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About 6 years ago our high school program attracted 9 teenagers a week. It was a great group of teens. They were faithful to the church and interested in getting to know Christ. But, what made them great was that they were not deterred by the fact that they were the only teenagers there. They were more mature than than I was at the time. At the end of each night I would feel disappointed because I felt the numbers reflected my failure.
Today our attendance is exponentially bigger. We grew as a ministry because of an awesome ministry team and some better publicity. I was also able to learn patience and overcome pride. If the ministry was meant to grow I had to allow God to lead me to grow the right numbers.
There is a lot of sensitivity when it comes to numbers in the world of youth ministry. Some people embrace the fact that overall attendance doesn’t matter, while others believe it’s everything. Large church or small church numbers do matter; however, it might not be the ones you think. When it comes to what you count, here is what you need to focus on:
If you focus on these areas your ministry will grow. A large youth ministry can only grow on a healthy foundation. When it comes to overall numbers we do have to be careful comparing ourselves to the other churches because location, demographics and culture all matter. A small church doesn’t have to have a larger youth ministry than the big church down the street. An effective youth minister doesn’t have to have 100 teens to make an impact in the lives of 1.
If you want the church to grow it’s about the investment and involvement you make in assuring they come back, they tell their friends and they take that next step in their faith.
How do you feel about numbers? Would you add any areas? Or do you disagree completely with what I’ve said? Leave your comments.