In the present climate, religion as a force for encouraging moral conduct is practically powerless, as it is often seen as a tool to be used on secular terms. Many churches in America and Western Europe are in a sad state of repair, with a growing majority of Fundamentalist churches more focused on becoming mega-churches than on being forces for positive societal change. Too many pastors study business models for church growth rather than biblical models for Christian growth, treating their churches as businesses that must grow or die. A quick look at pastoral helps and church growth literature reveals dozens of reasons supporting this understanding. The problem is not that religion is absent from modern life, but that it is feeble, emasculated, and distracted, with churches having little impact on their congregants due to compromising with God's Word and abdicating their role as the moral conscience of society.

Televangelist Joel Osteen came to Charlotte last evening, delivering a message that captivated over ten thousand attendees with inspirational stories, up-tempo praise music, and promises of blessings like promotions, restored health, and rejuvenated marriages. His smiling image on jumbo screens framed the economic recession as just another obstacle for believers to overcome. Before the two-and-a-half-hour show, people milled around tables selling all things Osteen: books, calendars, sermons, and DVDs. While he doesn't take an offering at his Sunday sermons, he did last evening, with contributions dropped into champion of hope offering envelopes. Osteen, pastor of America's largest church congregation in Houston, Texas, with forty thousand members at Lakewood Non-Denominational, also reaches over seven million weekly through televised sermons. His focus remains on what attendees can gain, rather than on deeper spiritual demands or sacrifices.

The New Paradigm Churches, also referred to as the Emerging Church, Purpose-Driven Church, or Outcome-Based Religion, operate with a focus on growth in numbers and income, adopting strategies akin to commercial businesses. These groups employ sharp business marketing psychology to attract and retain members, mirroring tactics used in secular enterprises. A key influence in this movement is Dr. Rick Warren of Saddleback Community Church, who was closely associated with business guru Peter Drucker, openly integrating business success principles into religious practice. This approach prioritizes numerical expansion over adherence to absolute truths, often sidelining or discarding scriptural standards when they hinder membership growth. The underlying philosophy of Outcome-Based Religion, much like Outcome-Based Education, embraces the notion that the end justifies the means, focusing on achieving specific outcomes such as unity and financial gain rather than fostering a deep relationship with God. Leaders within these churches, such as Joel Osteen, often avoid emphasizing doctrine that might divide or alienate, instead packaging messages with familiar religious terminology to emotionally manipulate and appeal to carnal minds. Their services and programs, including music and drama, are designed to entertain and deliver a positive, worldly religious message, ensuring no one feels alienated while drawing large crowds. This pragmatic approach, rooted in business and political concepts, leads to compromises on spiritual standards to resolve issues practically, often at the expense of divine truth. The ultimate goal appears to be church membership and income growth, blending traditional religious practices with clever marketing to create an appealing yet spiritually dangerous movement.