Lies, Damned Lies and Statistics

So said Mark Twain allegedly quoting Benjamin Disraeli of the three kinds of lies there are, or perhaps if you are less well educated you may prefer the Simpsons version that you can make statistics say anything you want...83% of people know that.

Sunday 13th May was the annual day of Free Church congregational statistics collection and on the surface of it our results look quite encouraging. Our biggest age profile of members is under 35 which given the bigger picture of ageing congregations is quite remarkable. When we consider where the congregation was a few years ago this is all the more remarkable.

How can we explain this rise? What things have we done differently in the past while that we haven't done before? Quite simply nothing we have preached the word, tried to get to know people in the community and share Jesus as best we can.

At the deacons court meeting last night we read this passage and it was such an encouragement to us:

"Our help is in the name of the LORD who made heaven and earth" (Psalm 124:8 ESV) Truly as we look back over the past year we can say the LORD is our help and he has richly provided for us as a congregation.

We have had seven baptisms in the past year which has been another tremendous blessing to us as a congregation and we value each of the six children baptised and the one adult. Whilst this has been a great blessing it does present some challenges as household which were formerly D.I.N.K.Y.'s (double income no kids yet) have been reduced to one salary and therefore understandably their ability to contribute to the church has gone down. As a congregation we face significant financial pressures in the year ahead.


Our next biggest age category is the over 70'  of whom we have 8 it is great to have these faithful saints with us but again looking forward this reliance on older believers is not sustainable. The category of member we are missing are those from 35-60 who perhaps are empty Nester, who have more disposable time and income they could share with us.

On the surface of things our statistics are not impressive, we are a small fellowship in a small denomination but given where we were truly we can say the LORD has been good to us. But are we happy to rest on our laurels? I hope not we haven't begun to scratch the surface yet we are 30/40 people in a town of 30,000 we live in the council area with the joint lowest church attendance in Scotland. So quite simply we cannot afford to rest on our laurels, quite simply we need to keep multiplying and making more disciples.

That is where you come in...how can you help us? 3 ways:

i) Pray intercede on our behalf before the God of the universe the God to whom the cattle on a thousand hills belong. Ask that resources would be found, ask for blessing our work and witness within the town itself. You may not be able to give you may not be able to go but you can certainly pray.

ii) Give as was mentioned our congregational income v expenditure remains a challenge however given the age profile of our congregation I think there is reason to be hopeful for the future. If you feel led then you can give money to our Stewardship account which would be a tremendous encouragement to us.

iii) Come I know its a big ask to move to a new town but don't underestimate the encouragement that one family could be to the congregation, don't underestimate the difference that one or two people in the age category we are missing could make to the life and witness of the congregation. The gospel as we are told in Acts turns the world upside down and our desire is to see Dumfries turned upside down with the gospel, could you consider serving by moving here? By coming and sharing what God is doing with us.

If you would like any more information please don't hesitate to contact me on trevordkane@gmail.com .