It’s called enochlophobia. It can cause blackouts, dilated pupils, dizziness, headache, heart palpitations, muscle tension, nausea, shaking, shortness of breath, sweating, tremors, and vomiting; and that’s just the physical reactions. No, I’m not talking about the side effects of a newly released drug, I’m talking about the fear of crowds. Some people strongly dislike crowds, but for others it can be a medically serious condition. After reading Mark chapter 1, I wonder if Jesus disliked crowds? I’m sure He wasn’t enochlophibic, but it seems as if Jesus tried to distance Himself from the sea of humanity that seemed to flock to Him from the very beginning. It’s a truth that certainly flies in the face of the church trend of getting as many people in a room as you can and calling it evangelism. It may be evangelistic but is it effective in making disciples? The way Jesus called people to follow Him may suggest it isn’t. Is it wrong to invite someone to church? Absolutely not. It is bad to have big crowds? No way. But if it wasn't Jesus' singular focus, it shouldn't be ours either?
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