Opinion
When Charity Becomes a Performance: The Church and the Politics of Public Display
_By Sam Agogo_
Many years ago, long before social media became the center of everyday life, acts of kindness were often done quietly. A widow might wake up one morning to find food items at her doorstep without knowing who left them there.
A struggling student could receive help with school fees from an anonymous benefactor. Families facing hardship were assisted discreetly, preserving both their dignity and the humility of the giver.
In those days, generosity was rarely measured by public applause. People did not count likes, shares, comments, or followers. A person could change someone’s life without anyone ever knowing about it. Churches helped the poor, supported widows, cared for orphans, and provided relief to struggling families, but in many cases the focus remained on the people being helped rather than on those providing the assistance.
I was reminded of that era recently when I remembered the story of an elderly widow I once met in a rural community. Life had dealt her many difficult blows. Age had weakened her strength. Her children had moved away in search of opportunities. The little assistance she received was often irregular, and there were periods when putting food on the table became a daily struggle.
While speaking with her, she shared a story that has stayed with me ever since.
During one particularly difficult season, she woke up one morning and discovered a bag containing rice, beans, cooking oil and other food items at her doorstep. There was no note attached. There was no church logo. There was no pastor’s photograph. There was no indication of the identity of the giver.
Believing it might have been left there by mistake, she asked around the neighborhood. Nobody knew anything about it.
A few weeks later, another package appeared.
Then another.
Then another.
For several months, someone quietly continued to provide support without ever seeking recognition.
“I never found out who was helping me,” she said with a smile. “But God knew them.”
What struck me most was not simply the generosity of the unknown benefactor. It was the fact that the woman’s gratitude was directed entirely toward God. The giver remained invisible. The act of kindness spoke for itself. There was no publicity campaign attached to the gift. There was no attempt to turn compassion into advertisement. There was only the simple and beautiful expression of love.
That memory returned to me recently after I came across photographs and videos from a church outreach programme. Bags of rice, cartons of food items and relief materials were being distributed to people who genuinely needed assistance. The recipients appeared grateful. The need was real. The help was valuable.
Yet something immediately caught my attention.
Printed boldly on nearly every bag was the image of the pastor alongside the logo and branding of the church. The photographs were impossible to ignore. In some of the videos, beneficiaries stood in lines while cameras carefully documented every moment of the exercise. What should have been a simple act of mercy looked strangely similar to a political campaign event.
As I looked at the images, I found myself wrestling with a question.
Were the poor simply receiving help, or were they also becoming part of a marketing strategy?
That question is important because it speaks to a growing trend in modern Christianity. Across the country today, acts of charity are increasingly accompanied by cameras, media teams, social media campaigns, branding exercises and carefully edited videos designed for public consumption. Every outreach programme is documented. Every donation is announced. Every act of compassion becomes content.
Of course, there is nothing wrong with helping the needy. Feeding the hungry is good. Supporting widows is good. Caring for orphans is good. Assisting struggling families is good. In fact, these are things the church should be known for. Jesus fed multitudes. He healed the sick. He showed compassion to the vulnerable. The early church became a model of generosity and care for those in need.
The concern is not charity itself.
Nor is the concern necessarily the use of cameras, social media or public communication.
Churches operate in a different environment today from the one that existed decades ago. Ministries often need to account for donations, report their activities to supporters and encourage others to participate in acts of compassion. Sharing testimonies of lives that have been touched can inspire generosity and demonstrate the impact of the church’s work in society.
There is therefore nothing inherently wrong with documenting an outreach programme or informing the public about charitable activities. In many cases, such communication helps build trust, transparency and support for important initiatives.
The challenge arises when the focus begins to shift.
Instead of the need, attention moves toward the institution.
Instead of the beneficiaries, attention moves toward personalities.
Instead of God’s compassion, attention moves toward human recognition.
This is where a healthy practice can gradually become something else.
Jesus addressed a similar concern in Matthew 6. He warned His followers against doing charitable deeds merely to be seen by others. In Matthew 6:1 He said, “Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them.” He went on to teach that acts of giving should flow from sincere compassion rather than the desire for public praise. The lesson remains relevant today because there is a difference between doing a good deed that happens to be seen and doing a good deed primarily because it will be seen.
The deeper question is not whether an act is public.
The deeper question is what the public act is designed to achieve.
Is the primary goal to glorify God?
Is it to encourage others to serve?
Is it to demonstrate stewardship?
Or does it gradually become a means of building personal or institutional prestige?
These are not always easy questions to answer. In fact, they are questions that every church, ministry and Christian organization must continually ask itself.
Because motives matter.
A photograph can tell only part of a story.
A video can capture an activity but not necessarily reveal the heart behind it.
Only God sees the full picture.
Yet Scripture consistently reminds believers that motives are just as important as actions. The same charitable act can arise from compassion in one situation and from the desire for recognition in another.
This concern is not unique to our generation. Throughout His ministry, Jesus repeatedly challenged religious leaders who were more concerned with appearances than authenticity. In Matthew 23:5, He said of the Pharisees, “All their works they do for to be seen of men.” Their problem was not that they performed good works. Their problem was that they wanted admiration because of those works.
The warning appears again in John 5:44 where Jesus asked, “How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?” It is a reminder that the pursuit of human applause can distract believers from seeking God’s approval.
Human nature has not changed.
People still enjoy recognition.
Organizations still value visibility.
Leaders still appreciate appreciation and support.
There is nothing unusual about these things. The challenge is ensuring that they do not become the driving force behind ministry.
The story of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5 offers another sobering lesson. Their gift was real, yet their desire to appear more generous than they were became their downfall. The problem was not the amount they gave. The problem was the image they wanted people to believe. The story reminds us that God examines not only what is given but also the motive behind the giving.
Perhaps this is why some church practices occasionally remind people of political campaigns.
Anyone who has observed Nigerian politics will be familiar with the pattern. Election season approaches and suddenly politicians become highly visible among the poor. Relief materials are distributed. Bags of rice appear. Cameras accompany every event. Publicity surrounds every donation.
The assistance is often real.
The beneficiaries genuinely receive help.
Yet everybody understands that public visibility forms part of the exercise.
This is where churches must exercise wisdom.
When bags of food feature large photographs of religious leaders, people naturally make comparisons. When outreach programmes are heavily branded around personalities, questions arise. When publicity becomes as prominent as the charitable work itself, some observers begin to wonder whether image-building has become part of the objective.
This does not mean that every public act of charity is insincere.
Nor does it mean every church that shares its outreach work is motivated by self-interest.
That would be unfair.
Many ministries communicate their projects because they want to inspire others, attract support and demonstrate accountability.
Yet the comparison remains worth considering because perceptions matter, and the church must be careful not to send the wrong message.
The issue extends beyond charity.
Modern society increasingly celebrates personalities. Public figures build brands. Success is often measured by visibility. Recognition has become a valuable commodity.
The church can sometimes be influenced by this culture.
Instead of ministries being known primarily for their message, they become known for personalities. Pastors become brands. Their images dominate posters, billboards, social media platforms and publicity materials.
Again, there is nothing wrong with appreciating faithful leaders. Scripture encourages respect for those who serve. The problem emerges when admiration becomes excessive and the personality begins to overshadow the purpose.
John the Baptist understood this principle perfectly when he declared in John 3:30, “He must increase, but I must decrease.”
Those words capture the heart of genuine ministry.
The objective of ministry is not to make leaders famous.
The objective is to make Christ known.
The Apostle Paul expressed a similar thought in Galatians 1:10 when he wrote, “For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.”
Churches also face the challenge of avoiding favoritism and status-consciousness.
The world often measures people by wealth, influence, education and social position.
The church is supposed to operate differently.
James addressed this issue directly in James 2:1-4, warning believers against showing favoritism toward the wealthy while treating the poor differently. The Gospel teaches that all people stand equal before God. Whether rich or poor, influential or ordinary, every person stands in need of grace.
Yet it can be tempting for churches to adopt the world’s standards. Wealthy individuals receive special recognition. Influential guests are treated differently. Social status sometimes affects how people are perceived.
When this happens, the church risks reflecting society rather than challenging it.
Success presents another area where Christians must remain careful.
Many churches today live under enormous pressure to grow. Attendance figures matter. Building projects matter. Financial resources matter. Community impact matters.
None of these things are wrong.
Growth can be a blessing.
Influence can be used positively.
Resources can help advance ministry.
The danger comes when numerical achievement becomes the primary measure of spiritual success.
A large church is not automatically a healthy church.
A wealthy ministry is not automatically a faithful ministry.
Large crowds can gather around many things.
What ultimately matters is whether lives are being transformed and whether Christ remains at the center.
The same principle applies to fundraising.
Churches need money to operate. Missions require funding. Community programmes require resources. Facilities must be maintained.
There is nothing wrong with encouraging generosity.
However, the church must guard against creating a culture where recognition becomes attached to giving.
One of the most powerful lessons about generosity comes from the widow who placed two small coins into the temple treasury. In Mark 12:41-44, Jesus watched people give their offerings and drew attention to this poor widow. Her contribution attracted little notice from those around her, but it attracted the attention of Christ.
Others gave from abundance.
She gave from sacrifice.
And that made all the difference.
The story reminds believers that God’s measurements often differ from human measurements.
People are impressed by size.
God is impressed by sincerity.
People notice visibility.
God notices faithfulness.
People reward recognition.
God examines motives.
Paul urged believers in Philippians 2:3 to do “nothing through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.”
Similarly, Proverbs 27:2 teaches, “Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.”
These passages emphasize a consistent biblical principle: humility honors God more than self-promotion.
At the same time, Scripture does not teach that every good work must be hidden. Jesus Himself said in Matthew 5:16, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
Notice the purpose of that visibility. The goal is not that men may admire the church, applaud the pastor or celebrate the ministry. The goal is that they may glorify the Father. When a good work points people to God,
it fulfils this command. When it points people to the giver, something has gone wrong.
This is why the two instructions of Jesus do not contradict each other. In Matthew 6, He warns against giving in order to be seen. In Matthew 5,
He encourages good works that can be seen. The difference lies in the heart. One seeks glory for self. The other seeks glory for God.
Perhaps the simplest way for any church to test itself is to ask a few honest questions.
Would this outreach still be carried out if no camera were present?
Would the beneficiaries still be treated with the same dignity if no one were watching?
When people see the work, whose name rises in their minds, the Father’s or the pastor’s?
Is the food in the bag the message, or is the face on the bag the message?
If the answers are uncomfortable, then adjustment is needed.
Practical steps are not difficult. Let relief materials carry food rather than faces. Protect the dignity and privacy of the people being helped, who should never be turned into props for publicity. Where testimonies must be shared for accountability or encouragement, let them be honest, modest and focused on what God has done. Let the left hand not make a show of what the right hand is doing.
The church will always live in the world, but it was never meant to behave like the world. Jesus told His disciples in John 15:19 that they are not of the world. Paul warned in Romans 12:2, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
Politicians campaign because they need votes. The church has no votes to win. It has souls to serve, a Saviour to reflect and a Father who sees in secret.
That elderly widow never learned the name of the person who fed her for months. She did not need to.
The gift did its work, her gratitude went to God, and the giver received his reward where it counts.
Perhaps that is the standard the church should aspire to once again: compassion so genuine that it does not need a logo, a photograph or an audience to be real.
*For comments, reflections and further conversation: samuelagogo4one@yahoo.com, +2348055847364*