Once in my childhood, a famous evangelist visited Zambia to preach revivals. Many accepted the Lord and were baptized. We read later in a church magazine where he boasted of leading thousands to God.
Growing up in the ministry and being in ministry all my life, it is a trend that has always troubled me: when leaders exaggerate their numbers, ministries and effectiveness. It alarms me to see how church attendance of 84 and become 95, 3000 become 3500 and 8000 become 9000. I know there are ways to try to justify our numbers but if God were taking the attendance, what would He announce?
For one thing, if it is the Lord’s work, what is there to boast about unless in Him. If we are truly his church, we are growing in his time according to His purpose. We should rather rejoice in what he has done; not exaggerate as if what He has done is not enough. Can we make God any bigger than He is?
And if we do implement a healthy, strong program; it is good to share it so others can rejoice with us and use our idea. But it is wrong if we brag.
Worse than bragging is exaggerating numbers, or can I be blunt and say lie about numbers. If we feed 4300 does it make us look any better to say we fed over 5000? Are we trying to beat Jesus’ number? If an outreach program clothed 250 families; is it not a sin to say we clothed 400 just because that was our goal? If we build three wells, let us rejoice and not turn it into a fictional five! In my opinion, we are treading on dangerous ground.
Ananias and Sapphira did a good thing. They sold a plot of land and gave a large chunk of it to the church. That was a honorable. But to make themselves look good, they went before the church leaders, gave a the money and lied that it was the full amount the piece land sold for. This was not a mistake but a premeditated swindle.
We can lie to men but we cannot lie to God. What did God do? He struck them both dead! We may think that was a bit unfair and far to extreme but who are we to question God’s methods?
I see two lesson in this story. First, God is God and we should rejoice with what He is doing and not try to make Him or His work bigger than it already is.
Second, this shows us exactly where God’s heart is concerning man trying to make themselves look good. Pretty scary if you ask me!