Life In The Consumer Church, Part One

(Life In The Transformational Church, Part Two, June 4th Blog)

by Rev. Mark E. Tidsworth, Founder and Team Leader

“We exist to be an excellent provider of religious goods and services, resulting in contented members.”—De Facto Mission Statement, Consumer-Focused Church

Nearly everywhere we go, we are treated like consumers.

Consumer purchasing drives the American economy. Grocery stores want our food dollars, with attractive BOGO (buy one, get one free) offers. The fitness industry has clothes, shoes, and numerous gadgets to help us reach our fitness potential. Car companies invite us to visualize ourselves in the stories they tell through video. Non-profit organizations pull at our heart-strings, hoping we will contribute to their cause while enjoying tax deductions. Nearly everywhere we go… nearly every site on the internet we engage… nearly everyone it seems, relates to us as consumers. “What we have, is what you want and need,” is the message bombarding our senses on a daily basis.

So… is it any wonder that many bring a consumeristic mindset to their church experience? We are conditioned to believe the church is simply another organization in our communities whose purpose is to improve our lives, making us happy, healthy, and whole.

Church leaders, either consciously or unconsciously, recognize this dynamic here in a developed country, feeling the tug toward accommodation. There is a relentless pressure toward positioning our churches for meeting consumeristic demands. Church leadership often understands the mindsets of people in our culture; recognizing the subtle yet prevalent consumer understanding of church formed by beliefs like these:

• I am a completely free agent regarding my faith commitment, just like I am regarding my purchasing choices, along with my choices around employment and community.

• My decision about faith community and involvement are based on my well-being, faith journey, and preferences above all else.

• Concern for/obligation to other disciples is a lesser value than my individual freedom to choose.

• Church is like other organizations I belong to; it’s there to meet my needs and wants.

• Since the church is there to make me happy, when I am not happy, it means something is wrong with this church.

Do you know what it’s like to lead a volunteer organization based on consumerism? Well yes, many of you do. Not fully perhaps, because most churches have some degree of consumerism infiltrating their common life, not fully consumeristic. At the same time, in this current context where church participation is less popular than pre-2000, we want to hang on to as many members as possible. At this point in history, one can see how we might give in to consumerism, believing this gives us the best chance for survival. Ironically, the result is church culture looking something like this:

• Low-expectation organizations

• Shallow faith, theology and discipleship

• Fragile interpersonal relationships

• Conflict aversion

• Community tourism

• Immediate gratification expectations

• Focus on pleasing constituents

When this is so, it all seems so fragile, potentially disrupted and disintegrating with the slightest misstep.

While writing this, I’m eager to move to Part Two of this very brief two-part series, focusing on the kinds of church cultures we want to pursue. That’s where the hope and good movement live. Please join me next week for that article. But between now and then, here’s a question for reflection… one you are likely already pondering as we speak.

When founding and commissioning the body of Christ (Church), is this what Jesus had in mind?