Spectator Jesus... Part 1
When we talk about the church, we tend to think of it as a spectator sport. You go somewhere, listen to the worship band, hear a sermon, & leave. Maybe you sing along, you might even be tempted to take notes because your pastor is amazing, possibly you drop some cash in the plate, but that tends to be the extent for most of us. Why? What caused the church to become something we went to instead of how we lived? That's the question that bugs me and I'll be looking at a few ideas in the coming weeks...
First, the consumer mindset. How often have you heard the term, "church shopping?" Referring to people checking out churches, looking for one that makes them happy, has the right slate of programs, makes them feel at home; not actually doing shopping for the church (although if you ask I can give you a shopping list for my student ministry and you can go get everything on it you want for us!).
It is so prevalent throughout our society and culture you probably don't even consider it. I mean, think for a second about all the companies who base their services on catering to you- "Have it your way." "Turning dreams into reality." "Because you're worth it." "The best you can be." "Obey your thirst." "Life's a journey- enjoy the ride." You can literally find anything you want done your way, our economy is predicated on it! You've got 24 hour stores everywhere, whether it's a gym, gas station, or big box grocery/merchandise store so time isn't an issue. If you're unable to find what you want locally, you can order it online and get it in 1-2 days or possibly stream it now.
That pervasive consumer culture has definitely slipped into the church with churches covering the entire spectrum- churches with organs & choirs, churches with guitars & drums, churches that are edgy & relevant, churches that are staid & traditional, churches for cowboys, churches for bikers, churches online, churches in every conceivable shape & form (note- I am a firm believer in the Bible meaning what it says, so I take Paul seriously when he says we need to become all things to all people! This isn't about NOT reaching out to people in any possibly way we can, but about the damage caused by mirroring our culture in the consumer mentality). In fact, one of the number one questions people are asked to consider is whether they "liked" the church or if they felt they "fit in." Those questions might help us cater better as a consumer shaped entity, but are still asking the wrong question! If we ask what the church can do for me, we miss the point of the church. The church exists to equip & empower followers of Jesus to quite literally be Jesus to the world. Instead, we've fallen for a shrink wrapped, sanitized, spayed & neutered "faith." In fact, it so little resembles the faith Jesus called people to, that most of the world cannot even imagine it being possible that they are one and the same. But is there more? I think so.
The question is, why does the church exist? To what purpose are followers of Christ called to in community? There are myriad answers, but the best summary I have is here: the Church is meant to be a community balanced and held in tension between the things Christ called us to do- worship in spirit and truth, create disciples who know and follow Jesus, live in community with each other, share the good news with everyone we possibly can, and live as Jesus everywhere we go bringing justice and mercy to the masses. To put it another way (and to completely steal from Rick Warren's Purpose Driven Church with my rephrasing)- the church exists to disciple, fellowship, worship, evangelize, and serve. The church is meant to be connectional and relational- eating together, laughing and crying together, helping each other- creating a body that is spiritual, physical, and real to the world around it. Attending worship is great- I highly encourage it, as it's essential to spiritual growth- but cannot be the end of what we do with a church! Instead- get to know people, go to lunch & dinner with them, study God's Word together, laugh & cry together, be there for them. Living life together is part and parcel of worshipping together, because worship isn't just singing songs and listening to a sermon! That is a misunderstanding of worship as an event, not a lifestyle, and has led to so many disconnected folks who "go to church" but have never seen, much less experienced, the church. Why? Because instead of keeping the focus on Christ, we've turned it subtly towards ourselves and our desires and needs, making the Church cater to our personal needs & desires instead of allowing ourselves to encounter the living God and become part of His purpose and plan.
So- why do you go to church? What purpose does it serve in your life? Have you thought about it or is it simply something you "do?" I pray we would repent of our selfish desires taking over something that is meant to eclipse our personal agendas and strive to move towards an idea that was best stated by JFK- "Ask not what your [church] can do for you, ask what you can do for your [church].
First, the consumer mindset. How often have you heard the term, "church shopping?" Referring to people checking out churches, looking for one that makes them happy, has the right slate of programs, makes them feel at home; not actually doing shopping for the church (although if you ask I can give you a shopping list for my student ministry and you can go get everything on it you want for us!).
It is so prevalent throughout our society and culture you probably don't even consider it. I mean, think for a second about all the companies who base their services on catering to you- "Have it your way." "Turning dreams into reality." "Because you're worth it." "The best you can be." "Obey your thirst." "Life's a journey- enjoy the ride." You can literally find anything you want done your way, our economy is predicated on it! You've got 24 hour stores everywhere, whether it's a gym, gas station, or big box grocery/merchandise store so time isn't an issue. If you're unable to find what you want locally, you can order it online and get it in 1-2 days or possibly stream it now.
That pervasive consumer culture has definitely slipped into the church with churches covering the entire spectrum- churches with organs & choirs, churches with guitars & drums, churches that are edgy & relevant, churches that are staid & traditional, churches for cowboys, churches for bikers, churches online, churches in every conceivable shape & form (note- I am a firm believer in the Bible meaning what it says, so I take Paul seriously when he says we need to become all things to all people! This isn't about NOT reaching out to people in any possibly way we can, but about the damage caused by mirroring our culture in the consumer mentality). In fact, one of the number one questions people are asked to consider is whether they "liked" the church or if they felt they "fit in." Those questions might help us cater better as a consumer shaped entity, but are still asking the wrong question! If we ask what the church can do for me, we miss the point of the church. The church exists to equip & empower followers of Jesus to quite literally be Jesus to the world. Instead, we've fallen for a shrink wrapped, sanitized, spayed & neutered "faith." In fact, it so little resembles the faith Jesus called people to, that most of the world cannot even imagine it being possible that they are one and the same. But is there more? I think so.
The question is, why does the church exist? To what purpose are followers of Christ called to in community? There are myriad answers, but the best summary I have is here: the Church is meant to be a community balanced and held in tension between the things Christ called us to do- worship in spirit and truth, create disciples who know and follow Jesus, live in community with each other, share the good news with everyone we possibly can, and live as Jesus everywhere we go bringing justice and mercy to the masses. To put it another way (and to completely steal from Rick Warren's Purpose Driven Church with my rephrasing)- the church exists to disciple, fellowship, worship, evangelize, and serve. The church is meant to be connectional and relational- eating together, laughing and crying together, helping each other- creating a body that is spiritual, physical, and real to the world around it. Attending worship is great- I highly encourage it, as it's essential to spiritual growth- but cannot be the end of what we do with a church! Instead- get to know people, go to lunch & dinner with them, study God's Word together, laugh & cry together, be there for them. Living life together is part and parcel of worshipping together, because worship isn't just singing songs and listening to a sermon! That is a misunderstanding of worship as an event, not a lifestyle, and has led to so many disconnected folks who "go to church" but have never seen, much less experienced, the church. Why? Because instead of keeping the focus on Christ, we've turned it subtly towards ourselves and our desires and needs, making the Church cater to our personal needs & desires instead of allowing ourselves to encounter the living God and become part of His purpose and plan.
So- why do you go to church? What purpose does it serve in your life? Have you thought about it or is it simply something you "do?" I pray we would repent of our selfish desires taking over something that is meant to eclipse our personal agendas and strive to move towards an idea that was best stated by JFK- "Ask not what your [church] can do for you, ask what you can do for your [church].
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