I’ve been using a term recently—Christian consumerism. I’m not using it to describe what Christians buy; rather, it describes the attitude of many of today’s believers in what they want both from Jesus and His church. To be sure, well-meaning church leaders have contributed to this mindset by championing the cause of a seeker-driven philosophy; say what you need to say, do what you need to do, offer what you need to offer to reach seekers. Along the way, followers of Christ have taken note and decided “I want to get in on that.” One of the things this has resulted in is what I refer to as “church shopping.” Instead of seeking a church on the basis of "Where does God want me to be?" it has become “What can this church do for me?”
Larger churches are more capable of dealing with this mindset because of a greater treasure of resources. Smaller churches are often left feeling insignificant and even guilty because often they hear guests (and church members) say, “My kids need more or deserve more than what you can give, we’ve got to go to a bigger church.” Have you heard that?
What’s more, it doesn’t stop with shopping for a church; the mindset is even applied to God. Jesus said in Matthew 22 that we are to “Love the Lord with all your heart, your soul, your mind and your strength. This is the first and greatest commandment.” Every preacher proclaims, “We are to love God!” However, it’s what follows that violates the implied meaning of the Scripture. When a so-called preacher says, “We are to love God AND God wants you to be healthy, God wants you to be wealthy, God wants you to be happy, God’s want you to be successful,” and listeners buy in to this message, the result is someone who does not truly love God—they lust God. When you love God, He is the object of your affection. When you lust God, you are the object of your affection.
When you love God, it doesn’t make any different whether you’re happy, healthy, wealthy, successful, or your kids have playmates at church—you get the point? All that matters is knowing God’s will for you life and doing it every day. Remember, it’s all about God and not about you and me.
I suspect I’m going to preach on this…a lot. I know it’s countercultural and not at all popular. But I’m right and you know it.
3 comments:
B and I talk about this a lot. We think it is a Christian maturity and an overall maturity issue. A child wants what the child wants (and sometimes insists on getting it) but adults can see the bigger picture and see that their function is to provide for others and contribute to the overall good. So many of our mega-churches are filled with spiritual children and no adults to handle the hard parts. Some mega-pastors are catering to these orphans and are themselves too busy or too immature (could it be too greedy?) to see it for what it is. Overall, our culture is stricken with a Peter Pan syndrome that is going to be difficult to overcome. Years ago, a friend was dissatisfied with the manner of speaking of our pastor and had decided to leave for a different church because of it. My friend was involved in a ministry with me and I encouraged him to see his church as the place where he serves rather than the place where he is served. It didn't work.
PerfectLoop: I'm sorry about your friend. Unfortunately, I have experienced the very same thing dozens of times. Hopefully, it has dawned upon your friend that your advice was not only caring, but biblical as well.
Thanks for commenting.
Having left a church, we contributed a lot to, my wife and I attended a mega church filled with children looking for a relationship with God and finding only "Small Groups" of like minded people on the same quest. Missing were the elders who teach from the word and give advice on the day to day problems. Truly the blind leading the blind. We attended because our daughter saw this as her church home and we being homeless were seeking a place to be useful. In a short time our daughter lost interest and moved on. For our part we know what we are seeking and we can either add our experience to their need or if this is not what is wanted we can move on too.
In many respects the old ways of growing strong in the word is being replaced with the need to "reach" the youth of today. The problem is in order to "reach" we step outside of the word and embrace heretical practices and in the end these heresies like a little leaven spoil the whole loaf.
I don't believe we must abandon the word in order to "reach" people, to "reach" people we must embrace the word and allow the Holy Spirit to do His word. It is not our job to save people but only to bring God message of love.
If you need proof that the teaching of the word is important to believer just attend any Bible Study Fellowship meeting in your area and I am sure you will find it Standing Room Only with a long waiting list of believer hungry for the word.If you want to "reach" people I think we could do a lot less than follow the lead of Billy Graham.
A challenge to elders in the church's is to offer bible studies to member of their local mega church.
Remember our duty is first to one another and then to the unbelieving world, if we don't support one another there is no one to send out with the message or salvation.
Keep hammering away at it Tom, I love the "Old Old Story".
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