THE CHURCH IS A FRANCHISE, NOT AN EXCLUSIVE CLUB

Luke 9:49-50

Luk 9:49 John answered, “Master, we saw someone expelling demons in your name, and we tried to stop him because he is not a disciple along with us.”
Luk 9:50 But Jesus said to him, “Do not stop him, because whoever is not against you is for you.”

rival respect

The disciples had been personally called by Jesus, personally trained by Him, and personally sent out in His name. It’s no surprise that they assumed this gave them exclusive rights to His authority. In their minds, they were the inner circle—the ones with the official badge, the ones who had earned the right to speak and act in His name. So when they saw someone else casting out demons by invoking Jesus’ authority, their instinct was to shut it down. They weren’t questioning the man’s sincerity; they were questioning his legitimacy.

But Jesus corrected them gently and firmly. His kingdom was never meant to be a private club. His mission was never restricted to a handful of chosen insiders. The twelve were called, yes—but they were not the only ones called. Jesus had many followers, many servants, many voices. The Spirit was already at work beyond the boundaries the disciples had drawn. The “franchise,” as you put it, was always meant to expand.

This moment exposes a temptation that still lingers in the church today. We can easily slip into thinking that our group, our denomination, our tradition, or our way of doing ministry is the “real” one. We assume that others who worship differently, organize differently, or emphasize different aspects of the faith must be less faithful or less legitimate. But Jesus refuses to let His disciples think that way. If someone is truly acting in His name—if they are drawing people toward Him rather than away—then they are part of His work, even if they are not part of our circle.

This doesn’t mean every teaching is equally true or every practice equally wise. It does mean that the kingdom of God is far bigger than our preferences, our backgrounds, and our traditions. The Spirit has been raising up faithful believers in places we would never expect, using methods we would never choose, and blessing communities we might never understand. Jesus calls us to recognize His work wherever it appears, even when it doesn’t look like our own.

So we pray:
LORD, show us how to respect and appreciate other Christians from backgrounds different from our own. Teach us to celebrate Your work in all its diversity, and to recognize that anyone who truly serves in Your name is our brother or sister.