Challenging the modern church growth mindset, Mike Erre and guest Kevin revisit the assumptions baked into much of American Christian culture—namely the obsession with polished Sunday services, celebrity pastors, and numerical success. In a week where high-profile abuse scandals shook major institutions like the Catholic Church, Willow Creek, and John MacArthur’s ministry, the conversation turns to a deeper issue: How do we define “church success,” and what does the witness of Jesus call us to instead?

This raw and prophetic episode asks whether our obsession with "excellence" in worship bands, livestreams, and church branding might actually distract from the mission of Jesus—especially in a time when abuse, injustice, and marginalization are being revealed inside the very systems we’ve built to “do church well.”

Key Takeaways:
• Unmasking Toxic Success Metrics – Producing high-quality services isn’t inherently bad, but treating them as the gold standard of church success reveals an idolization of production and performance.
• When Big Church Models Fail – Exploring how the prioritization of large platforms, celebrity pastors, and top-tier talent creates systems vulnerable to abuse of power.
• Jesus’ Scorecard – Paul’s letters remind us that God chooses the weak, the lowly, the overlooked—not the spotlight-ready. The church loses its distinctiveness when it mimics the world’s obsession with strength and success.
• The Power of Lament and Repentance – In light of abuse scandals, the church’s role isn’t to distract with polished services but to lead in public repentance, healing, and transparency.
• Hope for Small Churches and Planters – For pastors leading small or struggling communities, this episode offers an alternative vision: practice-based, missional communities that emphasize discipleship, vulnerability, and real-life transformation—not just production value.

Resources Mentioned:
• 1 Corinthians 1:26–31 – Paul's challenge to the world's systems and the affirmation of God's preference for the foolish things over the wise.
• The Forgotten Ways by Alan Hirsch – [Link]
• C3 Church Columbus – A missional model for tracking community health through disciple-making, not Sunday attendance.
• Dave Lomas and John Mark Comer – Pastors focused on practice-based, embodied Christianity over entertainment-driven churches.
• Rock Harbor Church (CA) – One example of a church that shifted from attractional to missional focus.

Join us as we rethink success, celebrate weakness, and call the church to a more honest, humble witness of Jesus. Subscribe to stay part of these paradigm-shifting conversations, leave a review, and follow us on social media to continue the dialogue.

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Music by Timothy John Stafford

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As always, we encourage and would love discussion as we pursue. Feel free to email in questions to [email protected], and to engage the conversation on Facebook and Instagram.

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Learn more about the Voxology Podcast

Subscribe on iTunes or Spotify

Support the Voxology Podcast on Patreon

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Follow us on Instagram: @voxologypodcast and "like" us on Facebook

Follow Mike on Twitter: www.twitter.com/mikeerre

Music in this episode by Timothy John Stafford

Instagram & Twitter: @GoneTimothy