Don't Count the Kids;

Make the Kids Count

Numbers!  Wikipedia defines a “number” as a mathematical object used to count, label, and measure.  Hey it’s even a book of the Bible.  NUMB3RS was a drama about an FBI agent who recruits his mathematical-genius brother to help the Bureau solve a wide range of challenging crimes in Los Angeles. As a sports fan, numbers represent some of my all-time favorites. 47 – Tom Glavine; 22 – Emmit Smith; 24 – Kobe Bryant. I could go on and on and on.

Our culture counts everything.  Our kids our constantly tested at school to ensure they are learning and are achieving basic understanding. The church is also concerned about numbers.  We often ask each other:

·        How big is your church?

·        How many kids came to VBS?

·        What’s your average youth attendance?

I recently finished reading “Energizing Children’s Ministry for Smaller Churches” by Rick Chromey.  The following quote stood out to me:  “Don’t count the kids, make the kids count.” 

Sometimes we can be more concerned about who isn’t at church then who is there.  We may even say, “Where’s everyone at.”  Yes we need to seek and reach the lost.  Yes, we want to grow.  But it’s vital that we make every moment count and make every child count.  It’s also important to remember that the average child that attends church only comes 40 hours a year.  In fact Chromey says that “too often we worry about what we can’t do rather than seek what God can do through us.”

A smaller church has a unique advantage.  It’s the ability to develop stronger relationships.  Relationships between child to child; relationships between teacher and child.  Let’s use that advantage to make every child count.