Modern Idols in the Church | Our Building and Ministries

Last week, we discussed the presence of modern idols in the Church, specifically our music. Though we may only think of idols as the traditional biblical style— the golden calf and all that goes with the worshiping of it—it’s all too easy to allow idol worship to creep into our church lives.

Aren’t idols more like Old Testament things?

An idol, by definition, is an object or idea that we devote ourselves to. It takes precedence over anything else in our lives. It’s easier to spot an idol when it’s a physical, tangible thing (a graven image, a fancy car or house), rather than an idea (the pursuit of fame or fortune).

How do we evaluate these things? What makes one person’s pursuit of something better or more righteous than another’s? A nicer house may mean we’re providing more effectively for our family, or it may mean we’re showing off because we simply want bigger and better to keep up with others. Whether we set something up as an idol or not is only determined by the place it holds in our heart.

There’s nothing wrong with wanting nice things, or having something special. Our international workers don’t have to wear threadbare, out-of-fashion clothing to be seen as holier in God’s eyes. And truly, we can idolize our poverty just as much as we idolize our riches, if you want to think about it. Am I more godly than you are because I drive an older car? Are you more righteous than I am because you’re content with hand-me-down furniture?

Idols are bad and therefore easy to spot, right?

We have a hard time believing that we’re idolizing something when it isn’t the traditional idea of “bad.” We have an even harder time believing we could ever have idols in the church itself, but it happens. We may not recognize them as the traditional type of idol, but we hold them dear nonetheless.

One of those idols is the church building. Don’t get me wrong: it’s good to take pride in our building, to take care of it and keep it clean and maintained. It’s perfectly fine to enjoy what we’re able to offer in the form of meeting rooms, activities, and resources.

There’s something to be said for the ownership that attenders feel for their church. We’re within our rights to have a healthy ownership that results in us taking care of the facilities and respecting the areas we use. It’s a wonderful thing, in fact, for our maintenance team when someone cleans up their own spills.

That type of ownership isn’t what I’m referring to, however. The idolizing of our church building can creep in without us even being aware that we’ve positioned it too high in our hearts. What I’m talking about is when people have made the church their god.

Perhaps our favorite fake floral arrangement isn’t where it’s “always” been. Maybe the chairs have been replaced in a room we’ve used for years, and we don’t care much for the new style or color. Is the church staff throwing away perfectly good items? Are they ungrateful for what they have?

Why is that person sitting in my seat? Why aren’t we serving communion in the same way we used to? My tithe pays your salary. I was told “no thank you” when I tried to give the church some perfectly good furniture I didn’t want. Drums during communion are ungodly. The cross needs to be in the center of the platform or we’re essentially tossing Jesus aside. The church (staff) doesn’t care about ABC group if they don’t provide or allow XYZ ministry to happen.

It’s easy to lose focus if our eyes are not on Jesus

Sadly, all the above examples are real things that have been said to staff members and ministry volunteers at one time or another, and they’re not the worst of it either. When we claim we can’t worship because there are colored lights on the walls, or we’re angry enough to write an anonymous letter because our pastor didn’t wear a tie, our hearts are definitely worshiping the wrong thing.

Getting upset about seating or the placement of decor is the most obvious way of showing others what’s dearest to your heart. Spoiler alert: it’s not Jesus.

Many are quick to point out that we should worship the Creator rather than the created things when pointing out the idolatry of cultures who worship the sun or the trees, or when criticizing the egos of businesspeople who worship their latest acquisition or bank account. But they don’t see that same idolatry in themselves when they demand that their church building and ministries remain unchanged, suited to their personal tastes.

The purpose of the Church (big C) is to teach and equip our people so they can take that knowledge and teach it to others about Jesus.This can be done anywhere: in someone’s living room, in a coffee shop, or in the wilderness, for that matter. The church (building) has the purpose of providing a place for these things to happen, somewhere many people can gather conveniently, learn in larger groups, and worship corporately so as to encourage one another. Pooling our resources, so to speak.

Who does the church building belong to?

It stands to reason, then, that the purpose of the church building isn’t so we have a replica of our own houses to go to on Sundays or midweek. We’re fortunate that we have a large piece of land with a beautiful building to use for our ministries. But if we lost it all in a heartbeat, that should not impact our ability to worship the one true God. 

We don’t need to have all the bells and whistles or the latest and greatest gadgets to win souls, but neither do we need to suffer through worn and outdated carpeting and equipment if there’s a need to update/upgrade. We can take care of what we have without making it a sacred cow that no one can touch. 

When we look at the church building with the wrong kind of ownership, we see it with a viewpoint of what we want to get out of it. Coffee, of course. Music that’s to my taste. Maybe a bouncy house.

But when we look at the building with the eyes of a visitor or an unbeliever, we should see an open door with a welcome mat. We should see family (or potential family) as we look inside, beckoning us to join them. We shouldn’t see all the reasons why we’re not a good fit—and yet, when we create an idol of our building and services, that’s exactly what we tell those on the outside: stay outside, please.

Jesus was all about making people feel welcomed, like they belonged, regardless of where they came from. We should do no less than this when we consider who will be walking in our doors. Yes, we should love our church, and there’s nothing wrong with that. But the church building and activities are not what make us grow, any more than they’re what’s responsible for causing us to lose our focus.

We can’t forget to love God first, lest we make an idol of “our” place of worship. Loving God has a way of allowing us to see a lot more clearly what’s important. And if we love God first, then we can’t help but love the people who come to us seeking him.

Don’t ask yourself whether people will be impressed by our building and what we have to offer. Instead, ask this: What will they think of our welcome?

—Lynda Dietz