We are a people obsessed with winning. I enjoyed the Summer Olympics in London as much as anyone, I suppose. I rooted for the USA and enjoyed watching some amazing athletic performances. More than a few times I wondered aloud, "How did they do that?" Competition is fun. But it is also a way of life for a lot of people. It is how they view the world. It is the mechanism that drives progress and builds empires. It weeds out undesirables and favors the strong, the beautiful, the intelligent. When there are winners, there are losers. We know which team we prefer to play on or cheer for.
I get that we live in a competitive, market-driven world. I get the temptation that comes with success in the market place. I see how churches connect to this view and adopt it as a strategy for successful growth. For us, our share of the market has to do with the number of people connected to our respective religious assembles. If a congregation is successful numerically, that may also be a sign of divine endorsement, which becomes a useful marketing tool. Sort of like restaurants posting awards or recognitions like "voted best burger in Washington DC". Churches boast about attendance, programs, and charismatic leaders in order to increase their marketability. Churches use language like "relevant", "progressive", "innovative", and "awesome" to attract others. But is this the language of Jesus and his first followers?
