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Devotion by Thom Rainer
“I am a church member. I teach a small group in my church. I occasionally preach when my pastor is out. I give to the church faithfully. I have been involved in other ministries in the church over the years.
But I sometimes start acting like a church consumer instead of a committed church member. Instead of focusing on others as 1 Corinthians 12 and 13 clearly demonstrate, I start acting like the church is supposed to serve me. I want to get my needs met. I want things a certain way for my family and me. My unholy trinity is me, myself, and I.
1 Corinthians 12:21- The eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you,” nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” On the contrary, the parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and on those parts of the body that we think less honorable we bestow the greater honor, and our unpresentable parts are treated with greater modesty, which our more presentable parts do not require. But God has so composed the body, giving greater honor to the part that lacked it, that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another. If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together.
Tracking My Own Attitude and Behavior
Recently, I’ve started tracking my own attitude by going through a series of signs that my commitment to my church is not what it should be. Here are eleven signs that I am becoming a church consumer instead of a committed church member.
You know you are becoming a church consumer when:
• Your worship attendance becomes optional.
• Your attendance to a small group is declining, or you stop attending completely.
• Your attitude toward your church is more critical.
• Your giving declines or stops.
• You critique sermons instead of listening prayerfully.
• You see the church as a place to meet your needs instead of your meeting the needs of others.
• You move readily to another church when your needs are not met.
• You get frustrated at what other church members aren’t doing.
• You don’t pray for your church regularly.
• You don’t share the gospel.
Church Consumers Are Not Biblical
The local church is the dominant topic in the Bible after the resurrection and ascension of Jesus. Indeed, the entirety of the New Testament, from Acts 2 to Revelation 3, is either about the local church or written in the context of the local church. The local church is God’s plan A, and he didn’t leave us a plan B. I am a church member.
Sometimes I need to be reminded to act and think like one.”