Consumerism in the Church
America has become a society of consumers. We want the best, we want more of the best, and we want it now! Consumerism has become a disease. Marketers line up to satisfy us with products claiming to make us happier, richer, skinnier or prettier. And we willingly take the bait.
Consumerism has also affected our view of church. We look for churches to satisfy our every whim. We want modern church buildings, professional praise bands, glitzy children’s programs, comfy coffee bars, and preachers that look, dress, and act like we want them to. If we don’t like a sermon, we complain, “I didn’t get fed.”
Sadly, many churches have blindly accepted consumerism as the norm. We try to attract people through entertainment, promises, and competition with other churches. But this approach is short-lived. They will only stay until a bigger, better deal is offered elsewhere.
The solution is to be like Jesus. Jesus was not a consumer, he was a producer. Satan tried to appeal to Jesus’ appetite, but Jesus refused to be enticed by superficial means. His goal was to turn people into disciples that know how to feed themselves, grow, and reproduce themselves.
To be like Jesus, we need to repent of any consumeristic tendencies we may have and help others transform into his likeness.
What steps can you take to shed consumerism in your life?
