Corporate Christianity 1 Thes 2: 3-6 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO
We have been seeing a move in American Christianity away from the Bible and the local church to what I call, “Corporate Christianity,” a Christianity characterized by corporate philosophy rather than Biblical doctrine. They have boards and staff and committees and advisory councils and so forth. The corporate philosophy is pragmatic and so pastors and ministry leaders are following it. But this philosophy is leading the churches into apostasy and away from the Lord. You can tell when this corporate philosophy is infiltrating your life, your ministry and your church by these three traits:
Their Talkative Expressions. They use expressions like the following corporate jargon: reach out, paradigm shift, touch base, buy-in, empower, passionate, take it to the next level, impact, it is what it is, outside the box, think tank, partner with us, above board. These expressions are the result of the people with whom they associate. They pick these sayings up from the world. They use them in interviews, at conventions and at seminars or webinars. You do not find anything like these expressions in the Bible. The Bible is plain and clear and the Lord says what he means to say so that you can understand him perfectly [Prov 8:8-9, 22:17-21].
Their Temporal Emphasis. They concern themselves with things down here like money and assets, donations, technology, infrastructure, numbers, locations, listeners, viewers, profit and loss, and money. These corporate ministers are very interested in what’s happening here on earth with politics and the economy. Their affections are not set on things above [Col 3:1-2]. Their heart is in the earth because that is where their treasure is [Matt 6:19-22]. You can tell it because out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. The Lord said, “Buy the truth and sell it not,” [Prov 22:23].
Their Turning Ears. 2 Tim 4:3-4. They turn away from the truth and will not endure sound doctrine. Consequently, they are turned unto fables. Psychology is wrapped in perverted modern Bible verses to make you believe that what you are hearing came from God. It did not. It came from men [compare 2 Cor 2:17 and contrast 1 Thes 2:13]. You are hearing philosophy and vain deceit and the tradition of men and the rudiments of the world [Col 2:8]. There is just enough of the Bible mixed in with it to make you believe that it is the truth.
Conclusion: If you are not careful you will become so accustomed to this corporate Christianity that you will not realize how far from the truth you have drifted. Some have drifted so far that they don’t even like the truth anymore. They have completely turned away. Rather than follow corporate Christianity follow the Bible and get in a good Bible preaching, Bible believing church.