Consumerism

There is no greater threat to the 21^st century church than consumerism:

• Its beliefs are comfort and convenience.

• Its mantra is “bigger is better.”

• Its inspiration is the business world.

• Its goal is to be the “Wal-Mart” of Christianity.

• Its heroes are the megachurch pastors.

• Its measure of success is buildings, budgets, and butts in seats or the A-B-C’s (attendance, buildings, checkbooks).

• Its franchises are church plants that want to clone the other megachurches (can you say McChurch).

• Its influence is seen in the thousands of pastors that are looking for the next model, the next program, the next conference, the next clone/franchise opportunity (been there, done that).

• It targets mainly middle class or suburban communities and usually ignores the ghettoes or downtowns or rural areas.

• It fosters competition rather than cooperation among sister churches.

I attended the conferences. I bought the books and tapes. I went home pumped about repositioning our church for growth. I experienced the disappointment when my clone didn’t happen like the megachurch superhero. But about the time I felt like a “loser” (because if you can’t grow your church that’s what you are, right?), I would see another ad for another conference or book and jump on board thinking this might be the magic pill to grow my church.

By consumer standards, Jesus’ ministry was not very successful. His three-year experiment only landed 12 leaders (one of whom failed miserably) and 120 followers. Jesus would not be asked to speak at our conferences or write a book. What would he know about breaking the “200 attendance barrier?” Yet when Jesus left this earth, his church of 120 propelled out into the community and turned the world upside-down. How did he do it? Jesus built spiritual depth into a small group of people and thrust them out to do the same over and over again. How are you and I doing likewise?

“In the long run, if we train people to be consumers rather than communers, we’ll end up with customers instead of disciples. It might fill up an auditorium, but it’ll never reach our world.” - Greg Laurie

 

Comments

[The Bishop]

it is this measure of success that gets me through some days. I wrestle with the "tried and true" methods of church planting and church growth. On some days, I feel like a failure. On others, I feel like a prophet. But, some days, I feel like it's making a difference. Some days, I know that 1 life at a time is the way Christ did it, and it's the way I'm called to work. Thanks for the reminder, Roy.
-J