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Calorie Free Kids: Counting Without Guilt

At the end of a long discussion/debate about numbers and churches, a fellow church leader challenged my numbers-don’t-matter philosophy by asking me, “How many people were in the upper room?"

I answered, “120."

He responded, “How do we know that?"

“Someone counted" I said.

He asked again “How many loaves and fishes were there?"

I grinned as a light came on upstairs and I sheepishly answered, “Five and two."

I was getting his point: someone counted. We’re a counting society. When we diet, we read labels and count fat grams and calories; if we were on a certain diet program we would count points as they relate to food (chocolate cake should be only 1). If we’re seeking to have a well-balanced ministry, why should we feel guilty when it comes to counting students?

The Case for the Anti-Counters

“David counted and he was wrong" is a common argument for not counting. Another statement, “Numbers don’t matter," is the battle cry of those who simply want to keep their groups small. Numbers are obviously important in Scripture—we’ve even got an entire book carrying the name. The case involving King David counting fighting men (II Samuel 24:2) was an act of pride. God had promised to make Abraham’s seed as innumerable as the sands on the sea shore; but David counted for his own glory, not God’s. Anytime we count to brag or exert our own strength, it’s a sin. I remember reading about the wrath that came from counting and for many years didn’t count for fear God would open the floor of the youth room and swallow us all. Now I realize that we can count students guilt free if we count with a clear conscience.

Like David, many youth pastors count for pride and/or survival. They want to be able to report big numbers at the next youth worker conference. Many youth workers count little brothers and sisters, staff, cats and dogs, and even small insects that might be in the room to make sure they have a good number to report at staff meeting. For many, counting is the only measuring stick of success. Here’s a counting tip: Keep an accurate count of students only. Making your numbers bigger than they actually are can mask real problems that might be keeping your attendance down. Numbers look good on paper but it’s best to be honest so you can make changes when needed.

Counting that Counts

Two youth pastors talking about youth ministry are like two truck drivers pulling up to a red light and one asks the other, “Is that a Hemi?" The question is inevitable, “How many do you have in your group?" The drag race begins. If his or her number is less than yours, you’re feeling pretty good, but if it’s more you consider changing vocations. Your first reaction might be to question your methodology—what am I doing wrong or what’s the other person doing right? Numbers are only one factor. Big numbers don’t indicate a healthy or balanced youth ministry. I tell my staff, “We can draw a crowd with crack and free beer but that’s not youth ministry." What most youth pastors don’t realize is that achieving large-crowd status can be a by-product of good counting.

Counting the Cost

There are many factors that produce large numbers in a youth ministry. Large youth groups might be in the city; they might have a larger budget and more staff. Many large youth groups bus in students from surrounding areas. They all started somewhere. Rather than having numbers-envy, consider your surroundings and what you do have. We should consider our potential for growth. Are we taking risks? Are we willing to bus in inner-city kids or plan a game night for un-churched students? Growing our group is an intentional act. There’s purpose to growing. More students equal a greater opportunity to invest in and grow disciples. Don’t busy yourself with youth group comparison; the Bible considers it unwise. (2 Corinthians 10:12)

There is a personal price tag that goes along with a large group. I’ve had to re-evaluate my time and how I invest it. Numbers mean work—finding and training staff, more planning, and vision casting. Going for big and broke means building and managing teams. Growing means listening to students and parents gripe about the good ol’ small days or why aren’t you paying more personal attention to my kid? Before you go for big, count the cost.

Count Your Regulars

Whether you have five, 50, or 500, count them. How did the shepherd of 100 know one was missing? He counted…frequently. He didn’t want to lose one. We count students, because students count. We all hate losing a student for any reason. I never make a big deal about who’s missing or even the size of the group. I scan the crowd and notice who isn’t there. When I sit at my desk the following day and pour over the sign-in list, I know who needs a phone call or letter. Getting an accurate count of your group on a weekly basis also lets you know whether it’s band season or ball season. Your regulars are the best indicator of what’s right or wrong with your group. Have you made a change in your program that has affected your weekly attendance? Have you added more worship and cut out a few games? Your regulars will be your best thermometer of the groups’ spiritual temperature.

Count Your Guests

Counting guests is a good indicator of several factors. Guests let us know who our outreach students are. These are students who aren’t afraid or ashamed to expose their friends to our group and the Scripture. These are the students you can train further or simply support in their efforts to reach un-churched friends. If you have a guest card, make sure to include an area where they can mark if they attend another church. This will let you know whether you’re seeing transfer growth or your students are bringing in the unchurched. You may have some students who just heard about your program and wanted to check it out. Either way, counting guests will help you strategize for the future.

Count Your Disciples

Jesus had 12 disciples. These are your committed, core kids. You’ll want to know not just how many you’re drawing to your weekly meeting but also how many disciples your weekly meetings are producing. We’ve all been disappointed with the number of students showing up (or not showing up) for the service project or trip to the homeless shelter. We want more disciples to show up. Look at your weekly attendance and then look at who shows up for the meaty stuff. If you have 10 in your group and eight show up for the Bible study, that’s terrific.

In reality, your disciples will always be in the minority or at least should be in proportion to your group. It’s the Peter, James, and John experience. They saw and experienced things that none of the other disciples did. In the same way, use your time with the small faithful to give them more time and attention and opportunity to experience Jesus in a way the rest of the group will not, and at this point in their lives, perhaps can not.

Count on Your Shepherds

When working at a camp I was often asked, “What’s your counselor to camper ratio?" That’s a good question, too. How are your students being taken care of? Who makes phone calls when you can’t? Other adults are critical in the physical and spiritual growth of your students. The age of the lone ranger youth director is over, at least for the youth group that wants to grow. I usually add staff even when I don’t have to, so I can be prepared for growth when it comes. I don’t know what the perfect ratio is. Jesus was one shepherd for every 12 sheep. You may want to consider one volunteer for every six students. This will help with discipline, planning small groups, and outings.

Good adult leaders can help feed, care, and watch over students—much like shepherds of Scripture. Realize that these shepherds need to be shepherded, as well. Adult leaders can get lost in the growth process. Make sure information is shared with the whole team, and share responsibility with them. Power can be a bit like sand, in that the more you harder you grip it, the more slips through your fingers. As students are added to your group (as numbers were added to the church—Acts 2:47) add support staff (paid or volunteer) to meet the needs of these students.

Also, to clear the corporate air in your ministry, speak about your group as a community of faith. Refer to the group as the Body of Christ as often as you can and not just “the youth group." This gives greater biblical identity to your students and shows your team that they’re part of the big picture.

Count Your Blessings

I’m just glad students show up at all. They could be anywhere, but they choose to be at our weekly meetings. Don’t lose heart if students visit and never return. It’s not necessarily an indictment of your program. Jesus said, “Many are called but few are chosen." Rejecting our youth program isn’t the same as rejecting Jesus.

Also, if your meetings have spiritual teeth to them, you will offend some kids. Look how many walked away from Jesus. Some were rich, knowledgeable, arrogant, lazy, or prideful; others seemed like nice folks but they just didn’t get it. There are many reasons why students don’t return. Many aren’t ready to begin the Jesus adventure. Don’t count the missing only to miss the joy of those who faithfully come to hear about this radical and dangerous Jesus of whom we preach.

Count On God

Our infatuation with numbers in ministry, like calories in dieting, will always be a struggle. You may be tempted to add one more to the tally just to make an even number. Don’t give in. God’s faithful. I believe God will only give us the amount of students we can care for. Noah was asked to build a big boat because God knew how many animals were going to get on that ark. What kind of boat is God asking you to build? When you catch a vision of the boat you’ll catch a vision of how many students God wants to bring your way.

Our job is to sow, fertilize, and water the crop; God brings in the harvest. God is faithful. You can count on it.

Paul Turner is pastor of One Student Youth Ministries in Birmingham, Ala. He has been in youth ministry for 15 years. He is married to Kim and has 3 beautiful children.