A fifth warning sign that the modern church needs to remember is prioritizing programs and buildings instead of people. Jesus promised He would build His church.
However, the church is not equal to a physical building. Our Lord is building His church through the spread of the gospel and discipleship of individuals. Believers, not buildings, are the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27).
Jesus commanded His disciples to go out into the world and make disciples (Matthew 28:18-20). When the church loses that focus on taking the gospel to all people and discipling them, teaching them to obey Christ, then the church becomes ineffective and dead. Our Lord’s focus was on people, not programs. Followers of Christ should have the same focus.
During His earthly ministry, Jesus focused on close discipleship of individuals. He chose 12 disciples, even though there were many more who followed Him (Matthew 10:2-4).
Also, He invested special time with three of His disciples, known as the inner three: Peter, James, and John (Matthew 17:1-2; Mark 5:37).
Of course, these specific numbers of disciples are not magical numbers for discipleship. The example of Christ shows us that spending quality time with individuals, even only a few, to train and teach is more valuable than having crowds of “fans” who are not growing or walking with Jesus.
One of the problems with the modern church, especially in America, is the focus on high numbers of attendance, members, and programs, or a large church building. Many churches do not prioritize true relationships with people that promote strong discipleship and spiritual growth.
This does not mean that mega-churches are ineffective in creating disciples or that small churches are inherently better. Rather, we need to move away from the idea that high numbers indicate success.
Instead of focusing on creating more programs or large facilities, we need to invest our time in building up disciples for Christ, equipping them to make disciples and live out their faith in everyday life.
The modern church would be wise to heed these biblical warnings, repent, and seek to follow Jesus and His commands, even though doing so may be unpopular, countercultural, and risky.
For further reading:
7 Sneaky Idols Destroying the Church Today
What Does it Mean to Be in the World but Not of the World?
Why Should We Not Be Conformed to This World?
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Sophia Bricker is a freelance writer who enjoys researching and writing articles on biblical and theological topics. In addition to contributing articles about biblical questions as a contract writer, she has also written for Unlocked devotional. She holds a BA in Ministry, a MA in Ministry, and is currently pursuing an MFA in Creative Writing to develop her writing craft. As someone who is passionate about the Bible and faith in Jesus, her mission is to help others learn about Christ and glorify Him in her writing. When she isn’t busy studying or writing, Sophia enjoys spending time with family, reading, drawing, and gardening.
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