God likes big numbers

Recent reports of decline should not be met with a trite response | Joel Belz

Illustration by Krieg Barrie

"God's not interested in numbers. He's interested in doing a whole lot with very little."

I first heard a statement like that when I was very young—and I've heard variations on it ever since. Now I've concluded that if I really believe the second half of the assertion—and I do—then I can't believe the first part. God is interested in numbers. If He weren't, there'd be no way to measure "a whole lot" or "very little." Without numbers, you can't appreciate what God is doing.

"But that's not our point," we're sure to hear. "What we mean is that God doesn't need big numbers to bring about His purpose." To which we must reply: "Maybe not. But that never kept God from reminding us of some very big numbers."

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April 11, 2009, Vol. 24, No. 7

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