We’ve heard it from churches and individuals in the past and I am quite confident it isn’t the last time we’ll hear it: “Hope Community Church is all about the numbers.” 

What our friends mean by this is Hope will do anything to get big.  That all we want is more and more people so that we are deemed “successful” by others around us.  That we want to be the biggest church in the area.  The flip side of the the same comment is that we water down the truth.  We don’t call sin sin.  We put on productions rather than lead people in worship. We are not so concerned with Jesus as we are with big buildings, big programs and big budgets.

Truth be told, our friends are right.  We are all about numbers!  But when we say this, we are not affirming the disparaging remarks of our friends as stated above.  Rather, we believe that every number represents a person for whom Christ died.  A number is a person who might some day be numbered among those who “were added to the church” as we read in the book of Acts.  Those numbers are people who may be used of God to bring the message of Christ to the next generation. To bring hope and healing to the hurting of this world.  To offer a drink or food in the name of Jesus.  To aid in helping the world see Jesus through their love and unity.

So, yes, Hope cares very much about numbers…seeing numbers of people—large numbers of people—embrace Christ through faith and experience the joy of being part of God’s family.  I think the old adage is appropriate: the more the merrier!