Here’s a question I get asked a lot.
“If not numbers, how do you measure the success or effectiveness of a church or ministry?”
What I want to know is, “Why do you want to measure ministry success?”
Motivation matters more than results.
Stats Never Inspire Revivals
First, let’s look at church history.
Is there any evidence that measuring their ongoing success was ever an aspect of any true revival of God’s spirit in the church? Sure, there was always someone who kept track of things. But did any spiritual renewal ever rely on measuring and assessing their ongoing growth as it was happening?
In all the church history I’ve read, the numerical results were either assessed in its aftermath or were a surpising result of spiritual renewal.
“Getting the numbers up” has never been the driving factor in any true spiritual revival that I’m aware of. While true renewal/revival was happening, people were too busy delighting in the presence of God and keeping up with the overwhelming response to keep close track of the numbers.
I’m not saying there shouldn’t be someone taking attendance or keeping track of the numbers during a time of spiritual renewal, I’m just saying it’s never been the driving factor for one.
On the other hand, I can give you plenty of examples in which chasing the numbers led to manipulation and false claims of success.
Numbering In The Bible
Second, where is the biblical mandate for numerical measurements? I could easily make a strong scriptural case that our insistence on counting everything is more our about preference than God’s will. For example:
- David’s desire to count people resulted in severe punishment (2 Samuel 24 and 1 Chronicles 21).
- Gideon’s army was purposely reduced, that God may receive more glory (Judges 7).
- Jesus’ feeding of 5,000 (which is often cited as pro-counting), was followed by Jesus reprimanding them for paying too much attention to it (John 6:25-26).
- The resurrected Jesus criticized larger, more successful churches, while comforting and honoring the small struggling ones (Revelation 2-3).
The Real Reasons We Try To Measure Success
So, again, why have we become so obsessed with wanting to measure ministry success?
I propose two primary causes, one neutral, the other negative.
Neutral: Some people are numbers-oriented.
In The Grasshopper Myth I wrote, “Some pastors count people because some pastors count everything! That’s who they are. They’re numbers-oriented. That’s how God made them and it’s one of the ways they get and stay motivated.” But, I also noted, “not all pastors are built that way. Most of us aren’t. I know I’m not.”
We need people who keep close track of metrics, and we need others who remind us that an obession with (or against) metrics can be problematic.
Negative: Like David, we can become glory hogs.
Also, in The Grasshopper Myth, I recalled a pastor who had a megachurch-pastor friend who encouraged him when his church wasn’t huge by appealing, not to his faithfulness, but to his vanity:
The second pastor’s church was growing at an alarmingly fast rate, and is a well-known megachurch today. The first pastor, who was telling us this story, was having only modest growth at a church of just a few hundred. . . .
“He’d always tell me ‘hey, that’s great! At that size, your church is in the top 15% percent of the churches in the country’, then 12%, then 10% and so on.”
Is it just me or does it concern anyone else that the best way one pastor can think of to encourage another pastor is to put down the other 85% of churches and pastors in the country, then 88%, then 90% and so on? I know that wasn’t his intent, but that’s the implication. You’re better than those other pastor and churches is what he was saying.
Tell Stories, Not Stats
So, back to the original question: “If not numbers, how do you measure the success or effectiveness of a church or ministry?”
My suggestion is simple. Stop using numerical measurement as a barometer for ministry success and tell a better story, instead.
Start with the greatest story of all. The gospel. Creation, sin, struggle, incarnation, crucifixion, resurrection, and salvation.
Then, find value in ministry by investing your life in that story and by inviting others into it with you.
Tell the story. Tell your story. Help them tell their story.
The value of that is beyond counting.
(Photo by theilr | Flickr)
