Individualism and the Church

There is an old story that hi-lights the irony of individualism. It goes like this: an ordinary guy gets mistaken for a great religious leader. A large crowd gathers outside his house, wanting to hear him teach. Surprised to see the crowd, the man tries to correct them: “Look, you’ve got it all wrong…you don’t need to follow me. You don’t need to follow anybody. You need to think for yourselves. You’re all individuals.” The crowd responds by shouting in unison: “Yes, we’re all individuals!” The reluctant leader tries to correct them again: “You’re all different!” The crowd responds: “Yes, we’re all different!” Then, interrupting the crowd, one crowd member disagrees: “I’m not (different).” The surrounding crowd quickly tells the man to be quiet. The lone voice claiming to not be an individual is instructed to chant about individualism with the crowd.

There lies the problem of over emphasizing individualism. The moment you promote it as a group, you lessen the autonomy of the individual. The group decides what individualism looks like and therefore undermines individualism (for the sake of individualism).

Christianity steers clear of such irony. For Christians, the way to be the individual God made you to be is to play your part in the body of Christ. In his first letter to the church in Corinth, the Apostle Paul tells the church that God gives individuals all types of unique gifts and abilities. These gifts have a purpose: edify the church. Paul writes, “Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.” So, Christians readily accept that our individualism is connected to Christian community.

As you worship this morning, recognize that God has given you unique gifts and abilities for the sake of His body. Use those gifts for the sake of Jesus’ church. Bless your brothers and sisters. Encourage them. Invest in their gifts. As you do, you will enjoy fellowship with God's people. You will also be growing into the unique individual God intends you to be.