Last Saturday I pulled 17 items of junk-mail from our postbox. Pillow Talk, Optus, and Target were crammed side by side with the weekly specials from the corner liquor store and the local real estate agent. It’s all evidence — if you need any — that we live in a Consumer Society. These days, even the way we vote isn’t based so much on the ideology of a party, but its economic credentials. And the bottom line is, we’ll vote for the party that’s best for our bottom line. We love choices, we love to be served, we know what we want, and we want it now. We’re born to shop ... and we shop ’til we drop.

The problem becomes obvious, though, when we bring consumerism to church. People “shop around” for a church that “meets their needs” in exactly the same way they browse the stores for a new TV set. According to a recent semi­nar I attended, the five key signs of a con­sumer church are:

• Constant church shopping — always looking for a better deal.
   
• A critical spirit — always assessing “what’s in it for me”.
   
• Minimal attendance — I’ll come when it’s convenient.
   
• Lack of relationship with others — especially avoiding serving.
   
• High expectations of leadership — we pay them so they should do all the work.

Naturally, from time to time there are valid reasons to shop around for a church — if you’ve just moved into a new area, or something’s gone disastrously wrong in your current church, or if the Bible is not being taught, you may find yourself browsing the aisles of the church-super­market. Choose carefully — and make sure it doesn’t become a habit.

The other four tell-tale signs of con­sumerism are not quite as easy to justify. A critical spirit will be constantly, and selfishly, finding fault. Your attendance patterns will be random and very patchy, because you’ll only turn up when you feel the urge. Much like a visit to the movies, you’ll only go if it’s a blockbuster, and you feel like an outing.

Relationships, of course, can be hard work — so get out of church as quickly as possible so you don’t have to talk to any­one. Worse still, you might be asked to help. And when it comes to kids’ pro­grams, or scripture teaching, or making things tick over smoothly on the occa­sional Sunday you decide to come along, well ... that’s what we pay the profession­als for. Isn’t it?

The challenging reality is that the gospel calls us to switch to the other side of the counter. Instead of walking into the “church-cafe” and waiting to be served, consider yourself a partner in the business — strap on your apron and start taking orders! Writing to the church in Philippi, Paul puts it this way:

In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now ... Phil. 1:5

Paul is overjoyed, because in a few short years, the Philippians have moved from being gospel consumers to being gospel partners. In practice, that means they’ll be bold in their own gospel witness, they’ll share with Paul in his suffer­ing, and they’ll send regular financial aid as he moves on to preach the gospel to the Thessalonians (Phil. 4:16).

The Philippians realised that being part of the church called for partnership — a vital interest in seeing others grow as fol­lowers of Jesus, strategic investment in starting other churches, and a deep and encouraging affection for their partner, the apostle Paul, who they supported through good times and bad.

So run your eye over the check-list one more time. Maybe it’s time you stopped being a consumer Christian and became a gospel partner? Work out ways you can be part of communicating the good news of Jesus, right where you are. Invest finan­cially in gospel partnership within your church. Find someone to encourage in the faith. Look for ways to serve, rather than waiting to be served. Look for newcom­ers, and work hard to make them wel­come. At the very least, look around your own church family, notice the people who are serving, and express your appreciation to those who are labouring as gospel part­ners for your benefit.