The Death of Christianity

By David K. Miles

The death of Christianity as we know it, if it comes, will probably arise from the continual promotion and development of personality-driven ministries. What a terrible consequence for a religious tradition based on humility, modesty, and love of the poor and meek.

David K. Miles, M.Div., M.A., M.Ed.,  is Assistant Principal at Asheville Middle School. He is also pastor and founder of The Beloved Community Fellowship Church, host of radio talk show “Real Talk,” and the author of a forthcoming self-published book, Lies My Preacher Told: Recovering Jesus’ Message from the Prosperity Gospel Movement.

Christianity was founded upon the unique personhood, values, and character of Jesus Christ who understood himself to be the son of God. Today, many ministries and churches are centered upon the personality and deification of a pastor. Is it too extreme to consider that our American culture, so permeated with celebrity worship, would embrace Christian and religious leaders who promote and represent ostentatious and opulent lifestyles?

Many pastors are surrounded by thuggish-looking goons called armor bearers. These are the equivalent of the bodyguards who restrict access and offer protection to celebrities. I have to ask, Whom is the pastor being protected from? Parishioners? Children? Visitors?

I am often confused and befuddled that the Judeo-Christian values proclaimed and promoted by Jesus Christ — Do not forbid the access of children. “Entertain strangers, for they might be angels.” — should be negated for the expediency of a pastor infatuated with his own sense of celebrity, status, and importance.

Personality-driven ministries also promote the opportunity for financial malfeasance and misuse and misappropriation of funds, in part as a result of rewarding the pastor for being the Las Vegas-style “headliner” and the church’s “main attraction.” Isn’t Jesus supposed to be the main attraction in a Christian church?

The revelry of lights, camera, and action has infiltrated the Body of Christ and is allowing for the perversion of all souls. Big screens, TV boom cameras, concert music, and theatrical productions contribute to the misguided value of seeking entertainment rather than worship. Somewhere along the way in pursuit of modernization and being relevant we have lost and misplaced genuine Christian values and ethics.

Is it because our culture suffers a lack of perspective from not knowing church history? In the midst of million-dollar productions have we lost knowledge of basic facts, such as that Christians were fed to lions for entertainment? As we build multi-million-dollar “churches” with multi-media cinematic complexes and surround-sound systems, let us not forget the request from the simple teacher from Galilee, “Feed my Sheep.”

How do we measure ourselves against this simple request when hungry and hurting people are denied assistance from churches and other ecclesiastical bodies because tithes and offerings are used to cover broadcast and media expenses and inflated salaries? It is time for us to get our houses in order and prioritize important issues — homelessness and hunger, for example — over bragging rights to the fanciest, most expensive ministry.