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Pastor's Page

Posted on February 8, 2008 ...

        In many avenues of life there is an odd, vague, commodity known as "bragging numbers." A business may have "bragging numbers" that reflect a season of positive sales and/or profits. A sports team may have "bragging numbers" that point to favorable looking performance statistics. Politicians "spin the numbers" from polls to make them look as complimentary as possible. And even churches experience events when the numbers are worth "bragging" about. (Of course, at the same time we pray, "Lord...keep me humble.")
        Last Sunday's Super Sunday was one of the best attendance days in Bible Study in my 21 years as pastor here at North Cleveland Baptist Church. As my memory recalls, there have only been a couple of Sundays when the number of people present in our Sunday School exceeded 400. After early worship, it was exciting to watch parking spaces quickly become a premium commodity. And it also seemed like everyone coming into the buildings was carrying some kind of food! Later, excited messengers began reporting high class attendance numbers to the church office.
        Let me brag some more! Your classes did a great job in contacting absentees and inviting guests to join with you. Attendance was up across the board...from preschool to senior adults to children to adults to youth. (By the way... some years ago when our youth Sunday School attendance exceeded 75 the Student Minister got his hair buzzed off! How about it Nathan?)
        As we move ahead beyond Super Sunday it is appropriate to share with you a very obvious question: Why can't every Sunday be like Super Sunday? Why can't every Sunday be a day when Sunday School members are telephoned the week before encouraging them to be in Bible Study? Why can't every Sunday be a Sunday where friends, family, and neighbors are invited to participate in the fellowship of God's people and the study of God's Word? 
       Many of the unchurched people we know will be receptive to an invitation to attend church with us. An invitation says "You are important to me. I value the place you have in my life. Let's share an experience with each other." Remember: The church exists for those who do not attend it. Jay