(Mat 18:12-13 NKJV) “What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying? {13} “And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray.
We live in a time where numbers and quantities seem to take precedence over quality. It runs rampant in our industries and in many other areas of life.
Unfortunately, it also seems to have penetrated the church to a very large degree. We hear a lot about huge churches… congregations with 1,000 people, 5,000 people or even more than 10,000 people.
The perception is that a huge church is more successful than a small church. Sadly, many people, including pastors and evangelists, have bought into this line of thinking.
I am not against big churches, per se, but I believe that Jesus was more concerned with quality than he was with quantity. Jesus would speak to the masses and teach them, but he took the time to spend time with people on a smaller scale. He would minister to people one on one to heal them, deliver them from demons and to correct them if they needed it.
We need to be doing this today, too. The quality of our walk with God depends on how well we’re taught and discipled. Teaching can be done in large numbers, but discipling needs to take place on a smaller scale in order to be effective.
Jesus knew this and He did it, taking His twelve disciples and pouring Himself into them by spending time with them away from the crowds.
If you’re a pastor and you’re reading this today, I urge you to make sure you’re taking the time needed to spend quality time with your flock. It’s not about the numbers… it’s about the souls of the people God has given you the responsibility of pastoring.
If you’re not a pastor and you’re in a church where you feel like you get lost in the shuffle of so many people, and you feel like the pastor is untouchable or unreachable, maybe it’s time to make a change.
Pastor Curt & Pastor Ellie
Seven Seas Ministries
401-377-5400
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