Over the next few posts, I want to take a look at how our culture affects our Christianity. As Christians, we are called to live counter culturally-being in the world but not of the world. But as Americans, we are being bombarded every day with our culture's philosophies and values-all of which are not in the least God-like. As westerners too, we are at a disadvantage to our culture because the Church was started in a culture far different from our own. So let's take some time to think about how we have bit into our culture.
Jack and Jill are new in town. They are Christians so of course the first thing that they must do is find a church to go to. Where will they go? Jack and Jill cannot decide. Every Sunday over the next few weeks, they happily go from one church to the next. At the end of each service they stop and reflect: Did I like the music? Did I agree with the teaching? Were the people friendly to me? Di I have things on common with them to better connect? Are the programs I can get plugged into? If they answered "yes" to most of them that is the right church for them. But if the answered "no", that is not the right church for them.
Consumerism. It's a big part of our culture. It is all about me: What's best for me, what I like, how it made me feel. Me. It's at the heart of consumerism-literally.
Now this attitude has it's place. It's ok to be a consumer when you go out to eat or shop or when you buy a new appliance. After all, your the one that has to live with it. Of course, if you're being a total you-know-what to the waitress at a restaurant, that's not cool. But that's beside the point. Consumerism however, has no place in the Church. If you're walking in with the mindset of a consumer, you might as well stay at home. After all, it's not your church. Church isn't about what I can get out of it. It's about glorifying God and encouraging one another.
Christ is the Head. It is His Church, not mine or yours. It's not your pastor's church or your denomination's church. It's Jesus Christ's. We are the Church, the Bride. He is the Groom. A bride cannot be her own bride, she is her husband's bride. He is the Builder and we the blocks (Hebrews 3:3-4). Our job is only to bring Him glory not fit in with each other.
You know something though? If we were to dedicate ourselves to not worrying about all the consumer stuff, He would make us fit. Just like a builder makes a house fit together, Jesus can make us fit together in perfect unity. Look at the early Church. 3,000+ people from all over the world. They had different cultures, interests, likes, and dislikes. But what does Acts say?
Jack and Jill are new in town. They are Christians so of course the first thing that they must do is find a church to go to. Where will they go? Jack and Jill cannot decide. Every Sunday over the next few weeks, they happily go from one church to the next. At the end of each service they stop and reflect: Did I like the music? Did I agree with the teaching? Were the people friendly to me? Di I have things on common with them to better connect? Are the programs I can get plugged into? If they answered "yes" to most of them that is the right church for them. But if the answered "no", that is not the right church for them.
Consumerism. It's a big part of our culture. It is all about me: What's best for me, what I like, how it made me feel. Me. It's at the heart of consumerism-literally.
Now this attitude has it's place. It's ok to be a consumer when you go out to eat or shop or when you buy a new appliance. After all, your the one that has to live with it. Of course, if you're being a total you-know-what to the waitress at a restaurant, that's not cool. But that's beside the point. Consumerism however, has no place in the Church. If you're walking in with the mindset of a consumer, you might as well stay at home. After all, it's not your church. Church isn't about what I can get out of it. It's about glorifying God and encouraging one another.
Christ is the Head. It is His Church, not mine or yours. It's not your pastor's church or your denomination's church. It's Jesus Christ's. We are the Church, the Bride. He is the Groom. A bride cannot be her own bride, she is her husband's bride. He is the Builder and we the blocks (Hebrews 3:3-4). Our job is only to bring Him glory not fit in with each other.
You know something though? If we were to dedicate ourselves to not worrying about all the consumer stuff, He would make us fit. Just like a builder makes a house fit together, Jesus can make us fit together in perfect unity. Look at the early Church. 3,000+ people from all over the world. They had different cultures, interests, likes, and dislikes. But what does Acts say?
"A deep sense of awe came over them all, and the apostles performed many miraculous signs and wonders. And all the believers met together in one place and shared everything they had. They sold their property and possessions and shared the money with those in need. They worshiped together at the Temple each day, met in homes for the Lord’s Supper, and shared their meals with great joy and generosity-all the while praising God and enjoying the goodwill of all the people. And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved."
They all came together, sharing with each other worshiping together, eating their meals together-all with an attitude of joy! What was the result of this? GOD added daily to their numbers. Because they set themselves apart in their actions and love, they gave God the glory and more people were saved. It was a witness to their culture of the love of God.
Our focus has turned from God to us in our churches. While we go to Church worship God, we go to our church because we like it there. Because we make our lives about us, not God. We have bitten into the American way of living: Your life, liberty and the pursuit or your happiness. Hook, line and sinker.
I was talking to my older sister yesterday. She has just moved to a new city working as a baker of a restaurant there. He hours are crazy early so she doesn't have a lot of time to figure out going to church, so she just goes to the one that's most convenient for her. She said that it's kind of a hipster church (she's not a hipster) and most of the people there are not the kind of people she hangs out with. But she says that she needs to go to church so none of that really matters. "After all," she told me," It's not about where I fit in. I just need to go to Church so I do."
If you're searching for the right church,I encourage you to stop. Go where you feel God wants you. Maybe it's to the church just down the road, or the one across town. Wherever it is, though do it because God wants you there, not because you get warm fuzzies.
Consumerism can lead to judgmentalism, and we all know what Jesus has to say about judging others: DON'T.
Shake us up Lord!
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