The danger for fallen man is his reliance on sense for his apprehension of significance and importance. We tend to rate value and achievement by impressive largeness of scale, quantity rather than quality. Sight is superficial, but we instinctively respect what happens to be big. Examples of this are far too many to cite, except that individuals and nations compete with each other in the arena of comparative size. Measurements and numbers rule in an unwholesome and arrogant fashion. They dominate our aspirations and action in destructive and demeaning ways at great cost to human dignity and welfare. Megalomania is a universal disease of the spirit of man in many subtle forms, mild or serious, crass or subtle.

It is prevalent in the practice of religion and discernible within the life of the Christian community. Boastfulness is a temptation for all believers (For by the grace given me I say to everyone of you: do not think of yourself more highly than you ought . . .Romans 12:3 cf 1Cor 4:6 & 2 Cor. 12:7).

Any attainments or encouragements in the life and increase of the church are to be ascribed to God and not to our projects, efforts, acumen, and eloquence as his servants (And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved - Acts 2:47b). Too often there is a secret and creeping smugness in our witnessing of the enlargement of the Lord's people, should it occur, and an undue celebration of particular men and methods. We begin to rely on the fame of the messengers and the formulae we employ and commend (how our Christian celebrities often fail us because we invest too much confidence in them; how our invented schemes often result in disappointment). Man-centeredness is the blight of Christianity, perhaps more than we are aware. We delight ourselves in our initiative, procedures, and institutions, and somehow elites are created within the body of Christ through over-adulation of those with talents given by God - to whom be all the glory! "There ought to be moderation in our respect for God's prophets ...that he alone may be exalted. . . . We must always speak of the efficacy of the ministry in such a manner that the entire praise of the work may be reserved for God alone . . . . There is no one of us that can take of himself the least jot of glory without sacrilegious robbing of God (John Calvin).

The history of David provides us with at least two cautions concerning the error of judging by sight and observable phenomena. David himself was chosen in the divine purpose contrary to all appearances. He was selected by Samuel in an important role in preference to his more superior siblings (1 Samuel 16: 1-13). Subsequently, David aroused the wrath of the Lord and was sternly chastised for prideful reliance on the number of his fighting men for the defense of his kingdom. The census was an act of presumption as to the provision and protection of the Lord which is never to be arrogantly investigated (2 Samuel 24;1-17). Even holy men of God may evince the tendency to confide in their measure of things and their estimates of their own sufficiency and success. Scripture informs us of numbers, but it does not encourage us to indulge in arithmetical idolatry and it is to be feared that on occasions the Lord's people are too preoccupied with calculations concerning what happens to be the secret growth of the kingdom and what achieves its good, and our "vital" part in it.

There was a certain diocesan bishop in England who requested his local clergy to rap his wrists if he began scrutinizing the register of services for the knowledge of Sunday attendances. There is a certain impertinence in assessing the work of God by our presentation of facts and figures. Parish and congregational enrollment figures are often

massaged and exaggerated. It is not within our capacity to measure divine influence in any given activity or event nor to gauge the degree of human authenticity of response (would Bible believing folk rejoice in the statistical fact that the fastest growing movement within "professed American Christendom" is the Mormon community?).

George Whitefield lamented the trend among Christian soul winners to assure converts too prematurely. Experience of mass evangelism registers large numbers of the so called "fallen away". Follow-ups in local parishes after such spectacular and emotionally charged events disclose a sharp decline in true spiritual interest and zeal to know the Lord. It is interesting that the Lord Jesus emphatically reassured the two or three that he was in their midst. Jesus is not embarrassed by small groups. We do not know for sure when and where the Spirit of God is working effectively - among the mega-churches or the little household groups. When does the word of God fare well or fall? It is a matter of divine sovereignty: It is the part of ministers to plant and to water, neither of which are efficacious of themselves, for it is God who giveth the increase. For no one is sufficient of himself to think anything as of himself, but his sufficiency is of God, who also hath made whom he wishes ministers of the New Testament, to render men properly convinced concerning Christ truly partakers of him; not to minster the dead letter - i.e. doctrine that sounds forth only externally without changing the heart - but which quickens the spirit and renews the heart. The Tetrapolitan Confession of 1530, greatly influenced by the saintly and mild Martin Bucer).

Humility before God, and dependence upon him, is the order of every day in his glad and great service. Human trumpets should be silenced. "Let the minister attempt nothing trusting to his own wit and industry, but let him commit his labour to the Lord, upon whose grace the whole success dependeth", advises John Calvin, and he adds, "How much soever God may use the labors of men in building his church, yet he himself performs everything". It is in knowing the boundaries imposed by human limitations and ineffectiveness, accompanied by the awareness of God's boundless power, that preserves the people of God in their united ministry whatever dimensions and statistics declare. There is gratitude for seemingly good results and renewed resolve in setbacks.

A basic problem may emerge in seminaries and colleges that do not encourage raw realism in the prospects of Christian ministry among their students. Hero worship of faculty members and constant reference to eminently successful ministries may excite in some minds a triumphalist expectation that can be easily crushed in actual experience of parish difficulties and congregational strife. We are often ignorant of the trials and afflictions of those cited as great servants of God. The emulation of such, if attempted, and conscious identification with them, often ends in humiliation. Much Christian biography can be classified as simplistic hagiography that deludes the novice into thinking that ministry is a breeze and constantly delightful self-gratification through public approval and divinely guaranteed success in highly observable terms. The experiences of the prophets and the trial of the apostles dash this fallacious hope. Ministry is a matter of battle and struggle within and without. Consolations are granted by God and his true, praying, people, but consternation and conflict are regular features of ministerial life. Doubts and disappointments will assail, and hard analysis will prove barren if trust is not firmly lodged in the Lord and his calling. In the wisdom of God good results of effort will be concealed to fend off wicked conceit. Few ministers can survive conspicuous success and those who do are targets of terrible and unimaginable temptation of a kind not suspected by those fulfilling secular vocations.

The constant emphasis on numerical, popular, and measurable success is a cruel obsession in the church and a spur to pride and rivalry. It is the fertilization of celebrity adulation that is unhealthy and debilitating of true Christian conversion and spiritual maturity. It is a diminution of the effective work of the Gospel and the Spirit in small places by confessedly weak men in the lives of certainly weak people. In reality, in the cause of Christ, there are no titans; merely those enabled to serve in various circumstances and in various ways.

The "Big Me" described by David Brooks in his thought provoking volume "The Road to Character" is situated in each heart and threatens the integrity of every church, vestry, and leadership team. We ought to note the modesty of godly men of some reputation:

John Newton: "We are never more safe, never have more reason to expect the Lord's help than when we are most sensible that we can do nothing without him.

It is pleasant now and then to have opportunity of hearing a variety of preachers, but the best and greatest of them are no more than instruments: some can please the ear better than others, but none can reach the heart any further than the Lord is pleased to open it.

Such, with respect to the bulk of their auditories, is the lot of Gospel ministers; they are enlightened to see, and sent forth to declare, the awful consequences of sin; but, alas, how few believe their report! . . . if, in the course of many sermons, they can prevail but one soul to take timely warning, and to seek Jesus, who is the way, the truth, and the life, they may account it a mercy and an honor".

Henry Venn: (To his discouraged son) "Dear Mr. Adam finished his course at Wintringham three weeks ago, after being fifty-nine years rector of that parish. Exceedingly small was his success amongst his people, after preaching the Gospel thirty years! Mr Waltham was here; and gave us, on Monday and Tuesday in Easter-week, two excellent sermons, in our kitchen. He is much alive, and is comforted with some success. Do not be discouraged at the present state of your people, and all around you. Take for an example of suffering affliction, on this account, the prophets: how small was their success!

You have no excuse to be discouraged, that you see no fruit. How little, in comparison, have the ablest, brightest ministers ever seen - in comparison, I say, of what they might expect! Hear what the Good Shepherd, and the only infallible Preacher, saith: "All day long have I stretched forth my hands to a gainsaying and disobedient people". When he opened the eyes of the blind in vast numbers, a very small part, even of them, beheld his glory! When he cleansed at once, ten lepers, one only gave thanks! When he made the lame, by thousands, to walk, scarcely any of them would follow him! Shall, then, the servant wonder his word is treated as was his Lord's? "Yet", saith He, "though Israel be not gathered, I shall be glorious." So each of his pastors may say, "Though, after many prayers and tears, and much crying unto God, and setting plainly before the people the Way of life in Christ Crucified, I find scarcely any one that will receive my testimony - whilst I, in my own example, do honor the Gospel - shall I conclude I am not sent of the Lord? shall I be disquieted and miserable?' By no means! The purposes of God will be surely answered: and not the minister who has most success in his preaching shall stand highest in the day of the Lord; but the minister whose eye has been single; whose prayers have been fervent; whose bowels of mercies have been yearning over the ignorant, and those who are out of the way; and who most readily sacrificed his own will and temporal interest. Such are conformable to Christ; and upon such he will put the greatest honor.

My small parish is very much altered for the worse, within these few years. . . . I therefore preach now to a handful of people indeed! However, I have cause to bless and adore God, that I can, and do, cry unto Him, to awake, and glorify His word; and wait in hope He will before it is long, come down and work mightily, for his own Name's sake".

J.C. Ryle: "There is a real spiritual presence of Christ wherever his believing people meet together in his name. This is the plain meaning of that famous saying, "Wherever two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them" (Matt 18:20). The smallest gathering of true Christians for the purposes of prayer or praise, or holy conference, or reading God's word is sanctified by the best of company. The great or rich or noble may not be there, but the King of kings himself is present, and angels look nn reverence. The grandest buildings that men have reared for religious uses are often no better than whitened sepulchres, destitute of any holy influence, because given up to superstitious ceremonies, and filled to no purpose with crowds of formal worshippers who come unfeeling and go unfeeling away . . . The meanest room where a few penitent believers assemble in the name of Jesus is a consecrated and most holy place in the sight of God. They that worship God in spirit and truth never draw near to him in vain. Often they go home from such meetings warmed, cheered, stablished, strengthened, comforted, and refreshed. And what is the secret of their feelings? They have had with them the great Master of assemblies, even Christ himself".

Having attended to these testimonies above let us desist from any attempt to measure the work of God in his church by what is deemed sensational or successful in human and worldly terms. Let us not rob God of his glory by placing ministers on pedestals. Encouragement is helpful but praise is harmful. Statistics and numbers may have their valid use in certain circumstances but they are not to be employed in the interests of pride or put-downs.

"We ought not to judge by largeness of the number, unless we choose to prefer the chaff to the wheat. . . . We are wont to desire a multitude, and to estimate by it the prosperity of the Church. On the contrary, we should rather desire to be few in number, and that in all of us the glory of God may shine brightly . . . . In proportion as we see the strength of the Church weakened and brought low, we may be more fully convinced that God has in his power the means of multiplying a small number" (John Calvin).

We might ask ourselves is our desire for growth at any time in order to boast, or is it to bring honor to the Lord and his salvation to others?

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