"For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 3:11).

The man who claims to have launched the marketing approach to church growth in America is Robert Schuller (Crystal Cathedral, "Hour of Power"), who, building on the philosophy of his mentor, Norman Vincent Pearle, and believing "that expository (explaining and applying a Bible test - K.S.) preaching was a waste of time,"

'began to communicate a message of Christianity that focused on meeting the emotional and psychological needs of people.' Schuller laid out his philosophy of ministry in his 1982 book Self Esteem: The New Reformation, in which he called for a radical shift in the church's focus from God to human needs.... He decided that mankind's most fundamental need was self-esteem; a 'need' nowhere mentioned, alluded to or even hinted at in the Bible.... It just so happened that Schuller's methodology worked, and those who employed it were seeing exponential growth in their churches. In most arenas truth doesn't stand a chance against success; this proved to be the case in the church growth wars (Gary Gilley, This Little Church Went to Market. 61).

Hard to argue with success, huh? Let's try.

The foundation for the life of the Christian is Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 3:11). We must indeed believe He is the Christ the Son of God (John 8:24; 20:30-31). But that faith must lead us to obey Him (Matthew 7:21-27; Luke 6:46) and to pattern our lives after Him (Luke 6:40).

And what kind of example did He leave for us to follow?

Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross (Philippians 2:50-8).

"Self esteem" "refers to an individual's sense of his or her value or worth, or the extent to which a person values, approves of, appreciates, prizes, or likes him or herself (Blascovich & Tomaka, 1991)" (http://macses.ucsf.edu/Research/Psychosocial/notesbook/selfesteem.html). The person with "high self esteem" "values, approves of, appreciates, prizes" himself. But, if we follow Christ, we do nothing through conceit but "esteem others better than" ourselves.

John Rosemond, a professional family psychologist who writes a nationally syndicated column which appears in the "Watertown Times," wrote an article entitled "Self-Esteem Isn't Praiseworthy Goal." ("Times," Sunday, December 9, 2001, G5). He cited "an extensive study" "by professor Roy Baumeister (et al.) of Case Western Reserve University (ref: 'Violent Pride,' Scientific American, April 2001)" which concluded, not surprisingly, "that people with high self-esteem tend to have low self-control." "Criminals, he has discovered, do not suffer from low self-esteem." Mr. Rosemond referenced a second study published in the November 2001 issue of "Personality and Social Psychology Review" which indicates "while self-esteem among America's youth has been on the rise for the past 30 years, accomplishments and responsible decision-making have been on the decline."

The apostle Paul warned Timothy of "perilous times" during which people would be "lovers of themselves, ...boasters, proud, ...disobedient to parents, ...without self-control, brutal, ...lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God" (2 Timothy 3:1-5). Hmmm. We're in perilous times indeed, aren't we?

Thayer defines the word "proud" as "showing one's self above others, ...with an overweening estimate of one's means or merits, despising others or even treating them with contempt, haughty" (e-Sword). Would someone please explain to me the difference between self esteem and pride? I have been unable to find a single passage of Scripture that commends pride in oneself.

So why are churches and preachers that labor to build self-esteem so popular?

The new-paradigm churches, then, appear to be succeeding, not because they are offering an alternative to our modern culture, but because they are speaking with its voice, mimicking its moves (Gilley. Ibid).

Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it (Matthew 7:13-14).

So you want to meet people's needs? The greatest and universal human need is salvation from sin. The "whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one" (1 John 5:19; cf. Matthew 9:36-38; Romans 3:23; 6:23). Our job is not to make lost sinners feel good about themselves in their sins. We must get them to see they are spiritually "wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked" (Revelation 3:l7; And the Lord Jesus was here described sinful Christians who had very high self esteem). Then we can point them to "Christ, the Savior of the world" (John 4:42), so they can be reconciled to God (2 Corinthians 5:18-20). Thus "the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard" their "hearts and minds through Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:7), and they will "rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory" (1 Peter 1:8) in the hope of heaven. And that's what the gospel and the church of our Lord Jesus Christ are all about.