The Church Isn’t a Fast Food Joint

“What would everyone like for dinner?”

Years ago, on the occasional Sunday evening, Mom would kindly offer to pick up dinner for the family. And, given the competing tastes of five unique individuals, Mom would appease the group by going to the various fast food restaurants near our home.

The Ultimate Fast Food Feast

I would generally seize these opportunities as a chance to put together the “ultimate fast food feast.” What did that mean? For me it meant piecing together a meal based on the best products of each restaurant: a cheeseburger from Whataburger, the French fries from McDonald’s, and a Frosty from Wendy’s. It also meant a good deal of heartburn.

This approach to eating was attractive because I didn’t have to commit to just one location. I could have it all. I could take all the best parts of each establishment and placate whatever desires I had. There was no need for complacency, and there was definitely no need to sacrifice whatever I wanted since the rest of the group also satisfied their food cravings.

Unfortunately, I believe this “feast” mentality has seeped into the churchgoer’s psyche. Why should I have to commit to one church? I would rather satisfy all my preferences with the veritable smorgasbord of churches in the area: the style of worship at First Church, the Bible fellowship class/community group at Second Church, and the preaching at Third Church. After all, one church isn’t going to have everything I “need.”

Servants, not Consumers

Let’s stop right there. In an age when the spotlight is on the self, Christians must fight even harder to delineate between a worldly mindset and a heavenly mindset. The first way of thinking asks how I can be served; the second way asks how I can serve. The first way makes faith and church attendance out to be a “selfie.” The second way turns the camera around on the Lord and everyone else.

So, the question must be posed: Are we seeking church as a consumer or as a servant? Don’t get me wrong. Consumers are a necessary and wonderful component of our free market and capitalistic economy. They purchase goods and services, keep businesses in the black, and promote positive growth.

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[quote bar=”true” align=”center”]Much like a constant diet of burgers and fries, me-focused consumption in church over a prolonged period of time is catastrophic to your spiritual health.[/quote]

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However, believers need to ensure they are not approaching the church with the drive-thru in mind: You drive up. You take a look at what you want. You get your order. You get filled up. You drive away. In the process, the church experience is reduced to nothing more than a transaction. It becomes just another item to check off on your weekend list.

God isn’t the focus. You are.

People aren’t the focus. You are.

And, a healthy spiritual life isn’t maintained. Much like a constant diet of burgers and fries, me-focused consumption in church over a prolonged period of time is catastrophic to your spiritual health. If the focus is on what you can get out of church, you’ve missed the point. Growth and radical change can’t occur when you’re in the way.

For the saint, consumption isn’t the goal. We’re called to be committed servants, not fickle consumers. Our sights should be set on the Lord and others. After all, in Mark 12:30-31 Jesus summarized the Ten Commandments in two simple statements: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. . . . Love your neighbor as yourself.”

But, what should we be looking for when trying to find a church home?

Preferences vs. Essentials

From my conversations with various people over the years, there seems to be a disconnect between what should be driving our pursuit of a church home. The essentials are primary and nonnegotiable. Our preferences are secondary and negotiable. The order and characterization of the essentials and preferences are key.

If the essential pursuit of my food journey on a particular evening is finding a burger, but I only visit Taco Bell or Raising Cane’s because of the marketing or friendly staff . . . didn’t I miss the mark? In the same way, finding a good, healthy church should be based on searching for the essentials. So, what are they?

I believe there are three main questions that need to be asked, which all require an affirmative response:

1. Is the church teaching the essential truths of Christianity based on the ultimate source of Truth, i.e. the Word of God?
2. Is the church pointing people to Christ and having a relationship with Him?
3. Is the church providing opportunities and equipping people for service in God’s kingdom?

A church that is properly enabling people to passionately pursue Christ and serve others should be the first and foremost desire of every believer. But, as with most things, I think we become distracted. We become focused on things that are not as important, such as how many contemporary worship songs were played in the service or how the service made me feel. Experience doesn’t inform truth; truth informs experience.

And, the reasons go on and on from there. Our search for a church home becomes a prolonged dating experience, never finding the “perfect” one. Unfortunately, we fail to realize that there is no perfect church this side of glory. Churches are made up of saints but also sinners. As a result, discord and imperfection are a safe bet. Just look at the early church in the New Testament. In Acts 6, the Hellenistic Jews had a grievance with the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution. And, the Church in Corinth had all sorts of problems.

But, did Paul advocate disbanding because they weren’t acting appropriately as a body of believers? No! He instructed them and prodded them in the direction of righteousness. The community of believers is just that – a community. We need each other because we aren’t self-sufficient. Following Christ is not meant to be a lonely and painful road when other believers are around you.

Let’s avoid the heartburn. It’s time to commit and serve.

Z. Montgomery