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Numbers

 Almost a year ago I wrote a post called "Counting".

A year on and nearly all legal restrictions around the pandemic have gone in the UK (not that Covid-19 has gone away though!). With most churches now gathering in their buildings, or other physical spaces, the issue of counting and numbers continues to appear in different ways,

I have heard many churches urging people to "come back" (not sure "back" language is helpful, but that's another issue). While this may be a right and proper encouragement and biblical emphasis on the "gathered-ness" of church,  I wonder if that is always the case? Are we willing to face changing attendance patterns, not as simply lack of commitment, or being driven by fear (as I have sometimes heard implied), but as a creative opportunity for discipleship? What if we really did start thinking in terms of engagement rather than simply attendance? What does it really mean for programmes and priorities to make disciples and not just fill our services again?

How can we creatively work with the new situation, engaging those who connect online as well as in person, without seeing one as being more "real" than the other? What metrics might be useful, beyond seeing how many bodies are "in the room"?

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