Church Jealousy

 

Social media, for all the good things it can and has been used for, has created a culture of comparison that is very hard to escape. While it is most obviously seen in individuals, organizations and churches aren’t immune. Too often members (and leaders) find themselves comparing their church to the bigger one down the street, or the megachurch online that everyone talks about. Attendance, ministry events, and online presence become measurements that we use to determine our level of success. 

Here’s the problem, though. When we compare ourselves to others, we could be missing the very purpose God has for us. And just because the world defines success one way, does that mean that’s how the Bible defines it? Let’s talk about it.

I live in an area that is full of churches. I’m talking about more than 100 churches within 10-20 miles of my house. While I celebrate the potential saturation of the gospel and the impact that many churches can have on our community, I also ponder what it would look like if all of those churches looked exactly the same and did exactly the same things. I thoroughly believe that the effectiveness of those churches would drop dramatically if they all did ministry the exact same way, and that’s because God has created and placed churches where they are for specific purposes and reasons. And just like no two humans are exactly alike, no two churches should be exactly alike either! 

Each church is a unique body of believers that does things in its own way so that more people can be reached with the gospel and ministered to in the way they need to be. People have different spiritual needs and if every church were the same, there would be people who fell through the cracks. That’s even true of churches within the same community. Just because two (or more) churches are ministering to the same area doesn’t mean that they both need to do things exactly the same. Having two different styles can help to reach more people and provide a worship experience for people who might like things done differently than “the church down the street.” As God has designed it, each and every church is uniquely equipped to reach specifically the people and communities that God wants them to. 

Honestly, the fact that churches are different should be a reason to celebrate, because not only does it mean that there are many different ways to minister to people so that everyone’s needs are met, but it also shows how awesome it is that there is no one set way to worship and serve God. The Bible leaves room for an infinite number of styles and traditions so long as the gospel and discipleship remain our foundation! 

So the next time you start to compare yourself to the church down the street and get a little jealous of what they are doing or how people are responding, remember that God has designed you and your church with its own specific purpose and He has made it the way He did so that you alone can accomplish that purpose. There is no reason to be jealous, because in the end we are all working toward the same goal anyway: to make disciples of all nations! Keep that at the forefront of your mind and pray that God would show you how best to serve your church and your community to that end, and there won’t be any reason to be jealous of anyone else!