NUMB3RS

 READ THIS FIRST:
http://bit.ly/ojdMoJ

Believe it or not, I'm constantly being given a hard time about my obsession with numbers when it comes to attendance. One thing is true: if you are so worried about attendance that you spend all your time figuring out how to get people to church but never actually heavily invest time in God's Word with them, preparing them, discipling them, and just plain getting to know them, then the numbers obsession is a stumbling block. But we should never be happy with just having the same kids/people in our youth groups/church each week. Proof: http://bit.ly/5NHTMv  I heard this in a sermon that I watched this week, and I am actually going to preach about it in one of my sermons this fall: God is exclusive in that there is only ONE way to Him (http://bit.ly/3cURCT). God is also inclusive in that He invites us all to walk through that door known as Jesus. We as the Church can NOT be content with keeping our faith to ourselves. We may have a personal relationship with Jesus, but it is NOT to be kept quiet! Our motto in AMPED is making disciples that make disciples that make disciples that make disciples...etc. You get the point. (Making disciples that make disciples [for short]). I love how the guy (a high school pastor) ended his blog: "If that’s what being “all about the numbers means”…then yep, I’m all about the numbers, just like Jesus and the apostles. I want more…"  Awesome. Jesus was always on the lookout for the lost, hurting, and lonely. Let's mirror that here at The GBC. He also never turned away or ignored anyone in need of His saving grace. Neither should we.

Bart Wagner
Student Minister
The GBC
www.thegbc.net