We delight to see churches grow and are grieved when they diminish. Visitors are always a delight, and we are overjoyed when God is pleased in His grace to save those He brings here. Conversely, we are saddened when our numbers decrease for whatever reason. But, let the truth moderate all our emotions regarding numbers: The membership of local assemblies may go up and down, but the church of the Lord Jesus Christ has known neither growth nor diminishing from eternity when all its members were chosen and given to Christ. Our Lord said, that all the father had given to Him, "He would lose none." It is our privilege to be part of that church if we are Christ. The roll of that church was written in eternity and shall never change. And what a pastor she has! "The Lord is my shepherd." What a membership she has! "from every kindred, tribe, tongue, and nation. " What a fellowship she has!, "our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ." What worship services she enjoys!, "Let us come boldly into the holiest of all by the blood of Jesus." Beloved, let us always rejoice in this. We may hope for a larger congregation here (and I do) but I rejoice to be a part of a congregation whose membership is beyond numbering and whose blessings are beyond telling.
So great is the depravity of unregenerate man that, although there is nothing that he needs more than the gospel, there is nothing that he desires less. Copied