coming soon
 
 
 
IS AMERICAN CHRISTIANITY IN CRISIS? In a nutshell the answer is yes. Consumerism is a disease that effects every person in Western society. American Christians [and our churches] are not immune. We move from one distraction to the next, bubbling ourselves from meeting the needs of a world so desperate for love. This is not the lifestyle God demands of Christians. Our cumulative consumptive choices have growing consequences. REAPING WHAT WE SOW.. THE CONSEQUENCES OF CONSUMING CHURCH Consumer Christianity has consequences-- in the macro-christianity [the big picture] and micro-christianity [the local picture] Consumer Christianity has consequences on the local level. While it helps grow a church, the people it attracts, are attracted for one reason. The church is providing services they want. This affects the way people view and choose a church. It sets the expectation when people come to a church. They are treated like customers, and so they act like customers. We shop for churches like we shop for cars. “Ohhh! I like this one... it fits me well, I like the feeling, it has leather?.” We select our churches based upon what they can provide for us. “I like the preaching, I like the worship and childcare”--this community is “best for us.” And that is really what it is all about isn’t it? What is best for us? The local church has become stuck in a cycle serving those who attend it. People arrive with the expectation of being served or entertained, and if those needs aren’t met --they shop for another church. We have become consumers of church--when Jesus called us to BE The Church. Its called Consumer Christianity--and it is really all most of us have ever seen. We now have “brands” of communities. Let’s look at the macro next. The more effectively leaders identify what people want and deliver-- the more the community will grow, and be perceived as a success. “Successful” [growing] communities are sought out as models for success. Local church leaders want to hear how these communities have grown. These leaders take the strategies and programs back to their local markets to deliver to their people. This widespread trend has created cookie cutter cultures and destroyed the uniqueness God intended for each local community. There is an entire industry of organizations designed to capitalize on this principle... This is a convenient exchange amongst ourselves, but where is the gritty purpose The Church was created to do? DO YOU SEE THE ISSUE WITH THIS GROWTH MODEL? IT GROWS THRU GIVING US WHAT WE WANT. WHO IS THIS DESIGNED TO SERVE? CONSUMER CHRISTIANITY. sympton 1# A LIFESTYLE OF CONSUMPTION...WHAT ARE WE SOWING? We build our local churches with consumerism in mind. We target the Consumptive mind-set. We plant churches like we plant a Starbucks. We use straightforward marketing models to capture our market--just like Wal-Mart,, or Nike. The following is a snapshot into the full cycle 1. We target a people group--and find out what they want. 2. We systematically craft services catering to the needs of these local customers. 3. We advertise and serve them---we make ourselves attractive to them 4. We generate revenues by making ourselves what our customers want. 5. We use the revenue to create better advertising [for new customers] & create better services [for existing customers] 6. We are more attractive---attracting more new customers & holding more repeat customers. 7. We find out what our new customers want and repeat the process. CONSUMER CHRISTIANITY. symptom #2 THE CONSUMPTION OF CHURCH FROM INCEPTION, WE BUILD OUR COMMUNITIES AROUND WHAT IS DESIRED BY THESE PEOPLE. THEY ARE OUR CUSTOMERS. WE BULID THE CHURCH TO SERVE THEM. CAMPAIGN CRISIS MOVEMENT ACTION RESOLUTION HOME CONTACT Consumption is a serious issue. Consumption is a lifestyle, a culture that is bred into us here in the western world. It is about more than simply materialism--it is about how we see life. We as Christians are supposed to live by certain principles of self-sacrifice and sharing. Jesus calls us to “love our neighbor as ourself”. America, and American Christians continue to consume materials and finances in astounding proportions. While we make up about 5% of the world population, we consume much more. What are we to do with these resources we have been given-- consume everything for ourselves, or share with our neighbors in such great need. A brief look at some basic material consumption statistics demonstrates a glaring discrepancy between what we need as 5% of the world and what we consume: all of this to feed our “need” for more and more. These statistics point to a “Culture of Consumerism” that has become Western life. MATERIAL RESOURCE ELECTRICITY COAL NATURAL GAS OATS CORN PAPER MEAT 22.8% [1# IN WORLD] 23.3% [1# IN WORLD] 22.6% [1# IN WORLD] 20.5% [1# IN WORLD] 41.5% [1# IN WORLD] 28% [1# IN WORLD] 15% [#1 IN WORLD] US PERCENTAGE OF CONSUMPTION US PERCENTAGE OF WORLD POPULATION: 5% 3% US PERCENTAGE COMMITTED TO AIDING OTHERS IN THE WORLD: [18th in world] There is a disproportionate amount of materials and resources that we use here in the United States. Coupled with the fact the we give less to others than many other groups of people, these two situations need to change. It is not our goal to crusade against governments and policies, but it is our hope that each of us will look inside our lives and examine the difference between NEED and WANT. If we truly live by the teachings of Jesus we should not allow others needs [both locally & globally] go unmet while we satisfy our slightest want. Choosing to live a life that satisfies your needs and curbs your wants may be the first step to breaking this cycle of consuming materials that both Americans and American christians have adopted as a lifestyle. Let us continue to think about how deeply consumerism is embedded into our lives. We should not be so naive to think that consumerism can invade our culture in all aspects and yet when we choose our churches and when we build our churches--consumerism has no part to play. This issue is critical to how we experience our Christian lives and what expectations we come to church with. DATA COLLECTED FROM NATIONMASTER.COM