Has the Church Adopted Pagan Worship?

For centuries, the Church has celebrated holidays, conducted services, and followed traditions that many assume are rooted in Scripture. But what if some of these practices have origins not in the Bible, but in pagan rituals? What if, despite sincere intentions, we have unknowingly blended elements of idolatry into our worship? This article isn’t written to condemn but to awaken. God is calling His people to examine everything in the light of His Word. As the Apostle Paul urged in 1 Thessalonians 5:21, “But test everything; hold fast what is good.” Likewise, in Leviticus 20:26, God commands His people, “You shall be holy to me, for I the Lord am holy and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be mine.” This is a call to be set apart—not just in belief, but in practice.

The issue at hand is not simply about holiday decorations or church architecture. It’s about the purity of worship. Are we truly honoring God in spirit and truth, as Jesus commanded in John 4:24—“God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth”—or are we clinging to traditions that have more in common with ancient pagan rituals than biblical faith? In this article, we will explore the origins of certain church practices, comparing them to Scripture, to discern where the Church may need to repent and return to authentic, biblical worship.

Pagan Holidays in the Church

One of the most glaring examples of pagan influence can be found in the holidays that many churches celebrate today. The early Church rejected pagan traditions, but over time, as Christianity spread through the Roman Empire, certain practices were merged into the faith to make it more acceptable to Roman and Greek culture. This blending, known as syncretism, often led to the adoption of customs that had little to do with the Gospel.

Christmas and Winter Solstice Festivals

Christmas, celebrated on December 25, is often associated with the birth of Jesus. However, this date was originally significant for the pagan festival of Sol Invictus, the Roman sun god. December 25 marked the winter solstice, the time when the sun begins to “return” after the longest night of the year, symbolizing the rebirth of light. Additionally, the Roman festival of Saturnalia, a time of drunkenness, gift-giving, and revelry, influenced many Christmas traditions.

Consider the Christmas tree. Some point to Jeremiah 10:2-4 as a warning against this practice: “Thus says the Lord: Learn not the way of the nations, nor be dismayed at the signs of the heavens because the nations are dismayed at them, for the customs of the peoples are vanity. A tree from the forest is cut down and worked with an axe by the hands of a craftsman. They decorate it with silver and gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails so that it cannot move.” While this passage specifically addresses the crafting of idols, not modern Christmas trees, the parallel raises questions about whether such symbols are appropriate in Christian worship.

Other traditions like the Yule log and mistletoe have origins in Norse and Celtic fertility rituals, representing elements of pagan nature worship. While many believers have redefined these customs with Christian meanings, the question remains: If these traditions originated from idol worship, should we still celebrate them in a Christian context?

Easter and Fertility Worship

The name “Easter” is believed to derive from Eostre, an Anglo-Saxon goddess associated with fertility and spring. Symbols like the Easter bunny and eggs—representing fertility and new life—have pagan origins linked to goddess worship. Early Christians did not celebrate Easter as we know it today. Instead, they observed Passover, remembering Christ’s death and resurrection in connection with the biblical feasts. The shift from Passover to Easter occurred after Emperor Constantine outlawed Jewish customs in the 4th century, replacing them with Roman festivals.

Paul warns in Colossians 2:8, “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.” This verse challenges us to examine whether our traditions are rooted in Christ or in human customs passed down through generations.

Halloween (Samhain) and Church “Harvest Festivals”

Halloween’s origins lie in Samhain, an ancient Celtic festival marking the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter. It was believed that during this time, the veil between the living and the dead was thinnest, allowing spirits to roam the earth. To avoid being harmed by these spirits, people wore costumes and lit bonfires. While many churches reject Halloween’s darker elements, they often hold “Harvest Festivals” or “Trunk-or-Treat” events, unknowingly continuing the tradition under a different name.

Scripture is clear about engaging with practices rooted in the occult. Deuteronomy 18:10-12 states, “There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord.” Even if modern celebrations seem harmless, the spiritual roots matter.

Church Buildings and Pagan Temple Worship

In the New Testament, believers met in homes, sharing life together in simplicity and sincerity. Acts 2:46 records, “And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts.” There were no grand cathedrals or elaborate sanctuaries—just people gathered around the presence of God. Yet today’s church buildings often mirror pagan temples more than they do the early gatherings of believers.

Steeples and Obelisks

Many churches feature steeples, tall spires that bear a striking resemblance to Egyptian obelisks, which were originally symbols of sun worship. In ancient Egypt, obelisks represented the sun god Ra and were believed to be points of spiritual energy. Even more concerning is the connection to Baal worship, where obelisks symbolized the male reproductive organ—a stark contrast to the purity God desires in worship.

While modern believers may see steeples as mere architectural features, the question remains: Why do structures rooted in pagan symbolism sit atop houses of worship dedicated to the living God?

Elevated Platforms and “Sacred” Altars

Pagan temples often featured elevated platforms where priests conducted rituals, reinforcing a divide between the sacred and the ordinary. Today, many churches have pulpits raised above the congregation, unintentionally creating a similar hierarchy. Yet Scripture teaches that all believers are part of a royal priesthood. 1 Peter 2:9 declares, “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”

Likewise, while Old Testament altars were places of sacrifice, Jesus fulfilled the need for sacrifices through His death. Hebrews 10:12 says, “But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God.” If the ultimate sacrifice has been made, why do we still treat church stages as if they are sacred altars?

Pagan Practices in Worship Services

Modern worship services often resemble theatrical performances more than the Spirit-led gatherings described in Scripture. The focus has shifted from encountering God to creating an experience—one carefully crafted with lights, fog machines, and emotionally charged music.

Chanting and Repetitive Worship Songs

In pagan religions, chants and repetitive phrases were used to enter trance-like states and summon spirits. Jesus directly addresses this in Matthew 6:7, saying, “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.” The Greek word here, battalogeō, refers to babbling or mindless repetition.

While repetition itself isn’t inherently wrong—many Psalms repeat phrases to emphasize God’s attributes—the issue arises when songs become emotionally manipulative, designed to create a feeling rather than foster genuine connection with God.

Emotional Manipulation in Worship

Ancient pagan worship often relied on music, incense, and ecstatic rituals to invoke spiritual experiences. Similarly, some churches now use lighting effects, fog machines, and emotionally driven music to manufacture a sense of God’s presence. But true worship isn’t about external stimuli. John 4:24 reminds us, “God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” Authentic worship flows from the heart, not from emotional manipulation.

Speaking in Tongues Without Interpretation

In pagan rituals, people would often speak in ecstatic gibberish as part of trance states. Paul addresses the misuse of tongues in 1 Corinthians 14:27-28: “If any speak in a tongue, let there be only two or at most three, and each in turn, and let someone interpret. But if there is no one to interpret, let each of them keep silent in church and speak to himself and to God.” Tongues are a legitimate gift of the Spirit, but they must be exercised with order and interpretation. Without this, services can devolve into confusion, which Paul warns against in 1 Corinthians 14:33: “For God is not a God of confusion but of peace.”

Prosperity Gospel and Selling Spirituality

Just as pagan priests profited from temple rituals, many modern churches have turned faith into a business, selling blessings, anointing oils, prayer cloths, and VIP seating at conferences. This commodification of the sacred mirrors the practices that Jesus condemned when He drove the money changers out of the temple. Matthew 21:12-13 records, “Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money changers… He said to them, ‘It is written, My house shall be called a house of prayer, but you make it a den of robbers.’”

The Apostle Peter rebuked Simon the Sorcerer for trying to buy spiritual power. In Acts 8:20, Peter says, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money!” The Holy Spirit cannot be bought, yet many modern ministries operate as if God’s favor is for sale.

The Clergy-Laity Divide: The Rise of “Celebrity Pastors”

In pagan temples, only the priests had direct access to the gods. Sadly, many churches today operate with a similar structure, creating a spiritual hierarchy where pastors function more like celebrities than shepherds. This contradicts the New Testament model, where leadership exists to equip the saints, not to be exalted above them. Ephesians 4:11-12 explains, “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.”

2 Peter 2:1-3 warns about false teachers: “But false prophets also arose among the people… and in their greed they will exploit you with false words.” The Church must guard against leaders who prioritize personal gain over genuine discipleship.

What Should We Do? A Call to Return to Biblical Worship

God is calling His people to come out of Babylon. Revelation 18:4 declares, “Come out of her, my people, lest you take part in her sins, lest you share in her plagues.” If these traditions originated in paganism, should we continue them just because they feel normal?

Steps to Return to True Worship:

• Reject Pagan Holidays: Return to celebrating biblical feasts like Passover, not man-made traditions like Christmas and Easter.

• Pursue Spirit-Led Worship: Focus on authentic, Spirit-filled worship rather than emotional manipulation.

• Rethink Church Structures: Embrace biblical community gatherings, not entertainment-driven services.

• Study the Scriptures: Be like the Bereans in Acts 17:11, who “received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.”

Final Word: A Remnant Rising

God is not looking for perfect performances or impressive rituals. He’s looking for hearts fully surrendered to Him. Romans 12:1-2 calls us to be living sacrifices: “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind.”

God is restoring His remnant—a people set apart, worshiping in Spirit and in truth. The question is: Are you ready to be part of that remnant?