I mentioned in my previous post that I’d be writing about the slippery slope of parishioners as consumers. Let me explain why that slope is so slippery.
This past August a study came out that found that when people go in search of a church, the most important factors—much more than the denominational affiliation—are the quality of the preaching and the welcome they receive. This makes a lot of sense. Why would you go somewhere to encounter God if you didn’t feel inspired or welcomed?
But below the surface there is a hint of a larger cultural problem related to church-going that is changing the way we relate to our religious institutions, and, more importantly, to God.
More and more people are coming to church as consumers. This is inevitable since almost every other aspect of our daily lives puts us in this role. In a world of over-abundance of choice, there is fierce competition for our attention, our dollars and our energy. Newspapers and news shows compete for us in a marketplace saturated with information; brands compete for our dollars; and everyone, it seems, is competing for our time. Everywhere we turn we, the consumer, are empowered by being able to say, “I choose you.” And the goal is to have the most people choose you, so you can make money from them. Our lives are deeply formed by the transactional nature of almost all of our daily interactions.
When it comes to churches, the current problem is not an overabundance of supply (though here in America the diversity of religious choice does offer something for everyone—even those not religious at all) but a lack of demand. This drives the same sort of competition, but even more fiercely. Fighting over too few resources is more violent than fighting over too many.
This means that churches start treating their parishioners as consumers as well. They try to “sell” themselves by making the worship more entertaining, making sure every event is fun and uplifting. They go to great lengths to make people feel good about themselves because if you make them feel bad about themselves, well they can just pick up their pledge and go to another church down the road, if they go to a church at all. What you are getting from church is the selling point—a good show, free childcare for an hour or two, exciting outings and trips, etc.
Now, properly scoped, these things are not bad. People should get a deep sense of connection and joy from their place of worship. But they should feel that way because of how those aspects of the church life—liturgy, programs, preaching, formation—introduce them to God, point them on to something greater, not solely because it makes them feel good. Sorry to say but the “Good News” is not always the “feel good news.”
And this is where the consumerist mentality starts to threaten theological understanding. For if people look to God the same way they are starting to look to the Church—from the viewpoint of “what am I getting from you?”—we are in trouble. We are in trouble because then we go the route of God as self-help guru who wants you to feel good and happy all the time; a God who is there to cater to your every comfort and whim. The relationship with God is transactionalized And when God seems not to hold up God’s end of the bargain—“I lost my job? No thanks God, you’re fired.”—the relationship is severed.
We need to balance out this mindset. Instead of approaching God, or a church for what you can get from it, there needs to be equal emphasis on what you can give to it. You give praise to God in worship because of what you have been given before you even walk in the door. You give your time, talent and treasure to the Church because you have it to give. Certainly your church should feed your soul–Christ was given for us that we might have life and have it more abundantly. But if it is in giving that we truly receive, why is our approach to church so exclusively focused on receiving?
Ultimately what is at issue here is power. In a consumerist mindset the consumer has the power. They choose; they are in control of whether you get their money (or time) or not. Churches can be as greedy for these things as businesses are. But when you are the giver, when the supply comes from you and the demand is from God, God is in power (where God should be) and you are working to please God, not the other way around.
So rather than coming into a church asking what can I get from this place (or only asking that) what if parishioners were asking, what have I been given that I can give to this place? Is this a place where I can come and feel as though I am offering up my life and labor to the Lord? To be clear, this does not mean that the experience of being at church should not be uplifting and glorious for those who attend. But if all we’re asking ourselves after church is “What did I get today?” we’ve only got half a relationship with the church and only half a relationship with God.