‘Just Business, When Capitalism Replaces Christ as King’

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‘Just Business, How Making Money the Priority, Can Ruin Our Witness for Christ.’

First of all, I would like to go over successful ways to grow your hotdog stand. You may indeed be needing these very helpful tips.

  1. Expand Your Menu Strategically
    Introduce seasonal or themed items like chili dogs in winter or grilled pineapple-topped dogs in summer to keep your offerings fresh.  Add complementary products such as craft sodas, gourmet chips, or vegan sides to increase average order value and attract diverse customers. 
  2. Leverage Mobility and Data-Driven Location Changes Instead of being fixed, operate as a mobile vendor—move to high-traffic areas like parks, festivals, or business districts based on time of day and season.  Track sales data to identify peak days, times, and locations, then optimize your schedule accordingly.
  3. Invest in Branding and Digital Marketing Create a memorable brand identity with a catchy name, vibrant cart design, and consistent social media presence.  Use platforms like Instagram and TikTok to showcase your food, share behind-the-scenes content, and run promotions such as “buy one, get one free” or loyalty punch cards.
  4. Scale Through Multiple Units or Partnerships Once profitable, launch additional carts or trucks in new locations.  Partner with local events, breweries, or schools to secure consistent sales without long-term leases. Consider franchising your concept if your model proves repeatable and scalable.
  5. Use Technology to Streamline Operations Implement a cloud-based POS system to track sales, manage inventory, and analyze performance. Use AI tools for scheduling, customer engagement, and demand forecasting—especially as you grow beyond a single location. 

If you enjoy hotdogs, then whatever you do, don’t click on this video!”

If you clicked on it, then I am sorry.

So is God’s church a hotdog stand? Let’s explore.

Throughout God’s holy word, we are warned of replacing God with idols. It was in the garden that Eve wanted to be a god.  God provided Adam and Eve with everything they needed to live forever, and it was Eve who wanted her own way.  She disobeyed and lead Adam to sin in an effort to do her ‘own thing.’  God’s way wasn’t good enough.  Adam and Eve wanted to replace God’s gift with their own efforts. That was pride to say the least.
Matthew 6:19 states: “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.”
What are we to characterize as a treasure on earth? Anything that where moth and rust destroy and thieves can break in and steal. Below is a video a mega church that is now abandoned. When we think about the efforts to build such a structure, the ‘vision’ that was presented to gather people to congregate in such a place, then we can easily consider the damage that was done to lives when this mega church fell apart.

Characteristics of a Business Priority ‘Christian’ Organization:

1.  The bottom line is number first “Mega churches mean big business”“(CNN) — Mega churches across the United States are becoming increasingly popular which is not only bringing thousands of worshippers together, but also billions of dollars in profit.”  And there it is.  Even the secular world recognizes that the larger organizations, such as ‘mega-churches’ bring in huge profits.   And while this example is of a congregation of people who gather in what some would call a local church, there is also big business in the music scene around Christianity, 281 million in 2022. But every organization needs money right?  Of course they do. One of the most misquoted scriptures is 1 Timothy 6:10 which reads, ‘For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.’ . So it isn’t the money that is the root of evil, but the love of it.  So what is the bottom line for Christians who run businesses?  We can look to to Colossians 3:23–24 – “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. Our bottom line as Christians is to working for the Lord.

And there it is. The building, the business is what is lost.

2. They never make amends for mistakes, errors or sins.  There may be an apology, but no real change of behavior. This is driven by pride and the concern that showing imperfections or sins will cause damage to the business.  Afterall, we as Christians are perfect right?  Some present that way for sure, especially those who want to create a following of ‘holiness.’ Sadly, though, the same story repeats itself decade after decade of perfect ‘men of God’ falling to sin.  And yet, we continue to put people on pedestals time after time only to see the same end.   We build a kingdom around these religious leaders and go to ‘church’ because they are the leader.’ We should not exalt sinners.  When we attend a local church and brag about the pastor as a way invite others, we have built an idol.  We are sinners, we all sin. Including those who proclaim to be Christian ‘leaders.’
3. People are expendable, replaceable. People are a stat. You can always get new customers when others leave.  The end result of making profit/growth a priority in Christ’s church is; Christ’s sheep are divided and when they leave, the goal of a profit/growth mindset is to replace, not repair.   The business is priority,  and those who may provide less impact to the business goals are less necessary, expendable.  If you have a customer who complains about your hot dog recipe, then you can politely explain to them that there are other restaurants out there.  But if someone has issues with how a ‘Christian’ organization runs, then what?  What does Christ’s word tell us to do? It tells us to bear each other’s burdens. We are all valuable in the sight of God.  No one is expendable.  Christ died for all, and we are to love all. Not just those who fit our ‘vision or our type of people.’
The Expendables Movie

I won’t ruin the movie for you. Solid movie though. Love Sly.

4. Tone deafness: Connie Wedel writes in the “Anatomy of Tone-Deaf Leadership”  – “Protecting Reputation at All Costs

“Fear and defensiveness are two reasons why leaders become tone-deaf. Defensiveness makes admitting a mistake or “doing the right thing” almost impossible. When our brains detect a threat, we go into protective mode. Leaders should learn the triggers that cause defensive emotional reactions to combat becoming defensive.”  It might be better to provide nods and smiles when people complain.  After all, the goal is the survival of the organized business, and maybe complaints will just go away with the people who are complaining.

So what about Christ’s church?  Should our ‘leadership’ be tone deaf?  Of course not.

Ecclesiastes 4:9–12 – “Two are better than one… a threefold cord is not quickly broken.”
Romans 15:1–2 – “We who are strong ought to bear with the shortcomings of the weak.”
James 2:8 – “If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself,’ you are doing well.”
1 Peter 4:8–9 – “Above all, love one another deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Show hospitality to one another without complaining.”

These are just a few scriptures that tell us how we should relate to each other as Christian brothers and sisters. We should listen with humility and consider the difficulty each other deal with. This applies to a Christian organization such as a church body, Christian service, or other organization that claims to develop disciples for Christ. We are to be different. And those who choose to serve as ‘leaders’ should listen as scripture says to.

Sadly though, especially in many local churches, “leadership” has turned Christ’s sheep into consumers, customers.   In my post about “It’s time to boot leaders out of Christ’s church” I explore what Christ says about ruling over others, in that people who follow Christ should serve, not lead.  Which makes the term ‘Servant Leadership’ an oxymoron.  The church growth movement was one of the most destructive modern movements to the witness of Christ. The idea that people are viewed as commodities is not Biblical.  Marketing strategies put a price on people, as if we really are selling hotdogs.

Then why do ‘Christian’ businesses keep growing in number at the expense of hurting others?   Why doesn’t anyone else speak up?  Because what matters to most, is the success of the ‘Christian’ business.  It is the collective that needs to survive, and if people are hurt by the business process, well, they weren’t part of the vision after all, right?  But what does Christ say about his sheep, everyone of them matters. But are these businesses really Christian?  Jesus tells us that bad fruit can not come from a good tree. If the fruit is behavior that is contrary to Christ’s word, then we have to judge that they are not. If those charged with the organization are tone deaf, have no empathy, use their positions to hurt others, cover up wrong doing, do not have empathy to others who are hurt by the organization, then we have to question the root of that organization.

One of the enablers of covering up abuse in church are those who practice ‘toxic positivity.‘  Those who don’t want to confront wrong, those who always are positive and believe that speaking of wrongs in Christ’s church, is always negative.  This leads to covering up wrong doing, something that is contrary to how we as brothers and sisters in Christ are supposed to behave.  When a brother and sister expresses hurt, and those around them don’t empathize instead focus on the goal of the ‘Christian’ organization or collective, then that becomes a cover up of sin.  The term today is ‘Coverup Culture.‘  In abuse situations, those who are silent, enable the abuse, and enable a ‘Christian’ business to ‘get past’ sins without being held accountable as God’s word tells us to do.

The Solution: What is a key to reforming a church body from a business to a body that resembles the Acts church?

  • Number 1:  Find every copy of Rick Warren’s “Purpose Driven Church” and throw them in the garbage heap.
  • Number 2: Concentrate on our witness for Christ, and not how non-believers or consumer friendly Christians seek value. Our capitalistic Christianity in church has made us the king of many Christian businesses.   This is why pastors give their congregations surveys.   It’s a business first.
  • Number 3: Depart from the key desire to grow numbers. After all, if we are in God’s will, then we will have faith that He will grow what He wants.  We don’t need the latest marketing strategy that aggregates the marketing ratios of populations.

The Wrap

The damage is done, people have been discarded over the goal of the collective, the business.  Accountability goes unchecked and now there are factions within this Christian business.  Folks on both sides are hurt.  People are leaving.  Friendships have fallen apart or been strained because of the division. And if the business is not careful, they may not be able to fiscally stay afloat.   In that scenario, the bottom line has become the end of the line.  And for what, what is gained by pushing out hurt people?

“Above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony” Colossians 3:14
And while there is value in having the best hotdog stand as a Christian, there is no value in having a ‘Christian’ organization that defers to the bottom line as the primary goal and leaves unchecked abuse and mistreatment in its wake.  And this is the problem.  When an organization, just like a single person, claims to be Christian, and then doesn’t follow Christ’s basic commands of love, accountability, humility, and compassion, are they really participating in Christ’s commission? Or, are they building kingdoms on earth where moth and rust destroy.  When business becomes a divisive process in Christ’s body, are we then following what 1 Corinthians 12 says we should do? Are we making idol’s for ourselves, or we building a permanent kingdom.  Good question.  For those of us in business as Christians, we should examine what is important.  Christ’s kingdom, or our own.

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Steven Davis is a well-cooked preacher’s kid, musician, media producer, learning apologetics writer.

#apologetics #blogging #Christianblogger #saltlight #churchgrowth

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