THE CHURCH IS NOT A CONSUMER AFFAIR

It has dawned on me - over more more than two decades of serving churches around the nation - that we as the church have a challenge before us.

Yes, I know. We have many challenges. We are challenged to grow, in faith, in mission and in numbers. We are challenged to claim a vision of ministry and faithfulness. And we are challenged - each one of us - to be faithful in our lives. All of this and more is before us.
But there is one challenge, I think, that if addressed, might help us with many of the other concerns that face us.

And that challenge has to do with the way in which we perceive the Church.

Think about it for a minute. What do people call it when they go looking for a church? They call it "Church Shopping." We look around until we find.....what? Certainly anyone seeking a church community hopes to find an environmment conducive to their faith. Many look for family based programs and whatnot. I must confess, that when we retire and go looking for a church community, we will do the same.

But uncomfortable truth is that underlying many of our assumptions is a consumer mentality about church. We feel that we should get what we want, or think we need. After all, we are the consumers, aren't we? We pay our pledge (most of us) and come to worship. Some of us even step up to the plate and participate in leadership roles. Shouldn't we then get what we want?
Well, yes......and no

If what we want is to deepen our faith in God through Jesus Christ, then yes. If what we want is to surrender our own ego and give ourselves to God's greater purpose for us, then yes. If what we want is to let go of all the baggage we hold and open ourselves up to the life changing love of God, then yes.....we do get what we want.

But if what we want has to do with our taste in music or worship style; if what we want has to do with us getting to make the decisions; well...you know the drill. If we are seeking our own gratification then I guess the answer is no. We don't get what we want.

This Church thing, we really must remember, is not about you or me. It's not - and I sometimes bridle at this because I too wrestle with ego - but it's not about what I think is important.

It's about God.

It's about the love of God as we discover it together in Jesus Christ. And the way we discover that is to lose our baggae, let go of our petty wants and desires and turn our hearts totally to God. That is what worship is about.

So when we come to worship, let us come, not to hear what we want; not to have our own world- views affirmed. When we enter into worship, let it not be about us at all, but about us giving all our praise and adoration to God. Let it be about us allowing the Spirit to enter in and change us.

We are not consumers, looking to have our wants gratified. We are worshippers, submitting our whole selves to a power greater than that which we can conceive.

And in our narcissistic world, this is no easy thing.

My prayer is that we will work, move, and pray together to give our selves and our lives to God.

See you next time.

Pastor Schuyler