are at practice or when we are on stage before the congregation or in the daily grind of life, and it's dishonoring to God if we're not prepared. Ultimately we're playing for an audience of One. Never more, never less.

I want to serve in worship in an environment where the team is valued over the individual; where we lift one another up when we are weak in our abilities and and in our faith; where everyone is ready to play and tech is ready to go when it's time to rehearse. Waiting for everybody to get ready is demotivating; my time is valuable to, please respect it.

Where exactly should we serve?

Thinking today about service. Purposefully avoiding where possible the word "ministry," it's so institutional, and limits us.  No criticisms intended here, just observations.

I know many believers who have a deep and active faith relationship with God, but don't serve in their churches.

I know many ministry professionals have a deep and active faith relationship with God, and spend all their time in church-related activities.

I know many believers who serve in their church, and are active in the community – outside of the church – volunteering in nonprofits.

I just can't help but think that serving in the church is not enough, but it's outside where we have the greatest impact.  Inside the church, the gifts we were given – the pastors, teachers, evangelists – were given for the building up of the body, to do his work – so we can grow in Christ and serve. (Eph 4:11-13).

The church seems to project the expectation that all of a believer's activities must be church-related, but that's missing the point. The gospel is just part of God's story, and it always has been – it's in moving beyond the milk, beyond the cake – where our roots grow deep into God's marvelous love, where we can break out of the confines of piety and serve in the world we live in, in the fulness of the redeemed relationship we have with our Father.

Some are called to serve inside the church. Some are called to serve outside the church, and some are called to serve in both places. Where are you called? Regardless, we're called to serve.