... is what matters
It saddens me when I hear pastors talk (rather, boast) about how big their churches are i.e. the size of the congregation/number of members they have.
The question that always pops up in my mind is: "How many are disciples?"
I'm not saying that our members should not increase in number - very far from it. After all, Acts 2:47 says:
"...all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved."*
The point is as God adds to our churches, His desire is for Acts 6:7a to hold true:
"The word of God was continuing to spread. The group [number] of followers [disciples] in Jerusalem [quickly; or greatly] increased [multiplied]..."**
So what matters to God is not the number of members in your church, it's the number of disciples in His body - simply because disciples obey and do His will which are prerequisites for entering His Kingdom.
Jesus was clear in Matthew 7: 21- 23, where He said:
"Not everyone who calls me, 'Lord! Lord!' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. One judgment day many will say to me, 'Lord! lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.' But I will reply, 'I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God's laws.'"*
Even Mahatma Gandhi, who I hear was not a Christian said:
So when we count (& declare) the number of our church members, we should be more concerned whether or not they are members of Christ's body i.e. disciples. We must also take (invest) the time to disciple more and more church members. Quality, not quantity, always stands the test of time...and yields lasting profit.
May all our churches grow in the knowledge of our head and Lord, Jesus. AMEN
References:
* NLT
** Expanded Bible
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