Kirby, My parents had a large family by today's standards(5 boys) We are all baby boomers so my family rearing days are over. My parents did their best to raise us to be good Lutherans, sending us to 8 years of LCMS grade school, confirming us, involving us in Walther League, etc. Of the 5 of us, 1 has passed, 2 are nominal lutherans, 1 isn't sure what he is, and I feel trapped in my present LCMS church. I do agree that larger families will grow membership rolls but my concern anymore is: Do my children really know Jesus Christ? If we impart only our lutheran traditions but forget Christ, we are still in trouble. Jesus did not say, Go ye and make large families so the churches may be filled. He said, Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. If we as committed lutherans became less lutheran and more Christian and wear the joy of His salvation on our persona so others can see it, our churches would begin to fill. We have an incredible free gift of eternal life through Christ through faith in Him. It is our job to share it in our communities. That, in my opinion, is where we fail. It has very little to do with larger families.