How many people would you like in your church?

As a young Pastor of a relatively small church it is easy to envy those leading bigger congregations. Pride tempts every Pastor to measure their success by counting heads. So please pray for me and others in Christian leadership that we would aim for faithfulness rather than success. Perhaps we will be helped by remembering the words of John Brown (described by Mark Dever as his single most influential quote on leadership),

“I know the vanity of your heart, and that you will feel mortified that your congregation is very small, in comparison with those of your brethren around you; but assure yourself on the word of an old man, that when you come to give an account of them to the Lord Christ, at his judgment-seat, you will think you have had enough.”