"...numbers can tell us only part of the story concerning our churches"

One thing that comes to mind is that in discussions I’ve experienced, including one just yesterday, it all too often seems as if numbers are wrongly seen as a proxy for spiritual growth. They can indicate whether you’re “getting out there” and approaching people in a meaningful way or not, but it’s no substitute for a depth of growth, “reproducing your faith” in another.

Or on the cynical side, we might wonder if shallow attempts at discipleship do indeed “reproduce the faith” that is held by the disciple-makers.