This is how one should regard us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover, it is required of stewards that they be found faithful. (1 Corinthians 4:1-2 ESV)
What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building. (1 Corinthians 3:5-9 ESV)
Are numbers the end-all in judging how successful a church is in evangelism? The answer is an emphatic “no!” Notice what Kevin DeYoung writes:
“Churches can be big or small for all the right reasons. Or for all the wrong reasons. We simply should not conclude that bigger is better or smaller is more sanctified. In God’s eyes, the success of your church and your pastor are measured by criteria more important than weekend attendance. While we must not be scared of bigger numbers or automatically skeptical of them–numbers in the best cases represent people after all, people who are hearing the gospel and bearing fruit–neither should we fixate on numbers. Every church is different, with varying locations, gifts, opportunities, abilities, facilities, people, and cultural contexts that we can’t possibly be so crass as to think big churches are always doing things better than small churches. Surely, the emphasis must be on faithfulness.”
The statistics of the early portions of Acts are astounding and what every pastor and evangelist longs for. However, these numbers evidently did not continue at that level and the apostles definitely did not focus on them. Their concern, as it should be ours, is faithfulness. We should be asking ourselves the question, “With what God has given me and the opportunities that He brings my way, am I being faithful in presenting the gospel in its fullness and calling my 'audience' to repentance and faith in Christ?"
The new birth is the work of God, not yours or mine. We are called to cultivate, plant and water through proclaiming the gospel and praying that His kingdom would come on the lives of those still living in darkness. The Lord requires us to be faithful, not to meet conversion quotas.
What then is Apollos? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. He who plants and he who waters are one, and each will receive his wages according to his labor. For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building. (1 Corinthians 3:5-9 ESV)
Are numbers the end-all in judging how successful a church is in evangelism? The answer is an emphatic “no!” Notice what Kevin DeYoung writes:
“Churches can be big or small for all the right reasons. Or for all the wrong reasons. We simply should not conclude that bigger is better or smaller is more sanctified. In God’s eyes, the success of your church and your pastor are measured by criteria more important than weekend attendance. While we must not be scared of bigger numbers or automatically skeptical of them–numbers in the best cases represent people after all, people who are hearing the gospel and bearing fruit–neither should we fixate on numbers. Every church is different, with varying locations, gifts, opportunities, abilities, facilities, people, and cultural contexts that we can’t possibly be so crass as to think big churches are always doing things better than small churches. Surely, the emphasis must be on faithfulness.”
The statistics of the early portions of Acts are astounding and what every pastor and evangelist longs for. However, these numbers evidently did not continue at that level and the apostles definitely did not focus on them. Their concern, as it should be ours, is faithfulness. We should be asking ourselves the question, “With what God has given me and the opportunities that He brings my way, am I being faithful in presenting the gospel in its fullness and calling my 'audience' to repentance and faith in Christ?"
The new birth is the work of God, not yours or mine. We are called to cultivate, plant and water through proclaiming the gospel and praying that His kingdom would come on the lives of those still living in darkness. The Lord requires us to be faithful, not to meet conversion quotas.
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