The Price of Inflation - August 21st, 2008
The question most often asked of and by church leaders is “How large is your church?” This universal question serves as an instant measuring stick for church leaders everywhere. The pressure to appear successful creates a temptation that is too great for most church leaders. Here is the typical scenario: If the year to date average of a church is actually 713, but one Sunday the church had an attendance of 825, when that senior pastor is asked, “How large is your church,” he will most likely say his church is running “about a thousand in attendance.”
“About” is a critical word in that response because when a senior leader throws the word “about” into his answer, then he can use “about” any number he wants to. Similarly, having completed extensive research on megachurches over the last several years, I am always amazed when a church reports their 52-week average attendance as a round number like 2300. The statistical probability of a church averaging a round number is slim to none. Therefore, I have to conclude that either they don’t have anyone on their staff who knows how to add and divide or they are inflating their attendance to appear more successful than they actually are.
After all, people have historically joked about the “preacher’s count” being a number of mythical proportions. Of the three churches I have served, two of the three senior leaders made a habit of inflating (or lying) about the attendance figures. Why? I wish I knew!
If every senior leader is doing it, is it really wrong? Apparently that must be the logic being employed by church leaders who artificially inflate their reported attendance figures on a consistent basis.
But my question is: How can God bless such dishonesty? Listen to the wisdom of Proverbs, “The Lord abhors dishonest scales, but accurate weights are his delight. When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom. The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity” (11:1-3 NIV).
So here are some suggested solutions for church leaders who are tempted to inflate their attendance—
- Admit that the temptation to choose to cheat on your attendance is stronger than you are.
- Don’t be the one who either takes attendance or who records the attendance.
- Find someone in your church who is strong administratively and let them count and keep an accurate record of your weekly and average attendances.
- Check with your attendance keeper weekly to know how the church is doing.
- Exercise integrity and humility and tell people inside and outside your church the truth when they ask you, “How large is your church?” because you know they will ask and one day so will God.