We live in a consumer culture in the United States. We are constantly being drawn in by advertisements that claim to make our lives better and easier. We are constantly being asked to review and rate our experiences as customers. When it comes to physical goods and services we SHOULD be looking out for the best quality and the best price, and we SHOULD give honest reviews for good or bad service.
However, I think we need to be careful not to apply this consumer mentality when it comes to spiritual matters in the church. It appears that many churches today have fallen into the trap of trying to please the “customer” at any cost, and many are “shopping” for a church with the mindset of “what can this church offer me?”
There are many things that we need to consider when choosing a good church, including sound doctrine, unity, diversity, outreach, and spiritual growth opportunities. We must also ask this question when looking for a church: “How can I serve others in this church?”
All those who have trusted Christ as Savior have been given a spiritual gift to use in the local church for the profit of others. 1 Corinthians 12:7 says, “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.” We each have a spiritual responsibility as members in the body of Christ to do our part and to fulfil our roles in serving one another for the benefit of the whole body. Paul uses the example of the different parts of the human body working in unity to serve one another to teach how we should be operating as a spiritual body serving one another in the local church.
Our ultimate example to follow in seeking to serve is Jesus himself. He said in Matthew 20:27-28, “And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” Jesus was teaching His disciples that serving others is more important than being served. Today we need to remember that serving others is foundational to following Jesus.
Instead of asking the question “How can this church serve me?,” we should instead ask the question “How can I serve this church?” We need to leave our consumer culture at the door of the church and enter with a heart for serving others and not being served. If we are all committed to using our spiritual gifts to serve others, then the body of Christ will function in unity and each member will be blessed by the service of another.