Modern Ecclesiology

I've been thinking a lot lately about the church. When I say "the church," I don't mean Good Shepherd Community Church (the church I am a part of). I mean the church in general, and all churches of Jesus Christ. How is it that we approach the church, and how is it that consumerism plays a role in our perspective?

I bring up consumerism because of a class I have been taking at seminary. This class has been very revealing when it comes to how we approach church, the Scriptures, our relationship with God, our relationships with one another. We often approach all of these by asking this question: "What can I get out of these?" For example, "What did you get out of the sermon?" "What did you get out of your time in the Word this morning?" "Did you have a good worship experience at church?"

We might even look at relationships that we have with others and say, "I'm just not getting what I need from this friendship."

We are all on a slippery slope with these things. There are extremes, like a drive-thru church (seriously): http://www.churchmarketingsucks.com/archives/2005/05/drive-thru_chur.html. This might seem kind of out there, but then a step away from that we have those who watch church at home, or those who listen to church on the radio. A couple steps away from that, though, we have those of us who say, "I go to church because it helps me in my personal relationship with Jesus."

Hmmm.

Now how different is someone who attends a Drive-Thru Church and someone who goes to a church because it helps them in their personal relationship with Jesus? Are they different in kind or just in degree?

What holds all of this together? It seems that the common bond is that both are saying, "I need certain things, and so I will go somewhere that I can get it. If that means that I just go to a Drive-Thru Church, complete my requirement, and get served communion, so be it. If that means that I attend a Bible-believing church each week, serve in a ministry, and host a small group, so be it. Bottom line, though, is what this church does for me in my personal relationship with Jesus."

At some point in our lives we might say, "I don't know if I can stay at this church because I just can't worship to this music." Or, "I don't know if I can stay at this church because I just don't get anything out of the sermons." Or, "I don't know if I can stay at this church because my kids aren't getting what I want them to get from the children's (or youth) ministry."

All of these things are convicting because we normally approach church (and God) with the mindset that it (or He) exists for us. This church exists to help me and to equip me to be a light for Christ. Biblically speaking, though, this just does not seem to be true. Does church really exist for me? Is church for Dan Franklin? Is the sermon there so that Dan Franklin gets something practical by which he can live his life? Is the worship there so that Dan Franklin can have a great time of worship?

The church is so much bigger than we tend to think. Jesus said that He was going to build His church, and that the gates of hell would not prevail against it. The Apostle Paul said that God intends to demonstrate His manifold wisdom to the spiritual authorities through the church. Through the church?! Not through individual Christians who are equipped by the church. But through the church. Through the body of Christ, as a body, moving for Him and demonstrating His greatness, His love, His mercy, His power, His gospel.

Is the church for Dan Frankin? Is your church for you?