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One of the most significant benefits of being a Christian these latter days is the availability of the Bible, referred to as the Perfect Law of Liberty, Holt’s Writing, the Good Book, Polyglot, and many others.
It guides us in our fellowship and endeavours in this holy calling in Christ. Paul admonishes us in Romans 15:4 that “for whatever was written aforetime were written of our learning,” so the onus is on us local churches to use the Bible as the blueprint in the work of the ministry.
The recording is one essential detail that captures the totality of the scriptures; numerical recording forms the centre of most events in both the New and Old Testaments.
Let’s look at various places where numerical record-taking was in the Holy Writ:.
Seventy souls came to Joseph in Egypt. Exodus 1:5
Seventy Men were gathered of the Elders of Isreal to help Moses in governance (Numbers 11:6).
Ahab had Seventy Sons in Samaria (2 Kings 10:1).
Gideon retains only three hundred men to fight the Midianites. Judes 7:8
Jesus Fed four thousand Men beside women and children Matthew 15:38
Three thousand souls were added to the church on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:41).
Another Four thousand Souls believed Acts 4:4
We can see that taking numerical records was essential and even considered when the church was in commerce. In Acts 2:41 and Acts 4:4, numerical attendance was entirely in session.
We read from the dialogue between the administrator and the one in charge of taking attendance what conspired in their duty of providing leadership with attendance records for the service.
Let’s look at the importance of this exercise:
1. It helps to know the numerical growth of the church
2. It fosters decision-making in the form of action plans to solve situations where there is a constant decline in attendance
3. Many churches don’t take attendance at all, and others follow in Brother Sammy’s footsteps by guessing figures. Some only count attendance because it is a formality to report to their headquarters. It is sad that some branches even inflate the numbers to paint a different picture to impress leadership.
Let us understand that these numerical records meet a need and help leadership know which direction to go.
We admonish that all things be done decently and in order.
