 |
| Dressed for Wall Street. |
How disturbing, then, that some churches earnestly strive to model themselves after the world. And few religions make this mistake more than the Mormon church does. If you want to see a church run like a business, look at Mormonism.
From the LDS church’s lowly quorums to its highest leaders, Mormonism mimics a for-profit corporation much more than it resembles “the church of the living God, the pillar and foundation of the truth” (1 Timothy 3:15). Donning dark conservative suits, clichéd businesslike proselyting plans and commerce-friendly hairstyles, LDS missionaries would fit in on Wall Street as they engineer Mormon conversions on Main Street. Formerly a standard for LDS church leaders, facial hair has surrendered to the modern-day American business norm of clean shaven. Most Mormon leaders have backgrounds in business, if not full-fledged cravings for money. To be sure, most contemporary Mormon leaders have bought into U.S. corporatism.
Also consider Mormonism’s endless meetings. They’re direct from the U.S. corporate playbook. Latter-day Saints even have pre-meeting meetings about how to run meetings. And of course, Mormonism touts the concept of “return and report.” The wording, derived from the Mormon temple endowment ceremony, refers to accountability, personal responsibility or owning your actions. Accountability is a sound principle, but the mechanics of accountability in Mormonism are identical to those in the corporate arena. Simply put, Mormonism apes the business world.
How different this is from the kingdom of God and church of Jesus Christ. Truly, God’s kingdom is not of this world. Steadfastly based on faith, truth and virtue, Christ’s church should focus on people not procedures, principles instead of personalities, and on God’s word rather than the doctrinal whims of Mormon leaders. Compassion, not corporatism, is a vital underpinning of Christianity.
Therefore, the church of Jesus Christ isn’t a business. It can’t be. The Bible shows that it’s far removed from corporatism, where profit and organizational stability are priorities. Concentrating on individuals instead of organizations, Christ’s church revolves around the spiritual relationship between the Savior and his people. In his inimitable way, Paul likened it to marriage.
“Husbands, love your wives,” he wrote, “just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless. So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church, because we are members of His body. For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church” (Ephesians 5:25–32, italics added).
Paul was not describing a business.
Scripture mandates Christians not to “love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires . . . ” (1 John 2:15–17). And with equal clarity, James explained, “Whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God” (James 4:4).
Fewer manifestations of worldliness exist than the norms of American corporatism. Its focus on tangible benefits (especially those that are short term), worldly possessions and moneymaking makes corporatism a component of the world, not an essential Christ’s church. You can argue that the corporate structure of the Mormon church and other religious organizations is inspired. But after all your wrangling, please realize that corporatism as Christianity is absent in scripture.
“We look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are not seen,” Paul instructed ancient Christians. “For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18).
It’s a great reminder that the church of Jesus Christ is a compassionate kingdom, not a corporation.
It’s definitely not a business.
Comments or questions? Write loren@gco4lds.org.
Visit our Web site at www.gco4lds.org.
Global Christian Outreach is an IRS-approved 501(c)(3) Christian ministry. We need your prayerful financial support. Donations are completely tax deductible under applicable law and help us defend and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the earth. To participate in this monumental work, visit www.gco4lds.org/donate.html.
