The American Evangelical Consumer Machine
American evangelicalism is big business. Some of the world’s largest media companies have cultivated business alliances with popular and “successful” evangelical leaders. For-profit media conglomerates have found the evangelical community to be a lucrative audience. Media companies have been productive in marketing and retailing evangelical “products through strategic and creative branding.” Pastoral personalities, books, podcasts, and skillfully branded and distributed messages have become a multi-billion dollar business. Evangelical consumerism has grown into a powerful commercial juggernaut. The evangelical brand has created “Hollywood” type pastors experiencing fame and fortune. Evangelical leaders have seized the opportunity to transform their commercial success into political power, and multiple entrepreneurial opportunities. The Cross of Jesus Christ isn’t the focus of evangelical theology anymore, the focus rests on the personality of a cult-like leader. A systematic fraternity has been created through evangelical business enterprises. Evangelical leaders who successfully make their way into this unique fraternity of the “commercial gospel,” have the privilege to leverage their standing for numerous financial opportunities. Once a part of the fraternity, the leader enjoys all of the privileges associated with this odious machine.
There is a pattern of collusion and corruption within the ranks of the “evangelical consumer machine.” A vast network of ministries appears to evangelize and preach the Good News of Jesus, however, the network has morphed into a club of Christian celebrities, leading megachurches, using media to build a multi-billion dollar enterprise. Evangelical pastors hire marketing and public relations firms for the sole purpose of projecting and protecting THEIR image. The pastor or leader has become the brand. Their success and popularity allow them to act and make decisions with impunity. The “successful” commercial pastor is essentially a CEO of a corporation. The church’s congregation is a consumer base, an entity where the evangelical commercial machine can market its product. The CEO Pastor and his allies, those part of the fraternity, exploit constituents through brainwashing, and grooming tactics. Messages of self-help and daily disciplines are designed to give the allusion that an individual who follows the same principles and rules of the pastoral/ leader will also reap the abundant fruit of financial success. These “gospel charlatans” prey upon the most vulnerable in the evangelical community. Individuals who are experiencing personal debt, and or sickness are targeted because of their desperation. The machine is only looking to strengthen the machine. The protection of the evangelical leader is of utmost importance. They are the central cog that makes the “evangelical machine” successful.
The consequences of the “evangelical marketing machine” have tarnished the church, leaving many victims in its wake. In the past two decades, there have been several scandals involving evangelical leaders. Scandals of corruption and sexual abuse. The commodification of the gospel has led to corruption within the ranks of the evangelical clergy. Fame, fortune, and power have successfully tempted pastors away from their responsibilities of shepherding churches. There have been multiple accusations as well as admissions of guilt over the past two decades. Scandals have rocked the evangelical community. Pastors and leaders of large evangelical organizations have been accused of money mismanagement, sexual encounters, child abuse, and mistreatment of their staff. Some of the biggest names in the “evangelical money-making machine” have been implicated in unethical and immoral behavior. Names such as Robert Morris, Ravi Zacharias, Mike Bickle, Mark Driscoll, James McDonald, Carl Lentz, and Brian Houston, have been accused by credible sources. Almost every one of these leaders has confessed and moved forward as forgiven celebrities with the fraternity backing them in the narrative of restoration. To be fair, forgiveness and restoration are a part of the gospel. However, there is a pattern of misconduct that continues to resonate within these leaders. The “evangelical consumer machine” will protect, and restore these leaders to their position within the machine. The fraternity is only concerned about the machine, and the machine needs these “cult of personality” leaders to guide it to profitability. The disturbing reality is there is little to no concern for the victims and the church staff who endured the suffering of abuse at the hands of these nefarious individuals. Cover-ups and rebranding are all a part of the machine.
An article appearing in the Roys Report on May 29th, 2024 contains a striking condemnation of evangelical leadership. The article quotes, Attorney Mitch Little,
“If your leadership lacks the requisite character and experience, no manual will help you. If you have the appropriate level of character and experience, no manual is necessary.” https://julieroys.com/why-ecfas-new-standard-wont-stop-scandals-but-you-can/
Little, the attorney who represented abuse victims of Bill Hybels, the former pastor of Willow Creek Community Church, in South Barrington, Illinois has been outspoken about the abuse of evangelical leadership, as well as, an advocate for sexual abuse victims. The article later quotes Little,
“We have an epidemic of senior leaders in evangelicalism who lack character.”
This is the unfortunate state of evangelical leadership. There are deep holes in credibility and ethical standards. The American Church has lost its leaders to a corporate business structure. The church that proclaimed to follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ has taken on the philosophies of Wall Street and Hollywood. Lance Ford, an author and a church planter was quoted at a Restore Conference, “it’s the system stupid.” Julie Roys, founder of the Roys Report, explains that
“Ford was referring to the leadership system that’s been imported from the corporate world into the church. That leadership system emphasizes the importance of a strong, senior leader to the success of an organization.” https://julieroys.com/why-ecfas-new-standard-wont-stop-scandals-but-you-can/
The American Evangelical Church has been inundated with a corporate structure. This creates a powerful dilemma for a pastor who acts as a CEO instead of a shepherd. The church has produced and supported humanitarian NGOs around the world. The evangelical church and its leaders have coalesced to create a “Hollywood-type fraternity” that allows only a small number of willing participants into the club. Evangelical leadership is now driven by a machine that operates with low moral standards, and a strong inclusivity to protect fellow members and the business model.
“So, instead of pastors being trained to be shepherds, who minister to their congregation, we’re forming pastors into corporate CEOs, who inspire the masses and direct their staffs. But very few do any actual ministering.” Julie Roys, https://julieroys.com/why-ecfas-new-standard-wont-stop-scandals-but-you-can/
It plays out like a Hollywood production. The sermons are scripted and written by professional writers. There are production teams to edit, produce, and distribute the material to an eager and gullible evangelical audience. The machine looks for specific personality types to join the ranks. Narcissists are in high demand to partner with the machine. This seems antithetical to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. With the power structure that is in place, it is no surprise that pastors act like business CEOs, protecting the bottom line; and ensuring careers and future enterprises for building business success. Evangelical leaders sacrifice their integrity and character for book deals and commercial endorsements. Book endorsements, podcasts, and conference speaking engagements are all big-money franchise-making stuff. The machine thrives off the success of evangelical leaders.
Pastors now equate “success” with the size of their church, and the book deals they obtain. Many pastors launch their churches through organizations such as ARC, which stands for The Association of Related Churches. This organization trains pastors to plant large churches, they fund church plants as a business investment. They leverage large congregations to build social media platforms, thus allowing for bigger book contracts and greater business opportunities, such as conferences, media companies, and much more. Christian radio is big business, they endorse the pastor, and the pastor brings them the audience and platform to sell more books and sermons. The next step is to create a broadcast ministry on radio networks. This enables the pastor to spread his “fame and popularity” worldwide. The monster continues to grow! Raising the prominence of the church, as well as the salary of the pastor. With this notable success, pastors now can make money through consulting and coaching opportunities. The pastor recruits followers he can train, while of course charging a fee.
Human nature is now in full effect. The pastor/leader gets richer and richer. He begins to believe more in himself with each passing day. The abuse of staff and the sexual conquest of women begins. His brand and reputation are of great importance to the rest of the fraternity. His board is stacked with friends, and fellow “rock star pastors” who are members of the fraternity. Many are receiving “kickbacks,” ensuring their vested interest in the success of their fellow pastor. It’s critical to protect each other, the survival of not just his empire but the profitability and survival of the machine is at stake. The ECFA, Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability endorses all of this with a rubber stamp. Salaries are justified. The extra spending is justified. The evangelical congregation accepts this independent organization’s approval, thus providing false credibility. The pastor is protected while the staff is abused and offered very little assistance and help. Donors continue to give and pastors continue to abuse.
The cycle of abuse and misconduct continues to spiral out of control. When a pastor is exposed, he resigns and the church mourns. The congregation is left in confusion and heartbreak. Victims are left to sort out their trauma! The pastor goes on a six-month to a year paid leave vacation. He allows the dust to settle and then resumes his life back into the “fraternity.” The cycle resumes! He is restored back into the ministry. His story of redemption and forgiveness is marketed to the masses. The scandal has not deterred the machine, it has used the press, and the attention to further its power. The machine and the fraternity of evangelical leaders spin the details for their money-making purpose. The evangelical pastor relocates to another state or city, with a rebranded image, and launches another church. Unfortunately, restoration hasn’t changed their character and behavior, because in most cases the abuse begins once more. It’s a corrupt system, extremely predictable and highly profitable. Evangelical church members need to quit buying the product. Church members need to stop supporting these “EVANGELICAL WOLVES.”