53: If Your Pastor Thinks Church Is Business, He Shouldn’t Be Leading One

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54: Is Baptism A Work?

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Welcome to the Ready for Eternity podcast, a podcast and blog dedicated to inquisitive

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Bible students exploring Biblical truths that might not be fully explored in typical sermons or Bible studies.

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My name is Eddie Lawrence. A troubling trend has emerged among church leaders.

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Many have adopted business sales gimmicks. They chase new people with flashy promotions while ignoring the faithful people they already have.

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Something is off. The staff meeting started like most others.

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Coffee in hand, laptops out, the church's leadership team gathered around a long table.

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On paper, things looked good. Sunday attendance had ticked up. The church social media account showed steady engagement.

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The fall festival drew nearly 1 ,000 people. Business looked good.

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The youth minister shared plans for giveaways and a new sermon series designed to attract young families.

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The senior pastor added, along with the sermon series, maybe we should do another big giveaway like we did last year.

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Maybe a kayak this time to attract more men to the church. Kathy, the church secretary, shifted in her seat.

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When it was her turn, she spoke gently. I know we want to grow, but should we be doing all this?

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It feels like we're operating a business instead of a church. We spend more time planning promotions than we spend with congregants.

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We give away gift cards, but we don't even know who's missing from the pews.

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The room fell quiet for a moment. Then the pastor smiled. That's fair, he said, but the church does have business aspects.

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We're trying to reach people, and to do that, we need to think strategically. No one challenged him.

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The meeting moved on. Kathy's question should haunt more churches than it does.

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When did we trade the language of shepherds for the language of Fortune 500 executives?

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Above all, when did the focus shift from feeding the flock to drawing a crowd?

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Churches never intend to lose their way, but over time, subtle compromises add up.

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A little marketing here, a little delegation there. And soon, the church feels more like a brand than a community.

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It's time to pause, look around, and ask, Are we doing ministry the way

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Jesus taught us? The Bible's vision for shepherding is that pastors are not promoters or executives.

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They are shepherds. Peter urged elders to shepherd the flock of God, exercising oversight willingly, not for selfish gain.

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1 Peter 5 .2 A biblical shepherd teaches sound doctrine. 1

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Timothy 3 .2 and Titus 1 .9 Beyond teaching, such leaders equip believers for ministry.

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Ephesians 4 .11 and 12 Protecting the flock involves guarding against error.

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Acts 20 .28 -30 And when necessary, they also call out sin and rebuke those who stray.

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Titus 1 .13 But most of all, a shepherd feeds the sheep.

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That means teaching the word of God with clarity and conviction. Not just skimming the surface.

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Not just offering tips for better living. Sound doctrine nourishes the soul.

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In short, a pastor who gives his people cotton candy sermons shouldn't be surprised when they grow weak.

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Instead of digging into the meat of scripture, many pastors settle for surface -level motivation.

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They speak in slogans and soundbites, focusing on what draws a crowd instead of what builds a church.

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They've replaced the steady voice of the shepherd with the hype of a business salesman or a motivational speaker.

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And the shift isn't just theological. It's practical and visible. Churches now sell their logos on hats, mugs, and shirts to get free advertising.

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They hand out gift cards, firearms, kayaks, and candy to draw a crowd.

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They turn holidays into marketing opportunities. Some church leaders spend thousands on seasonal events with no gospel presence and almost no lasting fruit.

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People come for the event and never return. Additionally, church volunteers are physically and mentally exhausted from the never -ending activities.

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The church throws a party, but it disciples no one. Leadership celebrates big event attendance numbers, but the congregation remains spiritually malnourished.

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Marketing does not make disciples. Events do not grow churches.

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God's Word does these things. Real growth comes from deep teaching and faithful shepherding.

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It doesn't come from giveaways and gimmicks. In John 6,

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Jesus rebuked the crowds who followed him only because they ate the loaves and were filled.

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He didn't praise them for returning. He called out their shallow motives.

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The modern church too often praises the numbers while ignoring the reasons people come.

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Therefore, when we reward carnal interest, we train people to pursue the wrong things.

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Consequently, when pastors chase visibility, they often fail to notice who's missing.

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People can be gone for weeks or months without a single phone call. Some leave entirely and the pastor finds out through the grapevine.

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Ask him about it and he might say, I can't keep up with that many people. He may point to small group leaders as the ones responsible for care.

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Delegation is biblical, but abdication is not. Paul told the

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Ephesian elders to pay careful attention to themselves and to the flock in Acts chapter 20 verse 28.

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Peter said shepherds must exercise oversight. 1

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Peter 5 .2 That means knowing the sheep, watching over them, being present in their lives.

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Pastors who don't know their people cannot possibly shepherd them well. Even worse, faithful members can sit under a pastor's preaching for years, give sacrificially and serve consistently, and still remain strangers to him.

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Unfortunately, that is not oversight. That is neglect. Some pastors don't really want to shepherd.

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Some pastors want to climb the ecclesiastical ladder rather than shepherding their flock.

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Instead of seeing their congregation as a calling, these leaders view their current church as merely a stepping stone to a larger one.

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Growth metrics and social media outreach become their focal point, replacing genuine pastoral care.

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Dreams of conference -speaking invitations and book deals often cloud their vision, and ultimately their aim becomes influence and recognition rather than faithful service.

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This mindset mirrors the corporate world, not the kingdom of God.

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Jesus called his followers to deny themselves and take up their cross and follow him in Matthew 16 -24.

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Paul described ministry as pouring oneself out like a drink offering in 2

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Timothy 4 -6. A biblical pastor does not seek fame. He lays down his life for the sheep.

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Pastors must remember what God has called them to do. They must teach sound doctrine.

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Rebuking falsehood and sin is another crucial responsibility. Additionally, equipping the saints for ministry falls under their purview.

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Finally, caring for the souls under their oversight completes their sacred duty.

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When the church becomes a product, the people become consumers.

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No amount of branding can replace faithful shepherding. Sound teaching cannot be substituted by any strategy no matter how clever.

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Churches need fewer influencers and more overseers. They need pastors who know the flock, feed the flock, and protect the flock.

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Any church leader who treats any aspect of the church like a business, whether in thinking or action, has misunderstood its very nature.

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That mindset is not a minor flaw. It may be a disqualifying flaw.

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Christ didn't entrust his bride to business managers. He entrusted her to shepherds.

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And if a man cannot grasp that, he should not be leading God's people.

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Thanks for listening to the podcast.

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We hope this episode has deepened your understanding of Scripture. If you found this content valuable, please share it with your friends.

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For more biblical studies, visit our website at ReadyForEternity .com. That's the word ready, the number four, and the word eternity.

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ReadyForEternity .com Be sure and leave a comment on the Ready for Eternity Facebook page or reach out on Twitter.

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That's all for now. Keep studying your Bible, growing closer to God, and getting ready for eternity.