Church Consumerism Discussion
Choosing a personal church for me is based on what the church values are, their beliefs in the gospel, how they interact with each other, and whether it aligns with my personal beliefs on the gospel. “Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28, New International Version). According to this verse, Jesus did not come to earth as the Son of God to be served or worshipped by other people, but rather to serve other so that they may understand the love of God through Him. Similarly, as a Christian, one should not only look for a church that will serve them by teaching them the word of God, but also a church where they will grow by serving others as Jesus served the people (Scott, 2006).
Some of the decision criteria that one can use when considering a church include the relevance of what is preached to one’s personal and spiritual journey, credibility in terms of practicing what is preached at the church, and the quality of the ministry at the church (Carroll, 2000; Rainer, 2013). The most important aspect of any criteria used is ensuring that selected church is based on the word of God and considering what one can offer to the church or the members of the church. In choosing a church. I always seek to receive the word of God and fellowship with the other Christians while at the same time providing my services through Bible Study, involvement in the subcommittees such as welfare that cater for the poor, and spreading the word of God through missions.
While my first approach when selecting a new church has always been based on what the church offers me, I believe I should also start consider services that I can offer to churches that I initially might have ruled out such as teaching the word of God and promoting the true worship of God through practice and preaching.
References
Carroll, J. W. (2000). Mainline to the Future: Congregations for the 21st Century. Westminster John Knox Press.
Rainer, T. S. (2013). I Am A Church Member: Discovering the Attitude That Makes the Difference. B&H Publishing Group.
Scott, J. (2006). Basic Christian Leadership: Biblical Models of Church, Gospel and Ministry. InterVarsity Press.