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From
the November, 2003 edition of The Chapel newsletter
by
Joe Fitler
Choices
We as Americans face every day a challenge that much of the rest of the world never has to deal with. That challenge is the enormity of choices we encounter in our day-to-day lives. Think for a minute of the number of restaurants, drug stores, grocery stores or department stores in this area. Think also about the market availability of automobiles, appliances, clothing, and homes. Note the number of services at our disposal: everything from lawn care to babysitting; haircuts to tax preparation. Think of the mind-boggling multitude of choices you have just when purchasing a cell phone. Look at our entertainment options: movies, clubs, CDs, DVDs, bookstores and countless others.
All of these things are an integral part of our vibrant market economy, giving American consumers a buying power greater than anywhere else on earth. We expect and get what we demand in the marketplace because we can leverage our power as consumers.
An even greater challenge for us as believers is to be ever vigilant not to let this "consumer mentality" affect our spiritual life -- a very real danger in our culture. Our outlook and expectations can become skewed if we are not careful. Though many will acknowledge that our church involvement is based on worship and service, we can easily find ourselves expecting to be served rather than to serve; expecting to be fed rather than being willing to feed; viewing commitment as just another option to be exercised if and when it is convenient for us.
The third time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love me?" He said, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Feed my sheep.”
John 21:17-18a
Scripture challenges us to seek involvement in the local church, committing to and supporting the Church universal (capital "C") through our affiliation with a local body of believers, the local church (lower case "c"). All too often we can be distracted from this local church commitment by things that appeal to our consumer mentality. We may always be looking for that church with what we see as the perfect facility, the perfect speaker, the perfect sermon, the perfect selection of programs, etc. Even if we find all of these things at one church (the elusive “perfect church”), we still tend to want to reserve our right to "opt-out" at any time and continue shopping.
Bottom line is that we cannot see the local church as just another consumer-driven resource. Certainly, the church is in place to serve, but remember that the church is not a building. It is not a pastoral staff, a board or committee.
We, all of us – the body of believers are the church, and therefore it is
we who do the serving.
It is why we are here.
“Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave -- just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
Matthew 20:26-28
In
Christ,
Joe
Fitler
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