Yes, that’s right. We had over 400 english and spanish speakers this past sunday. Though Christ Church can feel like a very small church at times, it is growing. And, I thought this moment would serve as an excellent teaching opportunity to prepare us for the future. So…

Props to All Disciple Makers!

We should all– if we are wise– be a little leery of making church “all about numbers.” I hesitate even mentioning it. Any church that foolishly goes down that pragmatic path will certainly get the cart before the horse. Like Ebeneezer Scrooge they will be able to count their commodities but they won’t be able to enjoy them. They will be tempted to all kinds of evil especially in the areas where righteousness will cost them something. So, numbers had better not become everything or the ultimate thing. May the Lord deliver us from evil.

But while we are resisting evil, let’s resist all evil. What I mean is that there is an even worse sin than an inordinate affection for numbers, that is, an absence of affection for them. I can’t help but to remember the disciples and their nets bursting with fish. Jesus predicted they would become fishers of men, and as an object lesson he graced them with quite a net full. In other words, let’s not be more leery of numbers than Jesus. Let’s be leery of numbers in the same way we are leery of money and other great things that are good to have. Numbers are souls and that should count. Right? So, much props to all of you who have purposed in your hearts to make worship a non-negotiable in your life. Much props to all of you who tirelessly invite your network of friends and family to church. Keep it up. Your labor is not in vain. In due season you will reap!

One Little Lesson

Now, upon the occasion of this growth I’d like to offer one little lesson. Here it is: Love makes a family grow, but the more a family grows, the harder it can be to love. In other words, church growth makes it a little harder to love in two main ways.

First, it’s harder to love because there are more people around that weren’t always around. “More people more problems,” they say. Meeting these new folks can be awkward, painful and time consuming. But, we shouldn’t fret! We shouldn’t in this case long for the good ol’ days when loving was so much easier. That would be like parents longing for the good ol’ days when their children weren’t around. It is easier, but is ease what a family is all about?

Second, it’s harder to love because some of the people we have really grown to love are growing up and moving out. I mean they are going off to other locations. They are sitting farther from us on sunday morning. They are making new friends and investing time in new disciples. But we shouldn’t fret that either. Why? Because when families grow an inevitable thing happens: the kids grow up and move out. I heard a wise man once say, “The only thing worse than a child who moves out of the house is one that never moves out of the house.” I tell my daughters they don’t ever have to move out of the house, but I know that one day they will want to and need to; and, that doesn’t mean love is fading. It means love is doing what love does: multiplying.

Let me be real plain. When a church grows people may say, “It’s not like it used to be!” But, don’t think that the feelings you are having are necessarily love fading. True love doesn’t fade. Rather, realize that what you might be interpreting as fading love could be God teaching you to finally love. Or, it might be God forcing your love to grow up into maturity. In the end, church growth really does mean church growth.

So, let me encourage you to let your love mature. Meet someone new this next Sunday! Invite someone new! Reach out to someone new. Disciple someone new.

‘til the Lord’s Day,