The Democratization of the Church

Polls, polls, polls. The media thrives on people’s opinions. But in the past few decades polling has experienced a rapid evolution. Polling is no longer research to track trends or beliefs for the sake of information; surveys now seem to dictate policy and beliefs. This is most evident in politics. Political advisors are precise to a science on analyzing opinions. Polling results then are used to direct the content of speeches, stands, and ultimately determine policy. In this way, majority rules through pure democracy. What the majority of people believe, or even want, can determine the direction and destiny of a country or culture.

With the rise of the religious marketing industry (and I did say industry), churches, para-church organizations, and denominations to varying degrees, set their agendas and courses based on the opinions of those they poll (customers). They do this in the name of relevance with little or no thought of Scriptural applicability. This is disturbing and wrong.

Has this bled over to local congregations? Yes. Marketing is blight on the church. Church growth experts have attempted to strangled biblical ecclesiology and have perverted worship, evangelism, and preaching.

However, it should also be pointed out that in the most conservative of congregations, who would not think of marketing the church or and adopting unbiblical church growth strategies or polls, view congregational government as majority rules. That is not correct. True biblical congregationalism is not pure democracy. It is more than majority rules.

On the local church level majority rules can be nothing less than a primitive form of polling. What the majority believes is right is right. But we all know that the majority can be wrong.

It should also be pointing out that despite what Americans believe and hold dear, God is not all about endorsing democracy. In the Old Testament, His will was a theocracy. With the advent of the New Covenant, those of us who believe that congregational polity is correct, realize that God’s Kingdom is not ruled by majority rule. True congregational governance is the leaders and the congregation operating under the headship of Jesus Christ though the agency of the Holy Spirit. It is not just pure democracy.

A marketing approach to church is a travesty. Also, when we operate under the assumptions that God is democratic, then we have a thin view of His sovereignty. God rules His Kingdom by His will. And His will is for us to be so submissive to that will that His will be done on earth as it is in heaven. God wills to accomplish His will through us.