How many people go to your church?

"How many people go to your church??  Tim Challies makes some good observations in his blog at http://www.challies.com/articles/asking-better-questions.  In particular, I like the questions he suggests:

• How have you seen the Lord working in the lives of the people in your church?
• What evidences of the Lord’s grace has your church experienced in the last few months?
• What are you excited about in your church right now?
• Who are you excited about in your church right now?
• What has the Lord been teaching you?
• Who have you been discipling recently? Tell me about some of the future leaders at your church.

Those questions can lead to better conversations in our denominational gatherings.  We've probably all answered and asked the numbers question with wrong motives from time to time.  If we can get to the point that numbers don't make us prideful or despondent, they can still tell us something valuable.  Numbers tell us very little about health or success or value, but they tell us a lot about the corporate culture of the church.  When we understand that, we can begin to understand how to lead whatever size church God gives us.