Objection: Church is full of hypocrites

“Pastor, isn’t the church full of hypocrites?”

That’s a common objection. There are people who don’t go to church at all, and they’ll tell you the reason is because of all the hypocrites. They don’t want to be like them. That’s a noble desire.

But is the charge accurate? Is the church full of hypocrites?

I’ve certainly known a few. That’s for sure. But they were hypocrites as they walked through the doors. The church didn’t make them that way.

One consequence of freely inviting sinners to join you at church is that some of them take you up on the offer, and suddenly the pews are occupied by folks with real problems.

The word “hypocrite” comes from the ancient, Greek theaters. They didn’t have great makeup and wardrobe departments, so the actors would routinely hold masks in front of their faces. The masks were there to tell you who they were pretending to be. A hypocrite is thus one who stands behind a mask, play-acting.

In a church setting, this would be someone who doesn’t really believe anything going on in church is real or important. However, they’ve decided it’s important for them to be seen there, going through the motions. This is common during election seasons, I’ve noticed. Suddenly, here’s someone showing up at church whose name happens to be on the ballot.

Hypocrites of this nature do exist. They do. In my experience, they are not the majority. Every congregation is a bit of a mixed multitude, like a bag of assorted nuts. As the country preacher said, every church has true believers, unbelievers, and make-believers.

I’m happy to preach to the first two sorts. At least they’re being honest (and honesty is the remedy for hypocrisy). It’s the make-believers that cause problems. They don’t really believe, but they’re desperate for you to believe they believe, for whatever reason. They are the descendants of the Pharisees, who were the original hypocrites, vicious enemies of the Lord Jesus. He called them white-washed tombs and dishes that were clean on the outside but filthy where it mattered.

I think when people say we’re all hypocrites, sometimes what they mean is that we act holier-than-thou. We may be genuine believers, but we don’t need to act all snooty about it. I’d plead guilty as charged. We shouldn’t be like that.

If we believe in a Gospel of pure grace and amazing mercy, where wretched sinners get forgiven for no other reason than that Christ loved us enough to pay our way in his blood, well, you’d think we could muster a little more humility as we’re asking people to join us.

Again, I don’t think this second sort of hypocrisy is rampant in churches, either. There’s more than there should be, no doubt. I’m honored to pastor a congregation filled with salt-of-the-earth, no-frills people. None of them would claim to be perfect. With them, what you see is pretty much what they are, struggling men and women hoping to walk closer to Jesus. They are friendly folks. They’d love to see you show up some Sunday. And in Quay County, we’re not unique that way.

Perfection is not the opposite of hypocrisy. Sincerity is. God knows it all anyway.

Gordan Runyan is pastor of Tucumcari’s Immanuel Baptist Church and author of “Radical Moses: The Amazing Civil Freedom Built into Ancient Israel.” Contact him at:

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