When Church Looks Like Network Marketing — And Why I Finally Saw the Difference
When Church Looks Like Network Marketing — And Why I Finally Saw the Difference
For most of my adult life, I’ve lived in two worlds that often overlap more than people are comfortable admitting.
I’ve been involved with LegalShield for a couple of decades. Just last year, I also started working with Scentsy. Network marketing isn’t something I casually observed from the outside — it’s something I’ve lived in, learned from, wrestled with, and grown through.
Because of that, I’ve always thought something that many people quietly think but rarely say out loud:
Church feels a lot like network marketing.
People invite people.
Relationships matter.
Stories change lives.
Word-of-mouth spreads the message.
Growth happens through connection, not advertising.
For a long time, that comparison made complete sense to me.
But recently, after slowing down and really thinking it through, I realized something important:
👉 Church may look similar on the surface, but it is built on a completely different foundation.
And seeing that difference clearly changed how I view both faith and business.
Why the Comparison Feels So Natural
If you’ve ever been involved in network marketing, it’s hard not to notice the parallels.
In network marketing:
- Relationships are essential
- You share something you believe in
- You invite people into an opportunity
- Growth happens person to person
- Duplication matters
In church:
- Relationships matter deeply
- Faith is often shared through personal testimony
- People invite people
- Growth is relational
- Discipleship involves teaching others
When you’ve spent years in business models built on relationships, these similarities stand out immediately. That’s why language like invite, connect, share, and grow feels comfortable in both spaces.
But that’s also where the risk quietly enters.
Where the Similarity Breaks Down
At its core, network marketing answers one primary question:
“What value do I receive by staying involved?”
That value might look like:
- Income
- Discounts
- Recognition
- Community
- Flexibility
There’s nothing inherently wrong with that. It’s business.
The Gospel, however, answers a very different question:
“What must I surrender to follow Christ?”
Jesus never framed faith as a benefits package.
He framed it as a calling.
One system is built on
exchange.
The other is built on
obedience.
And that line matters more than I used to realize.
When Church Accidentally Becomes Transactional
No church sets out to turn faith into a sales model. This shift usually happens slowly and unintentionally.
Attendance becomes the scoreboard.
Growth becomes the proof of success.
Invitations begin to feel like pressure.
People start to feel like numbers.
Leaders begin carrying performance expectations.
The question quietly changes from:
“Are lives being transformed?”
to:
“Are we growing fast enough?”
That shift isn’t malicious — it’s human.
But it’s dangerous.
Because the moment church adopts a business mindset at its core, it stops inviting people to take up a cross and starts asking them to buy in.
Those are not the same invitation.
What Network Marketing Taught Me — and What It Didn’t
Network marketing taught me valuable things:
- How to communicate clearly
- How to build trust
- How to listen
- How to show up consistently
- How to care about people
Those skills can absolutely be used in ministry.
But here’s the difference I see now:
In business, relationships often move toward outcomes.
In church, relationships must move toward transformation — even when there’s no visible return.
No rank.
No commission.
No applause.
No guarantee of growth.
Just faithfulness.
The Shift That Finally Clicked
For years, I believed:
“Church and network marketing are basically the same thing.”
Now I believe something much truer:
“They may use similar tools, but they must never share the same motive.”
Business asks, “How do we scale?”
Faith asks, “How do we love?”
Sometimes love is inefficient.
Sometimes growth is slow.
Sometimes obedience costs more than it gives back.
And that’s not a flaw — that’s the point.
A Healthier Way Forward
Church doesn’t need sales funnels.
It doesn’t need pressure tactics.
It doesn’t need hype or performance.
What it needs is:
- Authentic relationships
- Patient discipleship
- Grace-filled leadership
- Space for questions and growth
- Faithfulness over flash
When people encounter Jesus through love rather than persuasion, transformation lasts longer than any growth strategy ever could.
Final Thought
I’m grateful for what network marketing has taught me.
I’m also grateful I’ve learned where the line must be drawn.
Because when church stops being transactional, people stop feeling like projects — and start feeling like they belong.
And that’s where real faith takes root.
