JDL - Direction Forty-four - Church Shopping

Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so. (Acts 17:11 (ESV))

According to the Church Growth Institute, people are shopping for a church. For what are people shopping? What is it they are looking for in a church? People are looking for a church that is friendly, a church that has something for every member of the family. Some people are looking for a church that is funny and entertaining. I would suggest that these are not the real needs for which people are looking, but these are their perceived needs.

For what are they shopping? They are shopping for a church that teaches what they believe. By this people are arriving at a spiritual and more subtle idolatry because they are looking to worship God not as He is but as they imagine Him to be. I would suggest that these perceived wants are culturally biased. What is it in the culture that motivates what I want in my God and in my worship? Church shopping becomes looking for a church that teaches what I believe rather than shopping for a church that believes and teaches what Scripture teaches.

On the other hand, according to the Church Growth Principles in the Book of Acts of the Bible, the Church (the Holy Christian Church) grows through the means of grace. The church grows through the use of the Word (the Bible) and the Sacraments (Holy Baptism and the Lord’s Supper). These then are also the marks of the church. Where the Word and Sacraments are in their truth and purity, there is the church.

Why this fascination with the Word and the Sacraments? Because the Word and Sacraments do what they say. God comes to us through means. If there are no means present, we take away God’s usual way of giving us His gifts and blessings so that He cannot come to us to give us His good gifts and blessings. The great thing about the Word and the Sacraments is that they are the usual means God uses to meet people’s actual needs. The Word identifies and calls sin, sin. It is only when sin is identified and dealt with, that is confessed, that forgiveness can enter. Thus, the Word and Sacraments then offers forgiveness, faith, and real life.

Even Jesus, when meeting people with felt needs, always attended first to their real needs. When the paralytic was put down through the roof of the house (Mark 2:1-12), he was seeking the physical need of being healed. Jesus’ first words to him were words which met his real need, “Your sins are forgiven.” And to show Himself to be God, that is that He had authority over all things, even the world, Jesus then went on to fulfill the man’s felt need; He healed him.

What is the difference? The difference is life and death, eternal life and eternal spiritual death. The question is, “Do we conform our church, teaching and doctrine, to the perceived wants and needs of people to attract the church shopper, and what does this do and mean?” “Do we stand firm in God’s Word and remind people that we would rather they be members of our church because they know what we believe and teach is the Word of God.”

To quote Joshua speaking to the Christians (Children of Israel, not to pagans asking for a decision for Jesus), “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15b). That is a Jesus-directed life.

Think About
When you think about the church of which you are a member, are you a member because you believe everything that is taught, or because it teaches what you want to believe? How does your church’s teaching relate to God’s Word?

Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for the Church and for Your Word which tells us what we are to believe. Forgive us when we seek our own way and beliefs. Help us seek Your will and ways as guided by Your Word, for Jesus’ sake. Amen.