Why Count?

Sam Hamstra | Jul 21, 2009

Can't seem to get past what seems to be a contradiction between the desire of many pastors to count the number of worshipers each Sunday (coupled with the requirement by many denominational agencies to report attendance) and the story of King David counting his army. In I Chronicles 20:1 we read, "Satan rose up against Israel and incited David to take a census of Israel. So David said to Joab. the commander of the tropps, 'Go and count the Israelites." Joab replied "Why do you want to do this?  Why bring guilt on Israel?" But he counted and David soon there after prayed, "Lord, I have sinned greatly in doing this. Now, I beg you take away my guilt for I have done a foolish thing." Then, the Lord punished Israel with an angel ravaging every part of Israel.

That pericope makes me wonder, "How did David sin in counting his nation, and do we sin in counting our worshipers?" St. Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153) provides an answer for the first half of that question, and perhaps the second. In his treastise On the Love of God, he writes "When we live free from trouble we are happy, but in our pride we may conclude that we are responsible for our security." Might that have been why Joab asked ""Why do you want to do this?" He knew that the request for a census was fueled by pride, and that the information provided by the census would most-likely lead to an attitude of self-sufficiency.

The counters among us are quick to note that God required a census - one permanently recorded in the Old Testament book of Numbers. Yes, God required that a census be taken. Of course, he did not, nor will ever have to worry about the temptation of pride or the attitude of self-sufficiency. And others among us might be just as quick to note that church leaders need to count worshipers, if but to know how many chairs to set up or bulletins to print. Congregational leaders may also need to count as they consider changing worship locations or launch a study to discern the the viability of daughtering new congregations.  And several agencies, in fact, require that we count our worshipers if we want to do business with them. I am thinking of denominational  offices, as one example, and, I am sure, there are others.

Yes, I am sure that we might identify a handful of reasons for counting our worshipers and members. It still doesn't diminish the force of Joab's statement to David: "Why do you want to do this?" To that question, let me add another: What good comes from it, especially for pastors? When the numbers fail to meet our expectations, we grow despondent, reflecting a lack of faith in God who has called us to shepherd even a shrinking flock. When the numbers exceded our expectations, pride seduces us. Sure, when our tallies please us, we say all the right things, while offering prayers of thanks to God, but our hearts suffer the taint of inpurity. We just can't escape pride's not so subtle encouragement to think, "my power and the strength of my hands" has built this congregation (Deuteronomy 8:17).

Consequently, when given the option, I choose not to count. I do so not because of my great faith in God, but because of the powerful presence of pride in my life, as well as the equally powerful presence of faithlessness. I just fear, in fact, I know from experience, when the numbers are up, pride will seduce me, and when the number are down, doubt will overwhelm me. The same could be said when I hear the numbers of other pastors who count their flocks - but in reverse! When I hear that my fellow pastor has a smaller crowd than me, pride slips in and I place myself one notch above my colleague.  Then, when I learn that another pastor preaches to thousands, I ask myself, "What I am doing wrong?"  So, either way - if I count or hear about the counting of others - like David, I will just end up on my knees pleading, "I have done a foolish thing; forgive me."  That's why, for me, I would rather stay out of the counting game and, if my congregation needs to be counted, let someone else do it - and don't tell me the results.