On a recent trip to the Hill Country of Texas, I saw a church sign that read “No Rules, Just Jesus.” This sign made me think of another Texas church, this one in west Texas, that refers to itself as a “Church without Religion.” I think I know what these churches are trying to communicate. I think these churches are trying to distance themselves from man-made rules and man-made-rituals that have enslaved people for centuries.

Of course, it’s possible that these churches are openly advocating for a post-modern, antinomian version of Christianity. In the year 2023, it’s entirely possible that these churches really are for generic spirituality with no moral boundaries whatsoever. However, I think these churches are trying to move away from man-made rules and man-made rituals, and I think these churches are trying to move people closer to Jesus.

Unfortunately, in a culture that is increasingly post-Christian, secular, and postmodern, these catch phrases simply are not helpful. If you’re talking inside baseball to a group of diehard church people, these catch phrases may clarify what your church is for and against. Conversely, when these catch phrases are marketed to the world-at-large, the communication is quite confusing.

Take the catch phrase “No Rules, Just Jesus.” In the twenty-first century, can a church really say they are anti-rule? Does that include the Ten Commandments and the commands (rules) issued by Jesus and the apostles? Does that include the rule of law and government and law enforcement? Does that include the ever-growing acronym of the sexual revolution? Also, is the insistence that a church is anti-rule a rule itself, or is it more of a suggestion?

Take the catch phrase “Church without Religion.” In a post-Christian culture, what would people expect from a church without religion? Would this suggest the absence of rules, dogma, norms, and expectations? Would this indicate a church that had no formal structure or official hierarchy? Would this suggest a church that doesn’t take up offerings, sing songs, preach sermons, and pray prayers? Would this indicate a church with no social programs?

Again, I think I know what a church is trying to promote when they openly speak against rules and religion, but I’m an insider, and I’m giving these churches the benefit of the doubt. All things considered, I think it would be better for churches today to be clear about their rules and their religion. I think biblical fidelity requires such clarity, and I think our witness in a post-Christian society demands such clarity. Simply put, here are three reasons I think our churches need both rules and religion:

1. The Ten Commandments are a fundamental list of rules for all Judeo-Christian religion. Of course, as believers living under the New Covenant, we have to use the Law of God rightly. We use the Law to learn about God’s character, to recognize our sinfulness, and to know how to honor God. No, we aren’t trying to keep the Ten Commandments as a means of earning our salvation, but that doesn’t mean the Law has no role in our lives.
2. Jesus and the Apostles gave us commands, which in effect function as rules. Examples include the Sermon on the Mount, the Great Commandment, the Great Commission, and Paul’s Epistles. (You can find a partial list of such rules in a previous article I posted, Jesus, Religion, and Rules). Again, these commands are not presented as a means of earning our way with God, but neither are they presented as optional.
3. The church is called to participate in various religious activities. These activities involve caring the poor, evangelism and discipleship, prayer and fasting, caring for widows and orphans, teaching and preaching, and worshiping together as the gathered people of God. All of these things are religious in nature, and in a culture that is moving away from religion entirely, we need to be confident in the religiosity of our faith.

I certainly appreciate the impulse to move away from anything that smacks of man-made rules, ritual, or religion. Like the churches mentioned above, I reject any attempt to allow human traditions to supplant the authority of the Word of God. Without question I want nothing to do with rules and religious ritual as a means of earning salvation. However, Christians are religious people, and rules are an essential part of our faith. In a post-Christian, post-modern culture, we should be clear about our religion and our rules.