Everyone knows this warning from Paul’s application of his towering theological argument in Romans. Perhaps many know this verse by heart and consider it something of a life verse. But few, I fear, truly appreciate its import and the degree to which our thinking (and our practice) have been shaped by the world’s pattern rather than by the pattern of scripture. Here are a few examples of how this problem shows up in the church. Each one is worthy of considerable discussion and reflection.

Error #1: Church as a Business: The Entrepreneurial Model of Management

Business is a numbers game and everyone seems eager to play. Our attention is captivated by an assortment of seemingly important metrics that become the measure of the ministry—income, expenses, payroll, assets, marketing, advertising, programs, attendance, membership, and anything else we can put a number on.

The obvious danger is that a ministry which is measured in terms of KPIs (key performance indicators) will inevitably be managed according to objectives, and the ministry strategy will be designed to achieve the numbers. If that doesn’t strike you as absurd, then simply try to imagine running your family that way.

Error #2: Church as Entertainment: The Hollywood Model of Worship

Those of us in the Reformed camp who maintain the Regulative Principle of Worship might be inclined to argue that the Normative Principle of Worship has proven the wisdom of the Regulative Principle. The Cole Porter “First Church of Anything Goes” has gone to Hollywood in a handbasket. Man is the true object of such worship—he worships himself and not God. As one preacher expressed it, the greatest idolatry in America takes place in the churches on Sunday morning.

Error #3: Church as Motivation: The Tony Robbins Model of Preaching

We live in an age where the word “preaching” is used as a pejorative—pointing to the attitude of moral superiority on the part of the preacher, and an air of condescension toward the ones preached to. Who wants that? Even worse, preaching sin is a double fault of judgment and intolerance. People today are struggling with life and mostly just need a word of encouragement—along with some helpful suggestions.

Error #4: Church as a Cultural Mirror: The Accommodation Model of Faith and Life

In order for the church to reach the modern culture, she has to take on its beliefs and behaviors so people will feel welcome. According to this model, the church that imitates the world will be able to reach the world, even though it won’t have anything to offer when the world shows up.

Error #5: Church as a Democracy: The Majority Rule Model of Government

The first High Priest of the Old Covenant, Aaron the brother of Moses, learned this important principle of ministry in the wilderness of Sinai: give the people what they want. Even in today’s churches which still follow a biblical pattern of leadership, the people outnumber the leaders ten-to-one and expect the leaders to respect the will of the majority.

Error #6: Salvation as a Product: The Sales Model of Evangelism

When the goal of the business-oriented church is to close the sale, any and every tactic is permissible. Marketing is just a matter of convincing the customer to buy something he doesn’t want, doesn’t need, and could buy just about anywhere else at a better price. The first church to close the sale is in the best position to keep the customer. It’s not important whether the customer even knows what he’s buying. You can explain all that stuff later.

Error #7: Church as a Spiritual Convenience Store: The Come-and-Go Model of Membership

When the model of ministry is entrepreneurial and the church is competing for customers in the spiritual marketplace, there is no longer a sense of loyalty to one church or one brand of Christianity. Neither side expects that. Some religious consumers will aimlessly drift from church to church like hungry customers sampling every restaurant in a quest for something a little different. Meanwhile the church’s leadership eagerly greets each new wave of visitors while secretly wondering what happened to the last one.

Error #8: The Bible as a Grab Bag: The Lego Model of Theology

One pastor I know said it brilliantly: the problem with today’s Christian is that he has a sackful of proof texts—meaning that he can “prove” every point in his theology, but that none of his beliefs actually hang together as a system.

Without a systematic theology, the Bible is like a box of Lego blocks: You can build just about anything you want. But the end result is a theological Frankenstein monster and a box full of spare parts.

What It All Means

What are the consequences of these errors? The church is indistinguishable from the culture. She has nothing to offer that can’t be found elsewhere. She has no answers to any serious questions. Her only “ecclesiology” is to imitate the latest cultural fads. The consumer, after all, is king.

What is the common thread that connects all these problems? The abandonment of scripture as the ultimate source of truth and authority in the church. Unless the church returns to the inerrant, infallible standard of scripture, she will remain in a state of Big Trouble.

# # #

J.R. Dickens is a lay leader in the Presbyterian church. This fall he is presenting a Reformation conference on the importance of sola scriptura. For more information, please visit the SermonAudio event page found here: