Dutch Sheets : Narcissism in the Church | Give Him 15: Daily Prayer with Dutch | June 18, 2026
Narcissism in the Church: Overcoming the Self-Focused Culture With Christ’s Heart
Every so often, the winds of change sweep through the Church, stirring a spiritual awakening much like a powerful storm reshaping the shore. Just as natural storms leave debris that must be cleared, revivals often require us to address leftover issues—sometimes unseen at first, yet significant as the movement matures.
Today, let’s take a closer look at how past revivals have sometimes led to an internal focus within the body of Christ—what some describe as “spiritual narcissism”—and discover how God is calling us to refocus on His purpose in our generation. Understanding both the blessings and the pitfalls of former outpourings empowers us to embrace personal growth, unity, and genuine kingdom impact.
What Past Revivals Taught Us: Growth and Growing Pains
In the 1960s and 70s, God poured out His Spirit across America and much of the world. This led to remarkable church growth, with countless new believers flocking into congregations both old and new. Churches sprang up rapidly as revival swept through communities, birthing a spiritual renewal unlike anything seen in decades.
However, rapid multiplication also brought unique challenges. New converts arrived in droves, full of zeal but often lacking the discipleship needed to sustain and mature their faith. Churches that had functioned with long-held traditions found their liturgies, music, and methods challenged by a younger, more informal crowd. Sadly, many leaders struggled to adapt, making it difficult for young Christians to find a spiritual home.
Unable to fit into existing structures, fresh believers planted new congregations—often before deeply rooting themselves in the Word or foundational doctrine. This season’s energy and openness to the Holy Spirit sometimes overshadowed the slow, steady work of discipleship. Amid all the excitement, the focus subtly shifted from advancing God’s kingdom to tending personal needs, causing a crucial piece of Christ’s original mission to be overlooked.
The Church’s Missional Identity: More Than a Gathering
When Jesus promised to build His “church,” He used the Greek word ekklesia. This term refers not just to a gathering of believers, but a governing assembly—God’s instrument for spiritual authority, binding and loosing, releasing heaven’s will, and actively establishing His kingdom on earth.
The early church understood its identity as a spiritual legislative body. Christ’s desire was not only for worship, fellowship, and personal edification, but for us to operate as agents of transformation. But the internal focus of the last revival era pushed believers toward self-concern, stalling the Church’s effectiveness in impacting communities and nations as Christ intended.
The Rise of Spiritual Narcissism
As church life centered increasingly on individual needs—salvation, healing, blessings, and personal growth—the risk of spiritual narcissism crept in. Drawing from the Greek myth of Narcissus, who became so enchanted with his own reflection that he wasted away, this inward gaze stifled the Church’s calling to look outward.
When we lose sight of others and God’s mission, we risk becoming receivers rather than active participants in God’s great commission. Instead of pouring out the fragrance of Christ (2 Corinthians 2:15), our gatherings risk emitting only the scent of ourselves—children of God absorbed in our spirituality, but disconnected from servanthood, mission, and collaboration.
Self-Focus at Both Personal and Corporate Levels
Sadly, this spirit of self-focus didn’t remain confined to individuals. Congregations too began defining success in terms of their own growth, comfort, and prosperity, rather than the well-being of the wider body of Christ or the spiritual health of their cities and regions. The health of other churches, their struggles or splits, often became a secondary concern—or, worse, an opportunity to benefit from “relocating sheep.”
True kingdom mentality grieves over any loss or unrest in the body of Christ, not just within one’s own congregation. Yet, when churches define their mission solely by internal benchmarks and ignore cooperation, isolation and competition are inevitable.
The Unhealthy Fruit: Competition and Independence
This competitive culture took root subtly but powerfully. Instead of viewing themselves as essential players on the same team—God’s one Church across a city—pastors and leaders began to focus on “my church” and “my congregation.” Rather than forging partnerships to transform communities, the motivation became numerical growth or outpacing neighboring fellowships.
The focus shifted to transfer growth—drawing believers from other churches—rather than reaching the lost or discipling new believers into world-changers. The “success” of a church began to hinge not on changed lives or societal impact, but on how fast attendance numbers grew and how impressive facilities became compared to others.
How Success Became Misdefined
As competition and independence became more common, the definition of success drifted further from Christ’s heart. Churches measured their value by size, speed of growth, and reputation as the “fastest growing” or “largest.” Yet, as studies and honest reflection show, much of America’s church expansion over the last five decades has resulted from believers moving between congregations, not from the transforming work of evangelism.
This transfer growth, while sometimes beneficial, should never be the primary metric for measuring faithfulness. Congregations that remain small—perhaps due to geography or a specific missional calling such as prayer or care for the poor—are just as crucial to God’s purposes. In heaven’s eyes, obedience and faithfulness remain the ultimate standard; “Well done, good and faithful servant,” not “Well done, fastest growing or largest.”
Learning From the Past, Reclaiming Christ’s Heart
Admitting these struggles isn’t about criticizing or tearing down the church. Instead, it’s a call to humble self-ex
