Being loyal to a denomination, I'm no stranger to filling out forms and reporting stats. There are good reasons for this accountability, and we at 12Stone® Church are good team players in the Wesleyan Church. We report all numbers requested. I'm not saying it's fun, but it's a healthy practice.

We also keep a demographic spreadsheet of more numbers than you could imagine, from attendance to car counts. Again, these stats are kept for good and practical reasons. They help us in everything from decision-making to setting budgets. But I've been thinking about the things we care about, things that are more difficult if not near impossible to track, and started making a list.

I'm not sure how well we track all of them. Some we are good at, others we might need to improve. We do chase stories of life change, and that is a great practice, but I think there may be more to learn about strengthening a local church ministry by knowing some of these "other numbers."

How about you, how strong of a pulse do you have for these 10 in your church?

1. Serving the poor. Jesus speaks much about caring for those in need and those who are poor among us. A mark of a strong and healthy church is how it cares for people who may never attend and can do nothing for the church. Your church, and the one I serve, can't help everyone, but I believe there are certain ones in need that God intends for us to serve.

2. Visitors that don't look like you. When I travel to churches I'm amazed at how similar everyone looks. That's not bad; I fully understand natural connections, culture, and how people invite friends. All good. But recently I sat by a 20-something with some cool-looking tats, a full sleeve, piercings and he carried a well-worn Bible. He worshipped with passion and was warm and genuine when we said hi. He looked the opposite of me (and way cooler). I couldn't help but think that was a good thing and that God smiled.

3. Next generation called to ministry. I will admit a personal passion and bias for this one. It seems to me that for nearly 20 years or more, we are losing ground on young "sharpies" being called to full-time ministry nationwide. The church today is not attracting them enough for God to get a chance to capture their hearts. Yes, I know that God can call young leaders any way He wants, but He often uses the local church. The future of the church depends on the "best and brightest" being called and committed to vocational ministry. That's one of the reasons we are so fired up about our two-year post-college residency training program for ministry students.

4.  Restored marriages. Divorce is rampant. I think the accepted norm is that 50 percent of all marriages will end in divorce. (News flash: See this story for another view on that statistic.) We can't settle for that as acceptable. Each time the ministry of your church helps to prevent a divorce, that is a huge kingdom win! That really matters! From premarital training, to biblical teaching, to workshops and referrals to professional therapists--all your efforts for strong marriages are worth it!

5. New Christians/Baptisms. This may be the most common number on this list, but I couldn't write this article and not include it. Salvation is at the core of the Great Commission. A redeemed life is at the very epicenter of what we do! Each baptism represents an amazing story. I'm confident you feel the same about reaching people, and I want to encourage you to stay fired up about seeing people come to Christ.

Dr. Steve Greene is now sharing stories, teachings, and conversations with guests who lead with love on Love Leads, a new podcast. Listen now.

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