1. You talk more about being a member at your church (club) than being a member of the Body of Christ.
2. You worry more about your “church” walls and who is coming in them than about being the Church outside the walls.
3. The time between your prayers is seven days.
4. You come every Sunday but never serve.
5. Are constantly “checking out” churches
6. You leave a body of believers because you never got anything out of the message.
7. You get upset if the service goes long.
8. You don’t like having kids in the service because then you can’t GET anything out of it.
9. You believe the purpose Of Church is to fill you up for the week.
10. If you invite people in you sphere to Church but not to your home.
11. You complain that there are not enough programs.
12. You feel it’s the churches “job” to feed you.
13. Don’t come to Church on a Sunday the Senior Pastor isn’t preaching.
14. The only time your child hears about God is from his small group teacher on Sunday mornings.
15. After Church you spend more time talking about the volume of the music than you do the message.
16. You consider it a sin to cancel a church service.
17. You complain about the Children’s Ministry curriculum, but don’t have a curriculum that you do with them at home.
18. You the definition of Worship is Singing in Church.
Other Thoughts about Consumerism in the Church:
Many people ask for more “meat” from their Church like it was a Wendy’s and when the church obliges, they take a bite and realize that chewing takes a lot more work than sucking milk from a bottle and they give up.
Some after this go back up to the “customer service counter” and complain that this is the wrong “meat” because they can’t eat it all in one sitting on Sunday and they realize the only way they can finish it is take it home and take bites of it throughout the week but they don’t have time for that.
Others, upon finding the meat a challenge, take a bite and stuff the remainder of the uneaten sandwich back in the bag and pretend like they have eaten it so that the others in the restaurant (church) would not look down on them. But when the manager (church staff) comes and asks how was the “meat” we worked so hard to provide, you say something like, “I couldn’t eat it. It was too salty, or too filling or it is too expensive, or I don’t think I have time to eat.
Some ask for more “meat” (resources) and when the “Wendy’s” (church) provides it they are turned off by the price and don’t take the meat. The manager sees this and realizing that they are starving and will die without the food, hands it to them for free. They take it and smile but as they walk away they realize that it was not the price that turned them off, but the cost.
Our time with God either at home or at a church building is not about us it’s about God!
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I dig the message Mr. Lloyd...I can't help but agree. I do however have a question, when does being too busy impact your ability to eat or feed others and how do you combat that? I see you always going and going and I see myself doing the same thing...how are the priorities set and how do you augment your life without losing the things you need to be "filled up" personally? -j. madl
ReplyDeleteMarcus, my friend. I hope all is well.
ReplyDeleteI dig this... especially #17. Thanks for sharing.
Kevin
Jeff,
ReplyDeleteIn answer to your question
' When does being too busy impact your ability to eat or feed others?" I would say you are the only one who can answer that. If your ability to eat or feed others is being affected by your busyness then you need to do exactly what you said, prioritize. Different stages in life allow different things and you have to decide what is truly important and protect that. Even if it means loosing something else that is kind of important. I am a very busy man but I am busy doing things that are a priority to me. Even now I am up late reading through the book of Isaiah. I was watching TV when all of a sudden I realized that I was being robbed of time that I could be spending with God. I turned on some music and started reading through Acts then went to Isaiah. Sleep would be nice but I really love reading the Word so I am sacrificing some sleep to enjoy the quiet with God and now you :) I also really value my health these days so I will get up at 6:00 am and do yoga eventhough I would rather be asleep. My time with God and my time in the gym have become priorities for me but neither get done well when the family is awake so during the day my priority is my family and providing for them. Once they are asleep it's my time :) For the first time in a long time I am able to eat well, and that has made me able to feed others with joy. Hope that helps.