Marketing or Evangelism: The Golden Calves in the House of God
Jerry Adesewo
There is a dangerous shift happening in the Body of Christ today. One that the early church would scarcely recognise. We have moved from the simplicity of preaching Christ to the complexity of marketing our church. Instead of pointing people to the Saviour, we are pointing them to our sanctuary. Instead of saying, “Come to Jesus,” we are saying, “Come to my church.”
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It is not new for believers to be proud of their local assemblies — after all, the Lord has blessed each congregation with unique gifts, ministries, and callings. But there is a line between healthy appreciation and unhealthy competition. And sadly, many have crossed it.
Preaching Church Instead of Christ
When Paul wrote to the Corinthians, he addressed a similar problem: “One of you says, ‘I follow Paul’; another, ‘I follow Apollos’; another, ‘I follow Cephas’…” (1 Corinthians 1:12). His response was sharp: Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptised in the name of Paul?
Today, the language may be different, but the spirit is the same:
“Our choir is better than theirs.”
“Our pastor is more anointed.”
“Our building is more beautiful.”
“We have more members.”
It is as bad as this: you don’t just see a Redeemed or Living Faith member trying to woo a Cherubim and Seraphim member into their own church because they think they are better, but we now witness a Redeemed, Living Faith, or Cherubim church — rather than seeking the unchurched to win their souls — focusing instead on ‘derailing’ members of their other branches into their own branch.
None of these are the gospel. They may sound harmless, but they redirect attention from the cross to the crowd, from the message to the messenger, from the Christ to the church brand.
The goal of the church is not to fill pews — it is to fill heaven. When we preach church instead of Christ, we risk raising churchgoers who are not disciples, members who are not born again, and fans who are not followers.
Returning to the Simplicity of the Gospel
Paul resolved, when he came to Corinth, “to know nothing… except Jesus Christ and him crucified” (1 Corinthians 2:2). That must be our resolve again. The church is not the Saviour — the church is the servant. The power is not in our programmes — the power is in the blood.
Let us use every platform, every pulpit, every microphone, not to promote our church, but to proclaim our Christ. And when we invite someone, let our first words be not “Come to my church,” but “Come to Jesus.”
Final Reflection
The world does not need another church advert. It needs a church that advertises Christ by its love, holiness, and power.
Your church may have the best choir, the largest congregation, or the most dynamic preacher — but without Christ at the centre, it is just another well-decorated building.
Let us lay aside the pride of my church is better than yours and take up the passion of my Christ is better than all.
Jerry Adesewo is the Deputy Shepherd of the Peculiar Disciples of Christ Ministry, Byazhin Chapel, a model branch of the Cherubim and Seraphim Movement – To join the Goodly Heritage Messages Channel, click here: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbAfgYeGzzKQTBhcTt1v