Church Consumerism
In our hyper-consumerist society, it's easy to fall into the trap of viewing church through the same lens we use for everything else in life.
But is this the way God intended for us to engage with His body of believers?
The Consumerist Mindset in Modern Society
We live in a world where personal happiness and well-being are often equated with consumption. From material possessions to information, diet fads to social media engagement, we're constantly bombarded with messages telling us that more consumption equals more satisfaction.
Unfortunately, for many people this mentality has seeped into our approach to church life as well.
The Church as a Product
When we adopt a consumerist attitude towards church, we start to view it as existing solely to meet our needs and make us happy. We judge our church experience based on:
How the music makes us feel
Whether the pastor's message inspires or entertains us
The quality of service we receive in various ministries
How well the congregation treats us
While these elements can contribute to a positive church experience, they're not meant to be the source of our fulfillment or life satisfaction.
The True Source of Life: Jesus Christ
It's crucial to remember that the church isn't meant to satisfy us or bring us life – that's Jesus' job. As the Apostle Paul writes in Ephesians 1:22-23:
"And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way."
Paul uses the imagery of the church as Christ's body, with Jesus as the head. As members of this body, we are made complete and filled with everything we need through our connection to Christ.
In other words, we as the church have life in Christ. The church doesn’t provide the life. We don’t find it in what the church can do for us, how the church can make us feel, or in what services the church can provide.
We are not going to find abundant life when we are consumers of church because the life isn’t found in services the church can provide…the Life is found in Jesus, and in Jesus alone!
The Danger of Misplaced Focus
The problem is that Satan keeps our eyes focused on this world. And this world is continuously convincing us through ads, marketing, and social media that we are missing something in our lives which drives our consumeristic tendencies to look for more happiness and personal wellbeing.
And when we feel like one church isn’t meeting our needs any longer, then that’s okay because we can always pack up and just find another one down the street. At some point, the same thing will happen with that church too though and we’ll be left once again in search of the feelings, satisfaction, or fulfillment we are looking for.
God's Vision for the Church: A Body of Contributors
God's intention for His church is far different from our consumerist tendencies. He put the Life of Christ in us so that we would be made complete in Him and not have to be slaves to consuming counterfeit life out in the world.
As those who have been filled up, we don’t have to take (consume) from the church, but are rather freed up to now contribute in the church.
Each Part Doing Its Work
In Ephesians 4:16, Paul describes how the body of Christ should function:
"From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work."
This verse emphasizes that every member has a role to play in contributing to the growth and edification of the church.
Six Ways We Can Contribute to Church Life
As we shift our mindset from consumers to contributors, here are six key areas where we can actively participate in church life:
1. Worship
We all have a part to play in our worship services. Whether it's through singing, serving, or simply being present and engaged, our participation matters.
2. Community
Building relationships and encouraging one another are vital aspects of church life. We contribute by actively engaging in fellowship and supporting our brothers and sisters in Christ.
3. Inviting
Sharing the gospel and inviting others to join us in worship is something Jesus desires to do through us as members of His body.
4. Giving
Contributing financially to support the church's mission and ministries is an important way we participate in God’s Kingdom work as Christ empowers us to do so.
5. Ministry
Using our God-given gifts and abilities to serve in various church ministries helps build up and edify the body of Christ.
6. Missions
Participating in missions, whether locally or globally, allows us to extend Christ's love and message beyond our church walls.
Embracing Our Role as Contributors
When we shift our focus from what we can get from church to what we can give, we align ourselves with God's vision for His body. We become channels through which Christ's life can flow, building up the church and drawing others to Him.
This doesn't mean we never receive from the church – of course, we do. But our primary orientation should be one of contribution, not consumption. As we make ourselves available to be used by Christ in these various areas of church life, we'll find that we experience far more than we ever could as mere consumers.
Let's challenge ourselves to approach church not with a "what's in it for me?" attitude, but with a "how can I contribute?" mindset. As we do, we'll not only see our churches grow stronger, but we'll also experience the joy and satisfaction that comes from experiencing Christ’s life and work through us as His body, the church.
