Ecumenical individuals

The ugly truth of many conversations I have had among pastors is that there is an undercurrent of competition between churches. Each church is trying to grow, to appeal to the masses, to produce a type of church product that both benefits the community and might draw them into a Sunday service.

The problem with this presentation of church is that it deepens denominational divide where Christ calls us into unity. Competitive attitudes may force church leaders to focus on “winning” a game against its own teammates. There is also danger in that church leadership may allow or encourage activities that may have nothing to do with building up the body of Christ but instead are meant to lure in new members, turning the church into a product to be consumed rather than the embodiment of Christ which people could participate in.

Young adults have taken consuming the church product to a new level.

Young adults (18-34 years old) now report attending church more than any other age group of people. But 63% of those young adults are going to multiple churches.

One church might have great preaching. Another, beautiful worship. A third has a midweek young adult group.

Young adults are not nearly as church-loyal as previous generations. They seem to go wherever they feel as though they will get what they feel they need.

This is beautiful in that, from the perspective of the body, denominational boundaries are being broken down.

Where there is often competition secretly hiding in the hearts of leaders, the people in the pews see unity. Someone is able to go to many different styles of churches and experience the goodness of God in all of them.

The problem: this behavior is consumerist/attendee culture rather than participatory.

The reason to switch between churches is because one church offers great preaching, another great worship, and still another a great network. While it is great to get exposure to each of these qualities, the rub comes when it is time to build a community. It is hard to build a community among people are not regularly joining in and participating in community life.

Consumer Christianity places more pressure on paid professional ministers as people participate less. Pressure to perform. Pressure to deliver things people would want to consume. This is not the directive of a minister according to Scripture, but according to culture.

If trends like this continue, I believe that mega churches will only grow larger and smaller churches will close or consolidate. If people are only showing up to church to receive and not give, then we are not leading churches anymore but building a Christian entertainment production company.

Church is in danger of becoming a performance without power.

I do not want to overstate things, however, because I think that this generation is still trying to find its direction forward as a Church. There are dangers, but I also believe that much of this church hopping is a product of the hunger in people’s hearts. They are searching for truth, and are not content to be confined to one stream. They will go anywhere to find it.

I think this generation is going to change the world. Partly because of them, but mostly because God is on the move!

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