Our office administrator sends me the numbers from the previous week at worship on Tuesday afternoon. She adds up everything on the attendance count sheet and then compiles our giving numbers from the various places we use to collect money. Once everything is added together, she gives me two definitive numbers from the weekend.

Last week, she asked me what I did with those numbers. I explained it to her, and thought it might be helpful for you to know as well.

I keep a spreadsheet with the date, attendance, offering numbers, and a space for notes. Some weeks have few notes to add, but others include statements like, “Baptism with lots of family here, Temp was 8 degrees to start the day,” and “I was out of town on vacation.”

At the end of each year, I review those notes and look for trends. I compare them with previous years and look for patterns that might help in my ministry. Every Church has unique seasonal swings and disruptions. For example, while preaching in Alaska, our summers were packed with people from May to August, and Christmas was empty as people flew to see family in warmer climates. Where I serve now, we have sports in June, but I know the first week of July will be a ghost town. Then, because we have numerous teachers, we expect our numbers to return by the second week of August.

I use these numbers for programming, for the number of chairs I need in the auditorium, for evaluating sermon series topics, for starting small groups and holiday plans, and for my vacations. Every number tells a little story about the people I lead, their habits, and when they spend time away from worship. I then use those stories to lead in the most effective way I am able.