There’s no other KPI more central to church health than attendance. That doesn’t mean giving, serving, or engagement don’t matter, but if people aren’t showing up, none of the other metrics hold weight. Intuitively, we all know this. Every pastor, small group leader, and event organizer begins with the same question: “How many people came?“
Attendance Is Biblical
This isn’t just a practical idea; it’s rooted in Scripture. In the parable of the shepherd, Jesus says the shepherd leaves the 99 to search for the one lost sheep. That only works because the shepherd is counting. He knows when one is missing.
Parents understand this instinctively, too. I grew up in a family of five, and every time we loaded into the van for church, my parents had us “count off.” If a number was missing, they knew someone was left behind. That’s attendance.
Why Leaders Need the Numbers
Attendance isn’t about stroking egos; it’s about making wise decisions. Numbers reveal more than headcount; they raise questions leaders must ask:
- If attendance is rising but giving per capita is falling: How are we discipling on stewardship?
- If overall service attendance is slipping, but children’s ministry is up compared to last year: Who’s missing? What’s changed?
Numbers don’t just show growth; they help leaders ask the right questions, shepherd wisely, and focus on the right people.
The Problem With Old Methods
Most churches still rely on volunteer counters. But human error is unavoidable. Volunteers double-count, miss people, or burn out. Inaccurate data leads to poor decisions like a shepherd searching for a sheep that was never lost.
A Better Way
At Kingdom Metrics, we believe leaders deserve truthful attendance data. That’s why we’ve built AI-powered systems to ensure accuracy in counting so leaders can see what’s really happening, without the fog of error.
Here’s how it works: an image sensor quietly captures a photo during the service, while the pastor is preaching. Our AI counts every person in the room in seconds, no volunteers awkwardly standing in the corner, no manual tallies, no missed heads. Once counted, the numbers are automatically sent straight to your inbox or your church management system.
Because shepherds should know their flock, and churches should have confidence in their numbers.
Kingdom Metrics (Jeremiah Parisoe)
Jeremiah Parisoe is the CEO and co-founder of Kingdom Metrics, a company that helps churches utilize data and AI to better understand and serve their congregations. Before founding Kingdom Metrics, Jeremiah spent 17 years in national bank leadership and consulting, specializing in strategy and implementation. His love for Christ and the local church led him to recognize a gap in how churches measure growth and engagement. Through Kingdom Metrics, he’s helping churches leverage technology to gain accurate attendance data, freeing volunteers to focus on connection rather than counting. Jeremiah’s vision is simple yet profound: when churches thrive, communities flourish.
