Organized Religion

“I just don’t believe in organized religion.” I have heard that statement dozens of times. My wife quipped, “So you believe in unorganized religion?”

It is no wonder that people would be disillusioned with various expressions of the church, especially with the scandals of so many high-profile Christian leaders of late.

However, many people who decry organized religion want organization in every other area of their lives. They expect organization from their employers, their banks, and even their sports teams. As a matter of fact, all human beings crave organization.

In scripture, it seems that Jesus anticipated the church’s organization. After all, he chose twelve disciples, which symbolized a renewed faithful remnant of Israel.[1] As God designated the twelve tribes, so Jesus reconstituted them. After Jesus’ resurrection and ascension, the Apostles sought to continue the tradition of Jesus to select someone to take Judas’ place after his betrayal and suicide (Acts 1.15ff).

One scene early in Acts points to the benefit of organized religion – effective ministry. In Acts 6, a dispute developed between the Palestinian Jews and the Greek-speaking Jews concerning the daily distribution of food for the widows. The dispute was settled by organizing a group of people to oversee the matter so the apostles could continue their teaching ministry. Without this organization, many widows would not have received the food they needed.

This kind of organization has enabled many benefits throughout church history. For example, organized religion gave us various charities, Bibles in many languages, trained leaders, and universities. In addition, organized religion has enabled recovery ministries like Alcoholics Anonymous, Sunday School materials, hospitality, hospitals, the abolition of slavery in Europe and the United States, and literacy training.

So, what is the real problem with organized religion? The first is sin. Where there are people, there is the possibility that people will misbehave. But that is true of any organization. In the church, people can give into the lure of power and prestige and use their positions for personal gain or glory. Even a cursory glance at the gospels will reveal that is not the kind of organization Jesus had in mind. For example, Jesus said:

“You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 43 But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:42b–45, ESV)

Second is the western ideal of individuality – we don’t want to be accountable to anyone. Since the beginning of time, we have wanted to make our own choices and rail against anyone suggesting that there might be a standard of proper behavior. Organized religion poses a threat to those who want complete autonomy in their lives. Some bristle against any message that calls any of their behaviors or attitudes into question.

Thirdly, is our desire to make God in our image. Organized religion, by which I mean the tradition of the church, reminds us that there are proper ways to think about God and relate to God. To some, organized religion is seen to dictate what a person should believe.

However, if we accept the Bible as the authoritative source from which we learn who God is and what God expects of us, then there is a standard by which all ideas, behaviors, and relationships are judged.

I have known of people who defined God in such a way as to excuse or allow any of their behaviors and attitudes. They have constructed a god who agrees with them in every way. In that way, they have followed the example of the Israelites in the wilderness:

4 And [Aaron] received the gold from their hand and fashioned it with a graving tool and made a golden calf. And they said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!” 5 When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it. And Aaron made a proclamation and said, “Tomorrow shall be a feast to the Lord.”(Exodus 32:4–5, ESV)

Now, the Lord was reduced to an idol under their control and was made to look some a familiar Egyptian god. All of this happened while Moses was on the mountain receiving the Ten Commandments from the real Lord of the Exodus.

In sum, the reason many detest organized religion is self-centeredness; we want to be the center of the universe and not submit to any outside authority outside. The problem with that notion is that we are all wrong about many things in the world. I may be wrong about a great deal when it comes to God and the life God expects of me. Thankfully, I have the Scriptures, the Church community, and 2,000 years of Church history to correct my wrong notions. If I am humble enough to submit to God and God’s means of grace and instruction, I can learn and live a better life.

Organized religion has often allowed sinful people to do hurtful things, but so have many other organizations. Given the fallenness of humanity and our own participation in that fallenness, we can be grateful for the gifts of the organized church while at the same time pushing toward reform.

[1] E. J. Schnabel, “Apostle,” ed. Joel B. Green, Jeannine K. Brown, and Nicholas Perrin, Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels, Second Edition (Downers Grove, IL; Nottingham, England: IVP Academic; IVP, 2013), 43.