Whose Church?

You see, we are not like the many hucksters who preach for personal profit. We preach the word of God with sincerity and with Christ’s authority, knowing that God is watching us. —2 Corinthians 2:17 NLT

Big corporate organisations are run in a manner that promotes expansion and maximisation of profit. Their marketing and advertising strategies, planning, resource management and development all have one common goal, to maximise profit and some use unethical means to achieve this goal. Many churches are run like big corporate organisations with the pastor as the CEO, chairman or president.

“And he is the head of the body, the church…” Colossians 1:18 (ESV). We know that Jesus is the head of the Church. However, the way some churches are run, Jesus is often relegated to a back seat while the pastor assumes the overall head of the Church. This type of setup shifts the focus away from Jesus as head of the Church to the pastor and the church organisational structure.

It is strange and foreign when churches start feeling like business operation centres. When churches emulate big corporations, the focus can often quickly shift from spiritual guidance to administrative and financial efficiency. This tends to lead to bureaucracy, power imbalance, and a more transactional experience.

Pastors should always remember that they are called to shepherd the people with tender care, love and humility. They are not called to be dictators or slave drivers, a common feature in many churches today.

Christ is the author and perfecter of our faith. No matter how knowledgeable and the longevity of faith in the Lord a preacher is, believers should always focus on Christ because He is the centre of our faith.

I have seen how believers elevate preachers and pastors to almost a position to be worshipped by showing excessive and unhealthy loyalty and deference to them.

It is equally not helpful when you hear preachers and pastors talk much about their accomplishments. “… we don’t go around preaching about ourselves. We preach that Jesus Christ is Lord, and we ourselves are your servants for Jesus’ sake.” 2 Corinthians 4:5 (NLT)

Often these accomplishments are centred or focused on materialistic things such as the edifice they’ve built, the acquisition of private jets, cars, and investments for themselves and their children.

The more Christ takes the back seat in our churches, the more we see aggressive, deceptive, dishonest and manipulative preaching of the word of God. Paul said, “We use no hocus-pocus, no clever tricks, no dishonest manipulation of the Word of God. We speak the plain truth and so commend ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.” 2 Corinthians 4:2(PHILLIPS)

Paul had been accused by false teachers of deceitful conduct and diluting or adulterating the Gospel perhaps by not insisting on Gentiles complying with the Mosaic law. Paul rejected these accusations claiming he had never harboured any secretive or deceptive motives, nor had he ever dishonestly manipulated the Word of God entrusted to him. I am hoping church leaders can honestly say this is true of their handling of God’s Word.

So, whose Church is it, Christ or your pastors?

My prayer is that Church leaders will reevaluate where Jesus’ position is in the Church.

Stay blessed,

LaraLex