The Church Is Not the Answer

A wake-up call for a generation that loves church culture more than Christ.

I know, I know — you saw the title and probably tilted your head like, “Uhhhn, what is she talking about?!” Sounds controversial. Sounds like I need to explain myself.

Don’t worry, I got you. Before anyone gets worked up, let’s define what we mean by church.

• The church : The people — the believers — the body of Christ.

• The church : The structure, the system, the programs, the services, the Sunday routine.

In this blog, I’m speaking about the structure and system.

Yes, the church as a gathering is beautiful — a place for fellowship, for equipping, for sharpening. But hear me clearly:

**The church system is not the answer.

Jesus Christ is the answer.**

And we’ve blurred the line so much that many don’t even know the difference anymore.

Let’s talk honestly about the areas where we, as the church, are falling short.

1. When the System Replaces the Savior

Our culture has glorified church culture more than Christ Himself. People can recite church traditions, but can’t quote Christ’s words. They know:

• Go to church on Sunday

• Pay your tithe

• Sow your seed

• Attend the conference

• Watch the livestream

…but they don’t know Jesus.

Going to church does not equal knowing Christ.

You can attend weekly and still be spiritually dry, disconnected, and untransformed.

Hebrews warns us that not every “church” is even registered in heaven (Hebrews 12:23).

So it’s possible the church you’re attending isn’t approved or ordained by God at all… but that’s a conversation for another day.

And here’s the hard truth:

People love the church system more than they love Jesus (The Word).

John 1 says clearly — In the beginning was the Word… and the Word was God.

A church can become an idol.

YES — you read that correctly.

If anything takes your focus off Jesus, it is an idol.

The greatest commandment wasn’t:

“Love your church with all your heart.”

It was:

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart.”

2. A Corrupted Foundation

Somewhere along the line, the system shifted.

What was meant to point to Jesus started pointing back to itself.

What we hear in many places is:

“Come to church so we can pray for you,”

instead of yes, we can pray for you but we also encourage you to

“Go into your secret place — learn to commune with Jesus yourself.”

The system often emphasizes activity over intimacy.

Programs over presence.

Membership over relationship.

Attendance over discipleship.

Yes, the System Can Be Corrupted — It Has Happened Before

Look at Luke’s account of John the Baptist’s birth (Luke 1).

John came from a priestly lineage — Levites, descendants of Aaron.

According to tradition, he should have been raised in the temple system.

But God kept him out of the system.

Why? Because it was corrupted.

During that time, there were two high priests:

• Annas (appointed by Romans)

• Caiaphas (from the priestly line)

Rome had NO business choosing a priest.

The system had become political, compromised, misaligned.

So what did God do?

He raised a prophet outside the system,

in the wilderness,

to confront the system and prepare the way for Christ.

History is repeating itself.

3. The Church’s Blind Spot: Intimacy + Discipleship

This is the issue killing believers softly.

Most churches do not:

• Highlight personal intimacy with Christ

• Teach believers how to walk out salvation with fear and trembling

• Model true discipleship

If we taught intimacy properly — daily devotion, daily Word, spiritual discipline, obedience — believers would mature.

And if they matured, half the “tithe and offering announcement pressure” in church wouldn’t be needed.

We wouldn’t have to force people to give.

We wouldn’t have to twist arms about tithes and offerings.

We wouldn’t have to shout THESE reminders every service.

Why do we keep making the minor the major ?

How is it that tithes and offerings get the loudest and most consistent announcement every Sunday… yet intimacy with God is barely emphasized? For example, why don’t we hear reminders like, “Yes, you came to church today, but true fellowship happens outside the building—stay in your Word daily.”

“Train up a child in the way they should go…”Proverbs 22:6 (Yes, we can apply this verse — a shepherd cares for and guides the flock, almost like a parent watching over their children.)

We love to quote this, but the church rarely applies it to believers. If we truly train people in the right way, they’ll naturally walk in it by God’s grace.

As a believer matures in intimacy with Jesus, tithes and offerings (giving) stop feeling like a chore. They become a joyful responsibility. Mature believers don’t wait to be pushed — they’re the ones asking the church, “What do we need? How can I help?

Because when someone starts following the heart of Christ, they begin meeting what matters to Him.

4. A Sick Body with Missing Parts

The body of Christ today is sick — not because Christ is weak, but because many members never grow.

Some believers are fully developed in one area,

half-developed in another, and non-existent in others.

Imagine a body where (1 Corinthians 12:15–21):

• The eyes work perfectly,

• But the ears barely function,

• And the nose doesn’t work at all.

The strain would be unbearable.

That is the state of the church — people not functioning in their God-given roles because they haven’t spent time in the secret place to receive identity, purpose, and their divine blueprint.

The church has to shift its focus toward raising equipped believers—people who can explore God and hear His voice for themselves. The pastor cannot be the only one hearing from God. That’s unhealthy… and it’s unbiblical.

Remember God’s promise:

“I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh…”

(Joel 2:28)

Not on just pastors.

Not on only leaders.

On all believers.

**I’m Not Saying “Don’t Go to Church.”

I’m Saying: Don’t Worship the System.**

It’s sad that many church systems today are running on:

• Business models

• Traditions

• Emotions

• Entertainment

• Activities

• Human hierarchy

…instead of Scripture, Spirit, and Truth.

Your faith is in Jesus, not in a church building.

Not attending on Sunday doesn’t send you to hell.

The issue is this:

Is your heart anchored in Christ or in church system?

Jesus is the answer.

Everything else — church, sermons, services — are resources.

Tools.

Not the source.

I’ll end with this.

Our Gatherings Must Be About Jesus — Not Idols

Church is not a wish-factory.

Not a miracle vending machine.

Not a stage to fulfill the idols of our hearts.

The focus should be:

• Building mature believers

• Training people to hear God’s voice

• Raising disciples, not fans or dependents

• Equipping every believer to play their God-given role

If we were truly equipped, our gatherings would shake heaven. We would see dimensions of God’s glory that the early church saw. It’s never been about numbers — it’s about maturity of the believer.

I believe God is raising men and women who will correct the errors of the modern church system — not by rebellion, but by returning to the biblical standard.

“I believe the Acts-movement church is coming back.

And when it does, it won’t look like tradition — it will look like the church Jesus intended.

There’s so much more I could say…

but I’ll pause here.

Until next time — stay rooted, stay grounded, stay burning.

Music time!

🎵 Marcus Rogers –On Fire: A pure revival anthem. This one will shoot you straight into the Father’s heart. Consecrate me, Lord.

🎵 Forrest Frank – God’s Got My Back: A daily reminder that you’re covered, protected, and carried.