“The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy.”” – Colossians 1:15-18

For those of you that thought this post was going to be about a 1960s/70s British rock band … oops! But, please, stay with me. We’re actually heading in a good direction.

Do you love your local church? I certainly hope so and suspect that most of us wouldn’t be attending the local church we attend if we didn’t.

However, I am becoming more and more uncomfortable with the phrase, “I love my church!”

For most of us in a local congregation, the phrase “I love my church!” means that we love the people, the fellowship, the care exhibited, the teaching, the preaching, the service/mission opportunities, and, yes, the music.

And how do we express that to the world? We use phrases like, “I love my church!” We wear hats and shirts with the church logo on them. We sip our coffee from a mug, cup or Yeti with the church logo on it. We put the church logo on our cars.

Now I get it. When we love something, the World has told us that we promote it. Market it. That is the way things are done, right?

In 2026, we promote/market something we love by buying, wearing, and using the Merch and in the case of local churches it’s the Church Merch. We also connect with our church on Facebook, Instagram, X, and/or TikTok to let “everyone out there” know that our church is awesome. In and of itself, in isolation, that’s ok.

However, according to the Hartford Institute for Religion Research, there are approximately 370,000 Christian congregations in the United States[1]. And that brings us to a dilemma.

In the World, businesses compete against each other for customers because customers equal revenue. The more customers, the more revenue, the bigger the business. That is the way of the World, and nothing is wrong with that in the context of business.

Now I won’t get into the weeds and ethical questions around how businesses compete. We all know that there are good business practices and those that are not so good. The main thing is that the purpose of business is to generate revenue and hopefully profit to provide work for both owners and employees, taxes to the government, and useful goods and services to the world.

I know this is a really simplified and a bit idealistic description but hang with me here.

What is the purpose of the Church (the global body of believers called by Jesus Christ) in the World? Quite simply, to make disciples (Matthew 28:18-20) and be salt and light (Matthew 5:13-16).

Sometime in the late 20^th century many churches (the local church; a smaller body of believers in a local community also called by Jesus) in America decided they needed better marketing to reach more people and the purpose shifted. Driven by the fear of falling attendance and following on the advances in technology that allowed businesses to more effectively promote and market their goods and services, the purpose shifted to a heavy emphasis on evangelism driven by a business marketing Worldview.

The vast majority of evangelical churches today have logos and a marketing/social media expert on staff. People who are passionate about a particular preacher, pastor, or congregation say, “I love my church!”, meaning I love the specific place where I go on Sunday mornings. We buy and use the Church Merch. Logoed hats, t-shirts, sweatshirts, mugs, and stickers. Our social media posts are of happy smiling faces, well produced music, and well delivered sermons. I have even heard worship leaders say things like, “There is no church like this church!”

For years I was there too. I bought and I wore. I was attracted and agreed. I never gave it much thought. It was just the way it was done.

Today, not so much. I don’t buy the Church Merch anymore and I don’t wear what previously bought.

The truth is that what I love about the Church and the church is Jesus Christ, the people he has called his own, and the work he is doing in and through our lives in the world.

Why? Primarily because, after way too long, I have come to realize that the Church and the church, is not an organization or business that needs the World’s marketing. The Church and churches do not exist because they are effective at marketing on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, or X; or that their logos and Church Merch are cool, rad, phat, fire, slay, lit or whatever the current cultural word is for really attractive. Certainly not because our services are professional, with great music and a stage. And not even because the pastor has great sermons and is a good communicator.

The Church and churches exist because of love. Oh, sure, marketing can get butts in the seats and fill the “offering baskets” with “resources”. But that is not “what” the church is or “why” churches exist. And it’s certainly not the “what” and “why” of the Church.

At this point, I am pretty sure that I have made at least some of you uncomfortable. But to be clear, I am not knocking local churches. I am, however, attempting to get you to think about the motives behind what you do and how you do it.

In the book of Revelation chapter two, we see that the church in Ephesus, like most local churches today, was doing a lot of good things. They were working hard. They patiently endured hardship. They were making sure those who called themselves Christians actually were. And they were enthusiastic.

But they had forgotten “the who” behind “the what” and “the why” and what “the who” had called them to do. As a result, Jesus told them to repent, threatening to remove them from their position in the Kingdom of God.

So, here’s some thoughts - If you need a logo, make it the cross. If you need to tell people on social media about your church, don’t show them the great worship service – the stage, the music, or the preaching. Tell them about the love, care, support, and encouragement. Tell them about Jesus and exactly what he is doing to heal, renew, and redeem people in and through your local church.

There is a scene from the movie “Risen” where the main character, Clavius, the Roman Tribune in Jerusalem when Jesus was crucified, finds the disciples a few days after the resurrection of Christ. As the resurrected Jesus is spending his last days on earth with them, the Tribune has an informative conversation with the disciple Thomas:

Clavius: “Did you know he would rise?”

Thomas: “He said he would, but truth be told, we doubted it.”

Clavius: “Then what made you follow him?”

At that point, a leper approaches and is chased away by townspeople. Jesus gets up, goes to the leper and, loving him, heals his leprosy. Thomas then turns to Clavius and replies, “That’s why.”

I know, it’s not exactly Biblical. But it is plausible and instructive.

If Jesus is moving in your church, there will be evidence. Lives changed, sickness healed, relationships renewed, shame and guilt destroyed … more than we can think or imagine. Share that and others will come. If you must promote and market, promote and market what Jesus is doing. If the risen Jesus of Nazareth is present in your church, you won’t be able to keep them away.

Remember the hope you have in “the who” that is behind “the what” and “the why.”

“In your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you” - 1 Peter 3:15

Three Miles Per Hour!

[1] Religion Research, Hartford Institute for. “Fast Facts on American Religion - Hartford Institute.” Hartford Institute for Religious Research, 18 Jan. 2023, hirr.hartfordinternational.edu/fast-facts-on-american-religion/.