I believe that some of our common church language is composed of oxymorons, and if we actually think about what they are saying about church and Christianity, we might consider some revisions. Lets take a look at a few of these such phrases.
“church marketing”
What exactly are we selling? Marketing is the sum of activities involved in the transfer of goods from the producer or seller to the consumer or buyer, including advertising, shipping, storing, and selling. Marketing is the process used to determine what products or services may be of interest to consumers, it is the strategy used in sales, communications, and business development. It generates the strategy that underlies sales techniques, business communication, and business developments.
There is nothing about the word “marketing” that has any place in connection with the church. We are not selling anything, or at least we shouldn’t be. I guess there are some churches that have gotten into the business of selling a product to consumers, but this is not the Biblical example of how the church should function and exist. The church exists to give, serve, help, and love those in need, not provide products and services to the masses of consumers.
The only thing we are told to sell is our own possessions, in order that we can give to the poor. (Matthew 19:21, Luke 12:33) Paul said, “we do not peddle the word of God for profit.” (2Cor 2:17) He also said, “whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ…” (Philippians 3:7-8) This doesn’t sound like a very good marketing plan, sell everything and consider everything a loss. Ask any marketing expert, and they will tell you that marketing is for the purpose of profit not loss.
Sadly, there are churches that are making a profit from their marketing strategies. Consumers line up to pay for the best in “Christian Entertainment” (another oxymoron), and if they are not satisfied with the performance at one church then they move on to another that better suits their particular tastes and interests. “Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.” (2Timothy 4:3)
“church business”
How is church anything like a business? The word business means an occupation, profession, or trade. It is related to the purchase and sale of goods in an attempt to make a profit. A business can be a person, partnership, or corporation engaged in commerce, manufacturing, or a service. It is a profit-seeking enterprise or concern. The word business can also refer to a building or site where commercial work is carried on, as a factory, store, or office, described as the place of work. Synonyms include vocation, employment, occupation, commerce, trade, company, or firm.
The phrase “church marketing” probably stems from the idea that the modern church in America understands itself more like a business now than anything else. We hear the phrase “church business” spoken often in connection with what is discussed in council meetings, staff meetings, and it is used to describe the regular daily office work done during the week.
Christianity is following Jesus, and church is following Jesus together in community. Church is the social expression of Jesus Christ in His people. The church that we read about in the Bible is a group of people on a divine mission to heal the sick, rescue captives, and multiply the Kingdom of God throughout the world. The church was a group of disciples who loved each other, loved God, and continued to make more disciples. In the New Testament there was no business, staff, or marketing in connection with the church.
Paganism was described like a business in the Bible. “A silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought in no little business for the craftsmen. He called them together, along with the workmen in related trades, and said: ‘Men, you know we receive a good income from this business. And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has convinced and led astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus and in practically the whole province of Asia. He says that man-made gods are no gods at all. There is danger not only that our trade will lose its good name, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited, and the goddess herself, who is worshiped throughout the province of Asia and the world, will be robbed of her divine majesty.’” (Acts 19:24-27)
How easily we seem to forget how upset Jesus was that men were selling things in the Temple as if it were a marketplace. “Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. “It is written,” he said to them, ” ‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it a ‘den of robbers.’ ” (Matthew 21:12-13)
Is it possible that the business of church has defeated the original purpose of the church? Have we become so consumed with the business of church that we have forgotten our first love? Have we forgotten how to exist in simplicity? Are we able to simply live in community as God’s people, following Jesus, loving each other, helping those in need, and spreading the Kingdom of God, or have we become too dependent upon doing the business of church?
What is “church business” anyway? Typically when this phrase is used, it is in connection to the daily routines of paying bills, buying supplies, mowing lawns, making bulletins, marketing strategies, planning, scheduling, and promoting events or activities. It is interesting that none of these things listed were done in the New Testament church. The closest thing I can find is in Acts 6 where it talks about selecting people to “wait on tables” in connection to the daily distribution of food, but even this is done as ministry to serve and give to those in need.
Some will say that this business is necessary to keep and maintain the “church building” (another oxymoron).
“church building”
In most cases it is actually the building itself that is most often referred to as the “Church”. I find it interesting that we even have church buildings. If we were able to time travel back to 70AD and speak to any first century Christian, and ask where the “church building” was, they would probably look at you like you were crazy. They had no such things. The “church” was simply the people of God who follow Christ together.
A church gathering took place at any number of locations including homes, public places (both indoors and outdoors), and even in the marketplace (at work). The most common place for the church to gather was in homes. This was an intimate place to gather, a place for eating (they shared meals together regularly), it was a place for fellowship, and a place for small groups to encourage and teach one another. There was no pulpit in these homes, and likewise no pews. They most likely gathered around the table. If they were to employ modern marketing strategies to describe their gatherings, the tag line might say “food, fellowship, and faith”. I jest of course. We have already discussed how marketing was not a part of church in the first century.
Why are buildings so important to our modern church culture? Jesus never instructed us to erect buildings. None of the apostles felt it necessary, even though they grew up with the Jewish Temple and Synagogues as examples to them of places of worship. It would make sense that they would feel a need to put up a sacred building to worship in, yet they never did. Could it be that they had a different understanding of Christianity than we do? Most definately. Read the next paragraph and consider how the New Testament church viewed itself in contrast to our modern thinking.
The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. What kind of house will you build for me? says the Lord. I will destroy this man-made temple and in three days will build another, not made by man. Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you? You are God’s field, God’s building, like living stones, you are being built into a spiritual house. Jesus said, ‘I will build my church’, and so the stone the builders rejected has become the capstone. God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple, your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God. Christ is faithful as a son over God’s house, and we are his house. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, excel in gifts that build up the church of which Christ is the head; his body. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.
(Acts 17:24, Acts 7:49, Mark 14:58, 1Cor 3:16, 1Cor 3:9, 1Peter 2:5, Matt 16:18, Mark 12:10, 1Cor 3:17, 1Cor 6:19, Hebrews 3:6, 1Thess 5:11, 1Cor 14:12, Eph 5:23, 1Cor 12:13, 1Cor 12:27, Eph 4:16)
Jesus was asked by a Samaritan woman about where the proper place of worship should be. “Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.” (Jn 4:20) The answer that Jesus gave her completely removes the proverbial box of religious experience. He did not speak to her about logistics, theology, or liturgy. He did not tell her that in the Kingdom, the synagogue will be replaced with the chapel and temple replaced with cathedrals. Jesus said, “a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.” (Jn 4:23-24) True worship has nothing to do with location. It has nothing to do with temples built by men and special “high places”. The worship that God seeks is done within us and through us, it is spiritual, and it is done in truth (or reality).
Paul says, “I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your priestly act of worship.” (Romans 12:1) Worship is no longer about where we worship, but about how we worship. Worship does not require a special building, because we are the temple of the Holy Spirit. Worship does not require priests to minister, because we are a kingdom of priests and Christ is our Great High Priest. And finally, worship does not require any special sacraments, altars, furniture, or duties, all of these things are but shadows of the reality that is found in Christ alone. Christ is our sacrifice, he is our priest, he is the temple, he is fulfillment of the law and all of its requirements, and everything we need is found in him.
If you are looking for a place to worship - it is found only in Christ. If you are looking for the proper acts of worship - that is found in Christ also. Are you looking to please God by following His commandments - follow Christ and you will fulfill the law. Are you trying to understand prophecy - understanding is found in Christ.
My conclusion is that “church marketing”, “church business”, and “church buildings” have nothing to do with what it actually means to be the church. When we are living transformed lives, empowered by the Holy Spirit, and led by Christ himself, we will have no need to “market” anything. The presence and power of God in our lives will draw all men unto Him, and our clever strategies will be rendered useless and quite ridiculous in contrast. When we realize that there is nothing special about a building or any specific place, but our worship radiates from within us we will have a better understanding of worship. I think worship can be described simply as our spirit dancing with the Spirit of God to the glory of God. And as far as “church business” goes, the only business we should be about is the Father’s business, wich is to seek and save the lost. So, forget building projects, marketing plans, and event calendars. Stop seeing church as a vocation for preachers, and start seeing church as the incarnate Christ expressing himself in and through His Body.