October 21st, 2009 | 
Author: 
I’ve got a question for you all. Please let me know what you think about the success or failure of this worship service last Sunday.
I got to church and made my way down to the basement to get a few things to bring up to the sanctuary. There I found the Sunday school class. Attendance was barely over half the normal size. They were hard at work, and having a lot of fun.
They all yelled out their hi’s to me and I made my way over to them to see what they were doing and to let them tell me what they learned. What they learned was that “God’s number one!” All the kids were showing me the hand they were coloring and then putting on a wooden stick. It was a hand with the pointing finger raised, like you see at sports events when the fan is waving their hand in front of the camera and yelling “we’re number one!”
When church started I couldn’t help but feel a bit down. I know I shouldn’t but there were only forty-three in worship. Attendance at the first church was down as well. As a pastor it’s hard not to think about all the work you put into the worship preparation and sermon and know only 1/4 of your congregation is going to hear it. But I pressed on.
As the offering was taken, and I sat in my chair. Two of the little girls sitting in the front row looked at me and smiled and then lifted up their “God’s number one!” colored hands. I gave them a smile and a thumbs up.
At the end of worship, the custom we have, is that the Sunday school kids follow me out of worship and after the closing hymn, they lead the dismissal. So they yell, “Go in peace and serve the Lord,” and the congregation replies, “Thanks be to God.”
When that was concluded I saw all the kids in the back waving their “God’s number one” hands and so I said to the adults, “Oh, by the way, the kids learned something in Sunday school that they want to share with you.” They all started giggling raised their colored hands high and screamed, “God’s number one!”
You should have seen the Sunday school teachers beam. And you should have seen the adults smiling and laughing, and then on their way out, patting the kids on the heads and looking at their works of art, and agreeing with what they were saying.
Low attendance in Sunday school, low attendance in church, a sign of low commitment to God. I have no doubt the treasurer will inform me that the offering was low as well and then he will add, “We can’t stay at this pace, pastor.” I’ll reply, “I know.”
And yet, because of the intimacy of that small group, it allowed the kids to lift up their learning that day, and what they proclaimed and the way they proclaimed it, probably was more meaningful to the congregation than my sermon (which I did put a lot of time into).
Was it a successful worship service, or was it all a sign of future failure?
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I would say that the service was a huge suucess!!!!!! Anytime kids are excited to proclaim out loud the greatness of God, it is a success.
Thanks for the comments and hey, I also have to give out a huge shout to the teachers who are really letting our kids know the joy of Jesus!!!!!!!!
Hi Pr. Dan. Thanks for stopping by my place. I'm going to share your site with my prof for Congregational Ministry, Leadership, and the Emerging Church, which is part of the Town and Country Ministry concentration at LTSG.
Blessings.
Thank you, I’d love for you to share this site. I really hope it can become a forum for rural pastors and rural congregations. Thank you so much! God bless, Dan
I believe it was a blessing because, yes, there was a fourth of the congregation, but the sermon was heard. There may have been few people there that day, but they were touched, adult and youth alike. There may be financial troubles in the near future but spiritually, it all just might be what the doctor ordered.
“For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them” -Matthew 18:20
Thanks Doe, I hear what you are saying. And maybe it was a wake up call for all of us adults. Maybe their spiritual outburst is exactly what the doctor ordered. Maybe we had to see their uninhibited cries of joy to shake us out of our well ordered, nice and neat worship of God. And another point you make is great: if it comes down to having spiritual problems and a financial security in the church, or spiritual health and financial issues, I’d rather battle the latter. Thank you and God bless, Dan
I'm not Christian, but I have to say it's a success for the Church and for the Religion. The money made and the people who show up isn't what the focus is on – it's about the message and bringing forth the truth and the light.
No matter how many people are there, it's always a success as long as someone is listening.
Thanks Navarr,
You are absolutely right. I know I shouldn’t play the “numbers game” but at times it’s hard not to. Trying to measure success and failure when it comes to spirituality is so hard and I found myself that Sunday sitting with two apparent opposites — no numbers, but clearly something deeply spiritual going on. That type of thing happens a lot in the smaller churches and also in a pastor’s ego. lol!
Thanks so much for your post. God bless, Dan.
P.S. Out of curiosity, what brought you to the site?
If Success=Numbers, Jesus was a colossal failure. We pastors are planing seeds. Just seeds.
And how's the flu hitting your area??
How true your words are. But you know sometimes it’s hard to remember that numbers doesn’t equal success, especially when the numbers tumble; its hard not to take it personally. But yes, you are right, our call is to proclaim, it is the work of the Holy Spirit to make the ultimate move. And the Spirit sure was dancing with your kids that week!
The flu did make a difference I am sure that Sunday. Both our High Schools in the area have been rocked hard by it, but we seem to be over the hump now. God bless, Dan
what a lengthy and in depth article but full of useful information
Your blog is so informative ¡ keep up the good work!!!!