Do You Have An Idol Inside The Church?

When we think of the word "idol," what comes to mind? The Buddha statue. An Egyptian god. The immunity idol from "Survivor." Idols come in all shapes and forms. They are all around us trying to get our attention off God and on to them. You idol(s) can be money, food, sex, or success. They are scream I can give you satisfaction.

Tullian Tchividjian once said, there are idols inside the church as they are outside the church. Derek Thomas said that our greatest sins occur in church. Here is a scary thought: you could be committing idolatry as you gather in corporate worship before a holy God. Here is the question: What is your church idol? What or who do you hold in greater value than God?

Here are some typical idols in the church:

1. Traditions. "We have always done it that way" are the famous last words of a church as well as a clue to what idols people hold in the church.

2. Bible translation. This is normally for those in the KJV only churches. People are gone so far to love the KJV that they said to hell with all those who use another translation. I am not bashing the KJV. I respect it, but I do not worship it.

3. Worship style. If you cannot worship God because the music is not your style or they sing a song that was written in the 1950's, it is not God you are worshiping, you are worshiping yourself. You are also glorifying a style because it is based on your preference.

4. Some one's talent. Whether it is the lead worship leader or someone singing a solo in church, people have this tendency to worship that person instead of God. My wife is a talent singer. I love to her sing, but I do not adore it to the point that I shut the world out to hear her during worship. Every time she sings, I pray that people worship God and not her.

5. The biggest idol of all: The Pastor. Every church's pastor is human yet they are revered as God. They take in the pastor's words are if they are God's word. A pastor teaches from the Bible and God wrote the Bible using 40 different writers. A pastor is to teach the Bible and equip the saints for ministry. Have you ever notice how the attendance drops when the pastor is absent or if he leaves that church. Darrin Patrick once said, if you leave a church because the pastor leaves, it means you were never on mission with the church. I love my pastor, but I do not worship him. Last time I checked Jesus who is the head of the church is also the chief shepherd which makes him the Senior Pastor of every church.

Whatever idols you hold in the church, confess them to God and repent. Idols are everywhere and they are calling for our attention. God is greater than all idols and he is the one who can truly satisfy our souls.