Why go to church if I'm not supposed to consume it?

I thrive on observation, interpretation and application. This is how I study the scriptures, interpret the world around me and relate to people. It isn't difficult for me to go from seeing straight to application to myself very quickly. Sometimes it takes longer.

I'm constantly interpreting events and making life application, hopefully, from a solidly Christian, God-centered perspective.

So, when I say things like, "we do not come to church to consume a product", it comes from the process of reading the scriptures and observing life around me.

I say that to say that I really believe that statement from the very bottom of my being. It is not intended to have a surprise effect or be a "gun shot from the pulpit".

A friend asked me recently why we come to church if we are not to come in order to consume. Very good question. I gave a quick response, but for those who have asked this question as well, here is a little more.

Why go to church if I'm not to be a consumer of church?
1. We are property of Jesus, therefore we go to give him praise with all those who are his property as well.

2. Fellowship, not so much fellowship from the reception standpoint (that would be simply consuming), but fellowship from the other person's perspective. 1 John talks about the fact that if we have fellowship with Jesus we will have fellowship with others in the church. The context of that is that others need others. So, if I'm not engaged in the church, and I'm a Christian, I am robbing someone else of fellowship they may need. This is not to say that I am anything of radical importance, but if I am in Christ the Holy Spirit dwells in me and I am a part of the body of Christ and I have something to contribute to someone else. If I am absent, a piece of the body is missing that the rest need.

3. The Hebrews 10:25 Factor. Here, the writer of Hebrews says to NOT forsake the assembling together with other believers. His reason is found throughout the book. First, in chapter three he says that we are to encourage one another today as long as it is called today so that we will not be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. So we have some encouragement for another person that will help in their fight against sin. To be absent is to keep that encouragement from someone else. Now that is quite selfish.

Also, in chapter 10 the writer of Hebrews says that these people had joyfully accepted the plundering of their property in order to remain faithful to Christ and they did not shrink back from the faith because of persecution. These people who were persecuted were visited by their brothers and sisters while they were imprisoned. It was those present in the lives of others who knew their need and met it while they were being persecuted. There is nothing in that language that suggests anyone was in the church for their own consumption of resources or any product. It was not because the bald guys gives good talks. The encouragement to not forsake assembly was for the purpose of making sure we are fighting sin (sin in their case would be leaving the faith to save themselves) by encouraging one another in the midst of difficulty. And to turn back from the faith when difficult times come is a deadly (chapter 6), so don't forsake coming because someone needs to be encouraged to keep on keeping on and the person coming and encouraging will get encouraged by others, but they get encouragement as a byproduct of coming to be consumed not coming to consume.

It is never wrong to be in need of others, its human. It is wrong to meet our own need at the expense of other people without giving them anything they need. That is the hight of selfishness. This is the mentality of many in the church. Evidenced in their "church shopping." They may say, "I don't like the music here." "I don't like the preacher there." "I don't like the Sunday School there." "They expect me to do stuff and not just take up space."

So these people land in a place where all of their wants have been satisfied without giving anything of themselves to others.

4. Be imitators of God Ephesians 5:1. It is intended that the church be made up of people who imitate the Son of God, Jesus, who came not to be served but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many. Jesus did not come to consume the people he would save. He came to serve them. He, God, washed their stinking feet. He washed the stinking feet of the one who would betray him and the one who would deny him and the others who would run like deer from the stirring of the crowd. So, should I come to get when Jesus came to give and I have been told to imitate God?

I'll let you answer that one.