The Bible says idolators won’t inherit the Kingdom and should be shunned.  Christ-followers should flee idols because they’re detestable.  We can’t worship idols and God.  Idols have no place in His Church.  Warnings that dire should make Christians and church leaders want to understand what an idol is, honestly evaluate themselves, take inventory, and get rid of anything so abhorrent to the Lord.

Idols are relative and absolute.  Devotion to someone or something other than God – or more than Him – qualifies.  Objects of worship in the Old Testament were often made of gold – as they are today.  However, contemporary society has become more adept and creative in idol-making than ancient civilizations.  We’ve devised distractions that satisfy our thirst in countless options other than the river of living water.  What do we hoard, protect, defend, or promote to the hilt?  Are we as aggressive in growing our relationship with Jesus, defending our faith, or promoting the Gospel?  If we asked your friends or scanned your checkbook to see what’s more important to you, what would we discover?  If we asked your church’s community or looked at its financials to see what it values most, would our reconnaissance mission uncover any idols?

It’s not coincidental we’re discussing idols after our last two series on the topics of social capital and dying to self.  Idolatry destroys social capital.  The solution to idolatry is dying to self.  Those statements hold true for both individuals and churches.

My Idols

Writing can be revelatory and cathartic.  Intending to educate others about social capital and dying to self, I learned that I don’t fully practice what I preach.  I cling to more than I’d like to admit.  The Lord has blessed me with “capital” in many forms (including, but not exclusively, social), much of which I haven’t released or leveraged for mankind’s good and God’s glory.  I’ve held back idols inwardly and lifted them up outwardly.  Those realizations make me uncomfortable and concerned – as they should.

1. Family

• Why It May Be an Idol – Our family motto is, “We seek to please: 1) God 2) Each Other 3) Others 4) Ourselves”.  Yet #2 often captures more of my time and attention than #1.  Serving in full-time ministry, I spend my workday pouring out for the sake of #3 in the name of #1.  Nearly every other waking hour seems to belong to #2.
• How It Limits Social Capital – Parents frequently claim they’re too busy taking care of their families for “charity” work.  Their skills and networks could bless those experiencing material poverty, yet “charity” seems to begin (and end) at home.  “Helicopter” parents have become “snowplows”, from hovering to idolizing, leaving little time for or interest in the needs of #3.
• What’s the Solution? – Our Father surrendered His Son and Abraham was willing to sacrifice Isaac, but Cain named the first city ever built after his son.  Selfism doesn’t always idolize self – it can also elevate those closest to us over God.  Dying to self means placing what we treasure most into God’s hands – even our spouses and children.  There can only be one #1.

2. Perceptions

• Why It May Be an Idol – A difficult childhood made survival and insecurity a way of life.  I’m #4 in our family motto but sometimes am more concerned about how I’m perceived than how the Lord is perceived.  Old habits are hard to break.  I disciple many believers, but am too hesitant about sharing my faith those who may not like what I have to say (or me).
• How It Limits Social Capital – Worrying about people think reserves for ourselves what could have blessed another.  Agape love is unconditional, regardless of any consequences.  Only when we care enough about #3 will we step out of our #4 comfort zones to offer wisdom, relationships, and assistance to a world increasingly and desperately in need of help and hope.
• What’s the Solution? – I eventually found a good Father.  As a Father, He wants me to obey His commands, not out of a sense of duty, but love.  Dying to self means rooting my identity in Him, surrendering my will, and focusing solely on His perception of me.  Otherwise, I’m building idols.

3. Security

• Why It May Be an Idol – During the Great Recession with a one-year old child, I walked away from a high-income career for a ministry producing negative income (donating more to it than I earned from it).  However, my idol may have switched from income to asset preservation, not for retirement, but to store up enough wealth to dedicate the rest of my life to ministry.
• How It Limits Social Capital – Scripture clearly links greed and idolatry.  We can’t invest in our relationship with God (#1) unreservedly or share our social or financial capital generously with those who lack them (#3) unless we’re free from the love of money (#4).
• What’s the Solution? – Humans won’t forego comfort and give sacrificially unless they die to self.  Moses turned away from power, wealth, and status because He had more faith in God than himself.  Jesus can’t be #1 and our source of eternal security if financial security remains an idol in our lives.

I’m having to learn not only to be content with, but to relinquish and surrender everything, whether it’s family, reputation, or assets our Father has entrusted to me.

The American Church’s Idols

Realizing most churches today struggle with my idols was more concerning than comforting.  Our 30 Theses of Contemporary Church Reform developed over decades working with thousands of churches surfaced identical idols prevalent in U.S. congregations.  Those parallels are evidence of infiltration of American culture both into the Church and my personal life.

1. Family

• Why It May Be an Idol – Church growth or survival strategies touted by books, pastors, and conferences are designed to attract and retain attenders.  Each family of believers is a “church” and belongs to the Lord, not that pastor or building.  Leaders should be willing to “sacrifice” (family) members, losing church “hoppers” shopping for amenities and experiences.
• How It Limits Social Capital – Rather than catering to “consumers”, we should be challenging “Kingdom employees” to pursue the “customer” (the “lost”, ill, poor, and persecuted) Jesus identified in His mission statement.  Tracking primarily internally-focused metrics idolizes members and limits the extent to which a church will leverage its social capital externally.
• What’s the Solution? – It’s not only people, but churches that should die to self.  If a church’s models, mission, and methods allow congregants to abdicate their rightful GC³ (Great Commandment, Great Commission, Great Calling) responsibilities, then “family” members have likely become an idol.

2. Perceptions

• Why It May Be an Idol – Centralization around a building, weekend event, and pastor requires meticulous reputational protection and defense.  Leadership has become the most common topic in pastor-related circles and publications.  Less reliance on a single person would alleviate burnout and not jeopardize a church’s future based on a moral failing or departure.
• How It Limits Social Capital – Building and maintaining a church’s and pastor’s reputation focuses marketing on the institution and typically relegates members’ evangelistic role to extending invitations.  Equipping and sending out disciples for prayer, care, and share among their family, friends, and coworkers is the ultimate (1^st Century Church) growth model.
• What’s the Solution? – If more churches had died to self, tearing down the idol of public perception, Christians would have been prepared to embody “church” during COVID when the buildings’ doors were closed.  Decentralizing church would include training churchgoers in apologetics and returning to the front lines of compassion, a position it occupied for 1,900 years.

3. Security

• Why It May Be an Idol – This is a challenging period for the Church.  Barna Group found in late 2025 that “the number of practicing Christians has declined from 46 percent of U.S. adults to 24 percent over the past 25 years.”  It’s becoming increasingly difficult to keep the doors of the 350,000 churches in America open, but that shouldn’t be the goal.
• How It Limits Social Capital – Insecurity turns attention inward.  We should be shining the light of Christ outward, not asking someone to come inside to see it.  Concerns about financial viability limits use of social capital for compassion (making it seasonal, “transactional”) and collaboration (the unity needed to make a dent in societal issues).
• What’s the Solution? – A church dead to self isn’t concerned about the consequences of obedience.  Sacrificing self for the greater good is Jesus’ heart and prayer for His Church.  Members leaving for an accommodating church down the road will hurt KPIs unless we stop tracking those metrics.

How a church keeps score indicates who or what their idols are.  There’s a potential problem if discussions of attendance, reputation, and financials take precedence over life and community transformation in Board reports and staff meetings.

It’s Your Turn…

Do you have any idols, and if so, do they mirror your church’s?