Covenant Church

Part of a pastor’s life is to respond to the question: “How big is your church?” I am not sure when this question started. I am sure that the question is a comparative question. I am also sure that the question does not have an easy answer.

Does a pastor respond with the number of warm bodies that came to church last Sunday? Is that the answer?

Does a pastor respond with the number of names formally listed on membership rolls? Is that the answer?

Maybe I say, “Well, Covenant is about 60,000 square feet.” But do I also count the size of Covenant’s building to seat 600 people to be constructed in Juba, Sudan? Do I count the square footage of Covenant’s church in Batangas, Philippines? Do I count the square footage of the Spanish church chartered out of Covenant? I do not even have those numbers.

Do I count the churches pastored by former staff members of Covenant Church? Pastors Jerry Steele, Mark Miller, Adam Frye, Paul Metler and Chris Underwood. What about youth leaders and other persons in full time local church ministry? What about Wayne and Phyllzs Wozniak, missionaries in Peru? What about all the men working full-time at a missions organization they became acquainted with while at Covenant?

Let us change to “we”, and ask: “Do we count the Bible studies being taught in near and far and distant places by persons trained in Covenant Church classes? Do we count the work of Dr. Tom Rosson, who is responsible for Church of God educational efforts in Eastern

Europe? Do we count the souls saved as a result of investing in missionaries? Do we count work being done in the inner-city of Charlottesville as a result of vision and strategy of Covenant Church? Do we count the clinics and churches that have been constructed as a result of offerings and prayers of Covenant Church?

Do we count our students who are currently in seminary training for full-time ministry? Do we count Spike Coleman, a former parishioner now pastor of a Presbyterian church in Charleston, S.C.? Do we count Glen Gentry, dear friend who we counseled and encouraged, and today he is pastor of a Wesleyan church in Danville?

Do we count all the extended family of Covenant members? These are dear folks that do not attend Covenant, but in times of crises Covenant Church provides pastoral care. Do we count the churches of other denominations that look to Covenant for counsel?

Do we count tithes and offerings? Is that the measure?
Do we count by number of pastoral staff?

The answer to all these questions is: “No, these are not the measure of a church!” They may be indicators, but they are not the tool of measurement that is most important.

God measures a local church by its heart. Is there obedience? Is there godly leadership? Is there worship? Is there Bible teaching? Is there a missionary spirit? Is there a willingness to hold leadership accountable? Do parishioners take their testimony into the community? Is the heart of the church devoted to exalting Jesus and looking for the return Our Lord? Is there a passion for the work of the Lord? Is the church winning people to Jesus and making disciples?
“Heart,” I say. “Heart!” I do not know how to measure size. I do not even like the question: “How big is your church?” I do know the measure of our worth is our love for Jesus and our heart for His Church.

I know that numbers are important. However, I know that numbers cannot measure what heaven does with seed sown with obedience. I know that the Bible assures us that when we do good God blesses the seed sown and brings forth eternal fruit with rewards to be given in time to come. Let us be faithful!

Much love,
Pastor Bare

Philippians 4:8