OPEN ISSUE: Church Attendance Numbers
Attendance and contribution statistics are data points that may or may not accurately reflect a congregation's underlying spiritual condition.
Introduction
The apostle Paul had a message for Christians who lost their focus as a church and put too much emphasis on the efforts of mere men. The church at Corinth had the tendency to exalt men. Paul told them they needed to learn “not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against the other” (1 Cor. 4: 6). You can almost hear some saying, “Paul’s my favorite. If it weren’t for him, we wouldn’t have a church here.” Perhaps others were saying, “I like Apollos better. He’s got some eloquence about him. What a preacher!” Also others, “Give me Peter any day. He’s the man we need here at Corinth.” It is no different today, and Paul’s message is just as appropriate as it was then. He said, “Who then is Paul? Who is Apollos?” (1 Cor. 3: 5). “Just ministers,” answered the apostle. Encompassed in the word is “servant.” Actually, they were just servants (messengers) for the Lord. Verse 7 says, “So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.” Paul had planted the seed and Apollos had watered it. Both were necessary, but it is God who caused the growth (gave the increase).
How does this relate to the title of this article? We can become overly concerned with the attendance record of the local church. As long as the numbers are up, we feel good about ourselves and the work we are doing. Yet, when numbers decrease, the worry becomes “What are we doing wrong?” The truth is, we should be just as thankful and dedicated to the Lord no matter the number in attendance. Our duty is to “plant and water,” but “it is GOD who GIVES THE INCREASE.” When we replace God with the preacher, or ourselves, thinking the increase depends on him or us, instead of God, then, we view attendance numbers differently.
Consider the Lord’s message to the church at Sardis. “You have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. Be watchful. . . for I have not found your works perfect before God” (Rev. 3: 1-2). Their attendance numbers were probably up and they had the reputation of being a vibrant church, but there were things displeasing to God—things not reflected in the numbers. Now, don’t misunderstand: it is not wrong to want higher attendance numbers, or to post them on the board in front of the assembly. Attendance numbers do mean something and we should rejoice when they increase. The Book of Acts is filled with accounts of increase in attendance numbers among God’s people. Acts 5: 14 says, “And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women.” We have a problem when we begin to lose our focus and define the church’s soundness only by its attendance numbers. Large crowds do not translate into “soundness.” A church’s strength does not depend only on the preacher. Large numbers do not indicate that everything is right with a local church, and also dwindling numbers do not necessarily imply or demand the conclusion that a local church is doing something wrong. It is our duty to work hard and sow the seed, and water the seed, praying for more workers in the Lord’s vineyard, and trusting the Lord to give the increase. To Him belongs the glory. It is His vineyard, and we are only workers in it. Brother Robert Turner said, in referencing the local church, “It remains the means of serving the Master, and must never become the Master.”
So, let’s go to work with all of our might, and those attendance numbers will take care of themselves, whether they soar upward or spiral downward. Let’s make sure that the number we do have is faithfully following the Lord, with all eyes on Him and not on the attendance board. 
by Dennis Abernathy
