Consumer Christianity

Our culture is all about the consumer. We hear and believe things like—“The consumer is always right.” And the real problem comes into focus when we find people applying the consumer mindset to God, His church, and salvation. For example, the notion that one church is as good as another, or that we’re all heading to heaven in different ways. The expression, “Go to the church of your choice” seems to summarize the religious person’s consumer mindset.

One writer put it this way—“Every church has the problem of Consumer Christians: people who attend, sing, listen, drop in some money, and go home.” The point is simple enough: Consumer Christians lack a genuine connection to the Lord (they don’t understand the relationship He seeks with us) and even the relationships they are supposed to be a part of with other disciples: “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near” (Hebrews 10:24–25). Or, “Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor” (Romans 12:10).

These Consumer Christians among us have essentially left their first love (Revelation 2:4) if they ever had that love in the first place. And once they are dissatisfied—whether they find themselves disappointed in people or in God—they go shopping somewhere else to find what they’re looking for. “Self-made religion” is what the apostle Paul called it (Colossians 2:23). It existed in his day, and continues in ours.

When Paul wrote Timothy, he gave him the solemn charge to “preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths” (2 Timothy 4:2–4).

With a consumer mindset, people look to God and the congregation of believers they are part of in a number of misdirected and dangerous ways.

Some will look to God as a harsh taskmaster that they really don’t want anything to do with; that He’s aloof and detached from real problems. He’s there, but He’s not attentive. They will look to the congregation as something they’re not a part of, speaking in terms of “What they do …” rather than, “What we’re doing.” The Consumer Christian doesn’t simply have high expectations, they have unrealistic and often subjective expectations they hold to firmly in their unfair condemnation of others without first considering themselves; that these high expectations (and rules) don’t apply to them, but do apply to everyone else.

We’re all going to fail one another at one time or another. We’re all going to disappoint one another, but when we eagerly show compassion and love to one another, we won’t hold it against anyone that they’ve failed us because we realize that we, too, fail others. “Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart … Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 1:22; 4:8).

Rather than being a Consumer Christian, we need to strive to be a Servant just like our Lord and Savior—“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). When we serve one another from a genuine heart of love we will “grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love” (Ephesians 4:15–16).

Instead of us asking what others could do for us, we need to ask what we could do to help others. “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21). “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

“Not that we dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who are commending themselves. But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding. … For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends” (2 Corinthians 10:12, 18).

Don’t be a Consumer Christian.

Handling Disappointment

But that doesn't matter. Whether their motives are false or genuine, the message about Christ is being preached either way, so I rejoice. And I will continue to rejoice (Philippians 1:18 NLT).

For us to experience disappointment we must first have an expectation. Sometimes our expectations are unclear, maybe even to ourselves. This realization may not help us feel a lot better, but we should at least consider the possibility of our unclear expectations being the reason why we are disappointed. Furthermore, it may also be that we are disappointed because of unrealistic expectations — more often about what we expect of or from others than ourselves.

The apostle Paul reminds us to “not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart” (Galatians 6:9). Paul probably understood disappointment and even discouragement — especially when it came from brethren — more than almost anyone, except maybe the Lord himself.

Paul also mentions “danger from false brothers” (2 Cor. 11:26). It’s one thing to have to undergo hardship because of those who do not love the Lord, but it’s quite another level of disappointment — and possibly despair — when hardship comes from false brothers.

It’s hard to imagine that there were brothers who wanted to make Paul’s imprisonment worse, but there were. Paul briefly addresses his situation, and brings up a rather idealistic turn:

And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice. (Philippians 1:14–18).

Writing to his preaching protege, Timothy, the apostle Paul reminded him of the reasons why he suffered, and that Timothy’s expectation should very well be the same:

You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra — which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me. Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. (2 Timothy 3:10–13)

Timothy’s imprisonment can be inferred from the writer of Hebrews as he delivered the good news of Timothy’s release — “You should know that our brother Timothy has been released, with whom I shall see you if he comes soon” (Heb. 13:23). We know nothing about the details surrounding his being detained: whether it was to visit Paul (cf. 2 Tim. 4:11, 21) or for something else.

Getting back on point … We are going to suffer disappointment. Whether it comes from a coworker, neighbor, or friend; and, yes, it will feel worse when it comes from a brother or sister in Christ because we obviously expect better things from them.

So what can we do?

• We can begin by looking for spiritual stability and friendship with the Lord: He is the anchor of our souls (Heb. 6:13–20) and remains the same (Heb. 13:8–9).
• Prayer works (Luke 18:1 / Rom. 12:12 / 1 Thess. 5:17).
• We also need to remember that we, too, disappoint others — and we should give them the benefit of the doubt when we are disappointed by them because of God’s love for us all (Ecc. 7:21–22 / 1 Cor. 13:7 / 1 John 2:1–2, 4:19 / Rom. 3:23).
• We need to remember that God will judge, it’s not our place to exact revenge (Rom. 12:14, 17–21 / Heb. 10:30–31).
• Wait for the Lord (Psalm 27:13–14).

Perfekt Imperfektion

The older I get, the dumber I feel about nearly everything. Like King Saul, my self-assessment is pretty simple: "I have played the fool" (1 Sam. 26:21).

I actually hate myself because of how insecure I am.

I know that I'm not perfect, but there are days (or moments) that my imperfection is really known by all.

I wish better for my girls: thankfully, they have their mother to help them deal with life. I feel sorry for them sometimes that I'm there to undo what she's accomplished in them.

I am also very thankful for God's longsuffering (2 Pet. 3:15).