Megachurches, Babel, and Pentecost

Why making a name for ourselves is a bad idea

I’m on vacation right now with my family, so I’m reposting an older Substack from 2023 that many of you probably haven’t read and that still feels unfortunately relevant.

It started with a Facebook post. A local evangelical megachurch that already has two campuses in the Grand Rapids area announced they were launching a satellite campus at my school. I started thinking.

Church Culture

This newsletter is not an attack on a specific church. I’m not trying to be judgmental or critical of anyone. I believe the specific megachurch I referenced has a great heart and good intent. I’m attempting to see with discernment, speak with clarity, and critique a system while saying, “Guys, we might have a serious problem!”

Photo by NATHAN MULLET

Most of us already know that there is a problem—or multiple problems—within the American evangelical church culture as well as the megachurch system. It only takes a few glances to see the recent pile of exposed and fallen pastors or leaders. We can easily read story after story of abuse that has taken place or been ignored within the walls of a church. I honestly think it takes more effort to ignore the problems these days than to acknowledge them.

So what does this have to do with the Tower of Babel and Pentecost?

I was driving the other day and talking to Jesus and accidentally drove past one of the campuses of the megachurch that is launching a satellite campus at my school. It was a huge place and as I was wondering what it was, I saw the name plastered in large letters along the side of the building. Oh, of course. And that’s when these words filled my mind:

“We will make a name for ourselves.”

Photo by Sam Moghadam Khamseh

People, I am not picking on this megachurch. I could call out any number of large, fancy churches in my area right now with their names written big and bold on signs and buildings. Places that work to spread their reputation and culture. Systems that think they are the best. Organizations with huge budgets, large staffs, and more power than is good for anyone. You could probably think of some too. Is this really church? Have we missed something?

Babel

I spent about an hour last night looking into the Tower of Babel story on NetBible.org which is filled with study guides and commentaries. The Hebrew storytelling pattern is deep and the Mesopotamian history is fascinating. I’ll be talking more about this next Sunday when my podcast, Looking for the Real God, starts up again with Season Nine. But the basic story line goes like this:

The people all speak a common language and they decide together to build a city and tower that reaches to heaven. They want to build a name for themselves so that they won’t be scattered across the earth. The LORD comes down to look at their city and tower, decides to confuse their languages, and forces them to scatter (Genesis 11:1-9).

The commentator G.J. Wenham wrote about the desire to make a name for ourselves. He stated that there are times when God promises to make a certain person’s name great—such as Abraham and David—but most of the time Scripture records the Lord making a name for Himself.

Photo by Timothy Eberly

I’ve been trying to read the Bible with more of a Middle Eastern mindset lately and one thing that you will find in rabbinical teachings is a tendency to connect similar things. So I thought to myself, “Where else in Scripture is there multiple languages and a scattering?” I immediately thought of Pentecost in Acts 2.

Pentecost

As I read Acts 2 and then skimmed through until Acts 8, I found myself shaking my head and smiling at the similarities and differences.

The story starts with all the disciples gathered in one place together. Then with wind and fire, God comes down in the Person of the Holy Spirit. They begin to speak in multiple languages, this time not as a judgement but a blessing. The disciples are able to proclaim the name of Jesus in a way that everyone can understand. Over three thousand people believe and are saved in one day.

The believers live together in community—with one heart and mind—until persecution forces them to scatter. They go out proclaiming the good news of Jesus everywhere.

So What Do We Do?

As I read through these stories, comparing and contrasting the details, I couldn’t help but think that many of our modern churches are more like the Tower of Babel than the early church. We claim the name of Jesus, but in reality we are busy building a name for ourselves.

Church has become synonymous with programs, worship experiences, and sermons that we consume. There is a team that leads the show while we sit and watch. We elevate specific leaders and give them more power and fame than they can handle. Or we sit silent and let them take it. We choose not to rock the boat and speak truth because we like money and we don’t want to offend big donors. We don’t confront abuse.

We aren’t lifting up the name of Jesus. We aren’t taking him to others. We aren’t willing to be scattered. We want comfortable and predictable, and we want to build our own name. There is a reason that things are falling apart. There is a reason people are leaving church (even if they don’t leave faith in Jesus).

I’ll be talking more about this next week on the podcast (listen to me expand these thoughts below) and then for the beginning of the season as we dive into all things church for a bit. But I think the first step, as always, is repentance. It’s a change of mind, a recognition of how we’ve been doing it wrong, and a humbling of ourselves before God. And then it might take some bold confrontation, speaking of truth, and perhaps leaving of places that don’t want to stop building their own name.

#163 Babel, Pentecost, and the Megachurch Mentality (S9E1)

Church isn’t a place, or a building, it’s a collection of people who share a common belief in the person of Jesus Christ and the power of His death and resurrection. Let’s be the Church who exists to build one name—the name of Jesus—and share him with the world.

I hope this old post encouraged you. Next week might be another old one or a new one depending on how much time I have to write.

---

Thanks for reading! I’m always up for a more rebels to join me on my adventures, so reach out if you have thoughts or questions. You can find me on Threads, Instagram, Facebook, in the Substack app, and on my website. I’d love to connect with you on any of these places!

My podcasts, Religious Rebels and Looking for the Real God can be found here on Substack, and on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeart Radio, and anywhere you listen to podcasts.

You can order an autographed copy of my book, Religious Rebels: Finding Jesus in the Awkward Middle Way by clicking on the button below. Or you can find it on Amazon.