How We Turned Jesus’ Church Into a Corporation | The 501(c)(3) Problem

The modern church looks very different from the movement Jesus placed into the hands of fishermen, tax collectors, zealots, former prostitutes, and ordinary people filled with the Holy Spirit.So… what happened?In this episode of The Berean Files, we explore how Christianity slowly shifted from a disciple-making movement into a professionalized institution. From Constantine and state-sanctioned religion, to the Enlightenment’s obsession with knowledge, to the Reformation’s sermon-centered structure, to the Industrial Revolution’s systems and efficiency models, all the way to modern evangelical consumer culture and church growth strategies — we ask a difficult question:Have we drifted from the model Jesus actually gave us?This conversation dives into:The Great Commission as a command for ALL believersHow church became increasingly professionalizedThe impact of the 501(c)(3) systemConstantine and institutional ChristianityWhy modern churches often feel more like businessesShared leadership vs celebrity pastor cultureDiscipleship, obedience, and everyday ministryWhy the early church spread without buildings, branding, or professionalsThe Berean Files exists to examine ideas, traditions, and systems through the lens of Scripture — testing all things and holding fast to what is true.“Go therefore and make disciples…” wasn’t given to experts. It was given to ordinary people.#Christianity #Church #501c3 #GreatCommission #TheBereanFiles #Discipleship #HouseChurch #Jesus #BibleStudy #ChurchHistoryThis episode includes AI-generated content.