When Jesus came the first time, He disrupted the religious establishment.

I suspect many consider that moment in time as a once-off rebuke of those particular forms of religious expression. And then He instituted the "church" and all was made well. The problem is, if you take a look around, all is not well.

I anticipate / expect similar disruptions to religious, and in particular christian institutions before He returns.

For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household.

1 Pet 4:17

If you take a look around, you may notice by now that there have been many "christian institutions" whose reputations are now tarnished because of hidden sins, abuses, and cover-ups.

It's unfortunate that being able to recognize narcissism in leaders and cultic behavior among followers has become a necessary survival skill today.

I've got to the point now that if I can't physically touch and see a ministry with my own hands and eyes - I won't personally get involved.

Julie Roys of The Roys Report has been able to make a career out of exposing corruption in the church. I think her statement here is very astute:

Whenever I’m tempted to think Christianity is a fraud because of fraudulent pastors, I’m reminded it was the religious establishment that had Jesus arrested and crucified. Wherever there is money & power gained through religious position, there will be self-interest & hypocrisy.

- Julie Roys

Celebrity status corrupts. And churches, once they become institutionalized, are prone to worldly influence and compromise.

I've got really tired of  church leaders weaponizing statements like this:

Let us not neglect meeting together, as some have made a habit, but let us encourage one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Heb 10:25

Yes, people need to be in a community of believers. Jesus said He would build His church. But don't confuse this spiritual body of believers with an institution. And don't assume that one particular church or para-church ministry has a monopoly on "truth". Have you noticed also that some of the most "religiously minded" also tend towards having a "cold heart"? Paul cautioned the Corinthians about developing attitudes of superiority that result from an increase in knowledge.

We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. The one who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know. But the one who loves God is known by God.

1 Cor 8:1-2

Jesus illustrated through the use of parables what "church growth" would look like. There are some inherent warnings contained within these parables.

Consider "the kingdom of heaven is like" statements in Matthew 13.

“The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was asleep, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and slipped away. When the wheat sprouted and bore grain, then the weeds also appeared.

Note that weeds also appeared along with the wheat.

And...

“The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man planted in his field. Although it is the smallest of all seeds, yet it grows into the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and nest in its branches.”

Hmmm. Mustard seeds grow into shrubs, not trees. And what are these birds that come and nest in this tree? How are birds depicted in the rest of the chapter?

And...

“The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and mixed into three measures of flour, until all of it was leavened.”

That is weird. The kingdom of heaven is like leaven? I thought leaven was depicted as sin in the rest of the Bible?

Jesus knew what was coming.