this is actually supposed to be a comment on the post below re growth, but when i try to add a comment it says error, so i'm posting here instead...

why does growth have to be numerical? isn't growth in faith, commitment to each other & God, and, ultimately, growth in our knowledge/experience of God's love for us & consequently our love for him just as, if not more, important? although most of us aren't particularly interested in numerical growth, we probably all want these things. And surely if we're growing in these, especially the latter, then growth in numbers will happen naturally & will become something that we'll actually want?