Please, let us stop obsessing over whether we grow in numbers or not. As one who came out of marketing and sales, I am well aware of the panic such statistics can cause. Should we not be concerned about the lost? You bet! How are we to respond. The Word! Preach the Word. And as we go about our vocations we can lend an ear to those who are hurting and speak to them where they are, always trusting in the Holy Spirit to use it for His purposes.

For the past 30 years I have witnessed our synod become more enamored with statistics. The problem is that when we see decline we then believe we need to adopt "new measures" to bring about growth. God's Word has something else to say on the matter (Acts 2:47). No better advice on the matter can be had, outside of Scripture, than these of C.F.W. Wather preached at the first convention, ““Whether our Synod gains friends or makes enemies, wins honor or invites disgrace, grows or declines in numbers, brings peace or incites enmity, all this must be unimportant to us--just so our Synod may keep the jewel of purity of doctrine and knowledge. However, should our Synod ever grow indifferent toward purity of doctrine, through ingratitude forget this prize, or betray or barter it away to the false church, then let our church body perish and the name ‘Missourian’ decay in disgrace.” AMEN!