In my last post I opened the subject that consumerism is alive and well in the American church (See e-bay ecclesiology). I mentioned a board member who told me, “The people who give their money to the church should get what they want out of the church.”

It is important to point out this board member is a Lord loving, eternally bound Christian. He is also representative of a growing demographic within the church body. Christians, saturated by our consumer culture, who have allowed a worldview of consumerism to permeate the church.

Make no mistake, consumerism is thriving in the church. As Church Consultants we see it over and over again. In fact, it is one of the most common roadblocks to growth we see.

Granted, everything in the church is not up for sale on e-bay. However, most everything is up for vote; begging the question, are people voting the will of God or are they voting their personal preferences?

True to form, the aforementioned church board member voted in line with his consumer worldview. Being a person of influence many others voted with him. Bottom line: his church consumerism derailed the mission of his church.

Today’s consumer also works in the mindset of consumer rights, which says, “If I don’t get what I want I will take my money and go somewhere else.” This is best illustrated by a gentleman who stood up in a congregational meeting and said, “If you don’t get me a new pastor, I am going to leave the church!”

The net result of church consumerism is that God’s mission is not being accomplished in the local church. Why? because the will of God is being held hostage to the will of the people.

So, what can church leaders do about consumerism in the church? A great place to begin is Philippians 2: 5-8. It starts by saying our attitude should be the same as Christ’s. It then goes on to describe continued examples of how Christ subordinated his own will for the sake of accomplishing God’s mission.

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