Bishop Coyner brought my friend Mike Slaughter (lead pastor of Ginghamsburg UMC and all of its 501C3 missional endeavors) to explain his strategies for revitalizing dying churches. Mike's training was insightful and challenging. It was worth my drive to INDY today.
As the day was winding down the Bishop told a story about his own early days of ministry. He was an Associate Pastor doing youth ministry for a local church when he hatched a plan to load the kids on a bus and visit Chicago. It was a great trip, but when it came time for the kids to get back on the bus and head home, he counted the kids and came up one short. Again and again he counted one less kid on the bus heading home than they had counted on the bus when they started their journey. After some serious consternation he determined they had miscounted at the beginning of the day. They drove home and were relieved when all the kids got off the bus and there were no parents in the parking lot asking, "Where's my kid?"
The Bishop's point?
Numbers matter. Every number represents a person and God wants every person accounted for because every person counts. The bishop said, "God doesn't want us saying, 'We got most of the kids.' They all matter."
I agree with the bishop.
2 Peter 3:9 - The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
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