Assessing the Balance Between Spiritual and Numerical Growth

Consider this scenario:

“A large church in your area is growing numerically and has been asked to take over a couple of smaller, struggling churches, and the leadership of the larger church believes that its numerical growth warrants recreating its ministry structures in other locations. The plan is to renovate the smaller churches and remake them after the pattern of the larger church.”

What is your theological assessment of this ministry strategy?

A Different Perspective

To flip the script, consider the same account with all numerical context removed:

“A church in your area is growing and has been asked to take over a couple of struggling churches, and the leadership of the growing church believes that its growth warrants recreating its ministry structures in other locations. The plan is to renovate the struggling churches and remake them after the pattern of the growing church.”

What is your theological assessment of this ministry strategy?

Spiritual Health Focus

Now, humour me one last time. (Rest assured, I will eventually get to my point.) Consider this same account but with spiritual language replacing numbers-based language:

“A healthy church in your area is growing spiritually and has been asked to take over a couple of struggling churches, and the leadership of the healthy church believes that its spiritual growth warrants recreating its ministry structures in other locations. The plan is to renovate the struggling churches and remake them after the pattern of the healthy church.”

What is your theological assessment of this ministry strategy?

Did you catch the difference? What kind of response did each change trigger?

Context from a Small Church Pastor

I live in Whitehorse, a city of 35,000 people in the Yukon, with a territorial population of 45,000. No one in the Yukon has a big church by any standard set by other Canadian cities. So, we’re all small church pastors.

As a small church pastor, I feel I have the understanding to call out a deep animosity that can grow inside church leaders when another church experiences growth. A strange form of jealousy forms when numerical language is used in church growth versus spiritual language.

At times, I’ve heard it pitched as “We don’t worry about numbers because our church focuses on discipleship.” The statement is often used to defend why evangelism efforts are non-existent. Yet, evangelism followed by baptism should be a component of discipleship often tracked as evidence of missional growth.

Spiritual Growth Through Church Participation

Throughout the New Testament and church history, spiritual growth often led to numerical growth, where numbers are actually stated (i.e., throughout Acts). Yet, numbers-based terminology is considered invalid in a modern Western context? It always puzzles me. I just can’t understand the assumption that numerical growth isn’t connected with spiritual growth.

Now let’s talk about church attendance and why we shouldn’t quickly dismiss the numbers. When individuals (even a large number of them) decide each week to be part of a church community, especially on a regular basis, that’s a significant spiritual decision. It’s not just about the numbers; something is happening inside of them, compelling them.

Whether at a little chapel in a small town or a mega church in an urban center, they’ll hear the Word of God preached. They’ll witness testimonies, baptisms, and child dedications. They’ll participate in worship and communion with a dozen, hundreds, or even thousands of other followers of Jesus. The number of people doesn’t make one better than the other.

Small can be spiritual. Big can be spiritual.

A Theological Assessment

There’s a deeper level to this, depending on one’s theological bent. Coming from a Reformed-leaning mindset, I’m compelled to consider God’s sovereignty and the work of the Holy Spirit. If there’s increased attendance and engagement in a particular church, I assume God is in it.

When people are growing spiritually, which has led a church to increase numerically, would it not be more appropriate to thank God for His providence, rather than being suspicious of people’s motives?

The favourite verse that’s quoted when a couple of people show up to a community group or a prayer meeting should hold the same significance when hundreds show up to a worship gathering.

“For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”

Matthew 18:20, ESV

Doesn’t the opposite also apply? If two or three thousand gather in the name of Jesus, shouldn’t that be acknowledged and maybe even celebrated?

Moving Forward with a Cooperative Spirit

Let’s get back to the core question of today’s post related to growing churches helping smaller, struggling ones: “What is your theological assessment of this ministry strategy?”

I am 100% in favour of large churches (even mega-churches) helping smaller churches reach their communities. There are often better resources and systems that can be huge assets!

Will there be leadership challenges and shifts in ministry philosophy? Absolutely! It’s not an apples-to-apples structure adoption. A small church will never function like a big church, but we can learn together to reach more people for Jesus!

“And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works.”

Hebrews 10:24, ESV

Moving forward, this is a call to pastors, ministry leaders, elders, deacons, and board members. Be aware of that little seed of jealousy that might have been planted at some point. Dig it out before it sprouts!

The rhetoric that a church leader uses to describe growth should never prevent healthy churches from helping struggling churches. Remember that throughout history, spiritual and numerical growth have been experienced cooperatively.

The Gospel calls the Church to grow deep and wide!

Join the Conversation; Share Your Thoughts

1. How do you perceive the relationship between spiritual and numerical growth in churches?
2. Have you experienced jealousy or competition among church leaders regarding church growth?
3. What strategies do you think are effective for large churches to support smaller, struggling ones?