Our society and our marketplace demand accountability through numbers.
Sales. Profits. Clicks. Friends. Fans. Followers. Posts. Tweets. Views. Viewers. Listeners.
You’re told that if the numbers don’t go up, you’re not doing your job.
I’ll be honest. I check the analytics of this website every day. Page views versus “unique views.” These numbers show me which posts are popular, which ones aren’t. Then I get a little obsessive. If they’re not popular, why? Was the headline not engaging? Was the post too long? Why aren’t the readers commenting? They’re getting here through Facebook. Not so much on Twitter. Why?
That’s our job as marketers, right? Think strategically. Develop plans. Try new things and see if they work. Measure the outcome. Adjust based on those measurements. Try again.
It can all be overwhelming. Especially if you’re not seeing an immediate increase.
Do you ever experience this in your church? This obsessing over numbers?
Counting the people in the pews.
Assessing the number of baptisms.
Figuring the percentage of congregants who attend Sunday School.
Determing your return on investment.
Realizing that giving is down. Again.
For some pastors, every dip in attendance and every drop in the offering is thought of as a personal failure. If the numbers aren’t there, you’re not doing your job, right?
To pastor and churches, I say this:
Does God value you differently based on these numbers?
Of course he doesn’t.
So take a deep breath.
It’s okay.
Keep doing what you’re called to do. Seek God. Pray for the Holy Spirit to help you see the needs in your community. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you address those needs through service. Share the Gospel. Be the church.
Keep going!
And if you feel the need to count something, take a step back and count your blessings.
Those will bring a smile to your face.