"Loving Numbers with all Thy Heart"

"...And they said unto him...is it better for thee to be a priest unto the house of one man, or that thou be a priest unto a tribe...? and the priest's heart was glad...and [he] went in the midst of the people." (Judges 18.)

The above is not pulled from a church newspaper (though it could be), but it is a recorded event found in God's Word and it is a reflection of many a pastor today. In our last posting, this writer revealed the motive of some church leaders. In today's posting we'll take a look at the reasons for the number-lusting one finds in some ministries.

In the above passage one may see that a church leader is glad in heart to "minister" to more people. It is not bad to have one's "coasts enlarged" if the motive is the glory of God. However, the glory of God is not the focus of many today; but numerical growth is. Many pastors are like hell..."ever moving and never satisfied". Why is there such a focus on numbers today?
#1. Pride, in its many sinful forms, is the foundational cause.
#2. Seminary teaches this number-lusting. It begins with "how many did you get saved?", and continues later with "How many you running?"
#3. Sometimes money is the motivation- but not as much as one might think.
#4. Many teachers, preachers, and pastors have no confidence in their own unsound teachings, and they need people to affirm their ministry. When a man of God is confident in his teachings, ministry, and fellowship with God he does not need man's affirmations.
#5. God is not enough for them so they need man's acceptance of their person. As the Master stated, "They have their reward."
#6. This falling away from sound doctrine has been prophesied and now is. Scripture truth means nothing to them.
#7. Many of the church leaders are unsaved- as are their "numbers". They are blind leaders of their equally blind followers and parrots.
#8. As Paul stated, they are ministers of Satan and have been outwardly transformed into ministers of light.

Q. What is one to do if in this kind of "church"?
A. "Have no fellowship with works of darkness" (Ephesians 5:11) and also 2Timothy 3:5.
Q. How can one know if they are in a "church" like the above?
A. "Try the spirits." In other word, put their teachings on trial with the Scriptures as Judge.

Trust your spirit to none but God and His inspired Apostles.


Buried in Christ,
St. Loder