Consumerism In The Church: Part 1

Perhaps the biggest obstacle to a new and fresh vision of the church taking root in our day is the pervasiveness of consumerism in the church today. Increasingly over the last few years, the value of a church has come to be defined as its ability to meet the needs of ourselves and our family. In America, it has increasingly become difficult for the average Christian to view the church in any way other than consumerist, market terms. The threat that such consumerism poses to today’s church cannot be overstated. To quote Alan Hirsch, “the major threat to the viability of our faith is not Islam, is not Buddhism, is not relativism or loss of moralism, but consumerism.”

The signs of consumerism in the church today are all around us. The era of infatuation with the big is the trend in today’s business world, and it is no different in American Christianity today. Increasingly, the big-box megachurch has come to define the church for a new generation. Ran by charismatic leaders with one-in-a-million gift mixes and talents, these megachurches have increasingly pushed the small neighborhood church to the margins of Christendom just as Wal-Mart has starved out the corner drug store.

As we scan the landscape for signs of consumerism in the church today, consider the latest models of church growth. Modern church growth strategies attempt to mold your church’s services to fit a predetermined audience and demographic. Are you having trouble making your church grow? No problem; hire a church consultant to evaluate the effectiveness of its marketing and to suggest a multifaceted business plan to improve things. With enough demographic studies and formulaic strategies, your church can enjoy the same success as a Willow Creek or Saddleback.

Consider the rise of “church brands” in the form of regional church campuses so prevalent today. Some brands of church, by their visible and attractive nature, are more marketable than others, and many megachurches attempt to capitalize on this momentum through starting regional campuses. The influence of these regional campuses is spreading rapidly in our day. Just as the franchise restaurant has pushed the mom and pop eateries to the brink of extinction, so the “franchising of church” has made it difficult for the small neighborhood church to survive in today’s market economy. Certainly, these multisite strategies should be praised for their tireless attempt to spread the kingdom of God. Yet the mere fact that such spiritual tribalism exists in the form of “church brands” speaks volumes as to the pervasiveness of consumerism in the church today.

All of us have been affected by the rise of consumerism in the church today. To prove this point, simply gather a collection of American churchgoers today and ask them this simple question: “What makes a good church?” Most of the answers you’ll hear will be similar: good kids programs, relevant messages, a cutting edge band, or right theology. But can “shopping for the right church” who offers excellence in such religious goods and services actually be justified by the example of our Leader, who has told us that we must forsake all concern for ourselves to follow Him?

In our next post, we’ll continue to explore the impact of consumerism on today’s American church.