Preference, Priorities and the Committed Churchgoer

Because I believe people get confused and begin to lump healthy discernment or muddle personal preferences in with selfishness (and because I have an unhealthy attraction to definitions in general!), I think it best to begin by defining “consumer Christianity”. According to the Berean Call, Consumer Christianity is, generally,

any attempt to build the kingdom of God or build up the individual Christian (or attract the potential convert to Christianity) by means and methods that appeal to the flesh, i.e., the deceitful and self-serving heart of man.

When we use business and Hollywood strategies to bring us closer to God, we are leaning on our own power. We attempt to make the world’s ways, God’s ways. This is where Church leadership over the past decade or two is at fault. In an honest attempt to feed their flocks, they set into motion a cycle of dependency and, instead of helping Christians to grow, end up making them short-sighted and weak.

We shop for churches, pastors, the slickest presentations, the newest fads in worship music and universal get-God-quick programs (what I call "Top Ten Christianity"). Consumer Christianity turns honest, God-seeking Christians into McChristians. The Church tries to offer what McDonalds does:

• Lot's of menu choices designed to please our appetites and personal tastes. Give the people what they want.
• Hold down the price of commitment in time and money.
• The tendency to avoid intimacy. That's why many people love the mega-church environment where they can be anonymous consumers. You never have to get to know anyone!

The Church is dying of its addiction to spiritual fast food. Indeed, as historian Thomas C. Reeves says

Christianity in modern America . . . tends to be easy, upbeat, convenient, and compatible. It does not require self-sacrifice, discipline, humility, an otherworldly outlook, a zeal for souls, a fear as well as love of God. There is little guilt and no punishment, and the payoff in heaven is virtually certain. What we now have might best be labeled 'Consumer Christianity.' The cost is low and customer satisfaction seems guaranteed."

So, as you can see, by this definition Consumer Christianity is not what Jesus had in mind for His Church, for, if “anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it" (Luke 9:23-24, Matthew 16:24-26).

But can someone seek to maximize his or her well-being, edification or, even, comfort in church without being a Consumer Christian? Is it, essentially, ungodly to enjoy, even look forward to, the blessings of God that flow from a personally helpful sermon, a familiar song, or a favorite program? Is it wrong to seek fulfillment, renewal, and personal growth in church? Can we continue to offer various alternatives and choices in church, yet continually disparage the very act of choosing? Are we required to endure an intolerable church experience, just to avoid being labeled “consumer Christians”?

Let’s be clear here, I am not suggesting that our church experience should merely be judged on a value basis. Church life is not monadic, it is communal, it is spiritual, it is for others. A mature churchgoer will recognize this. A mature and committed Christian will recognize that being equipped, renewed and revived is also an important part of going to church.

Here lies the balancing act between our personal preferences and our biblical priorities. Our preferences are just that, preferences; it's the way we like things. That doesn't mean that there's anything wrong with wanting things to be one way or another. It just means that we prefer what we prefer, in an aesthetic sense. We all prefer a certain way of worshipping God and serving others. And, under those circumstances, we may just fulfil our God-given purposes at an optimal level.

The committed churchgoer is just that: committed. He or she is committed to growing in Jesus and finding ways to serve others. The committed Christian is also committed to looking into themselves with the aid of the Holy Spirit to discern what things in our church life that are just preferences (the way we like it) and those things that a biblical priorities worth speaking up for.

One final point to keep in mind: if a person leaves a church please don't simply write them off as "Consumer Christians". It may well be that they are, but, on the other hand, God may be using a certain situation in their church life to compel them to move on to other opportunities for growth and ministry. We are all made very differently; we are all on our own separate journeys.