Presumably all Christians wonder if they are at the ‘right’ church. This can be because they feel they are being left behind if everything is moving along without them, or more probably that they think the church does not meet their needs.
Brian Mayfield tackles this by asking whether the fault lies with the person not the church. He quotes Hebrews 5 and uses the metaphor of ‘being fed’ by the church or the Christian using the fork to feed themselves;
Considering this, it makes me wonder: Could it be that so many get to this place of feeling they’re not ‘being fed’ be due to the fact that we haven’t taught them well enough how to feed themselves? Should we have new classes in church like Feeding: 101 and Using Your Own Fork? Seriously. Should it be reduced to this?
Perhaps in our culture today, it is still hard to get out from the idea of the church as service provider.
Update on 21 February 2007: There is a follow up post on being fed called ‘kill your iPod’, which relates to creativity. When we are constantly being fed (for instance television, music entertainment), our creativity suffers. I guess that must be true for churches as well. In the respect of congregants being constantly fed and not doing the thing themselves. God wants us to be creative in our worship (all forms) rather than stagnant.
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11 February 2007 at 11:37 pm
wagsoutside
I think it’s a question worth asking. Certainly not every church is a good fit for every individual, but “being fed” is a two-way street. While the church should provide opportunities for its members to “plug in” to the community and become engaged, the members have little reason to complain about not being fed if they do not actively seek to take advantage of those opportunities.
11 February 2007 at 11:39 pm
thelamp
a church is a gathering of people who desire to know more about God. Attending church doesn’t make one closer to God. Now, if people are attending church services beyond the true need as an opportunity to learn more about God and what jesus did and can do in our lives, then it is an utter waste of time.
12 February 2007 at 2:41 am
cumby
The Scriptures plainly say that we meet together for the purpose of giving to one another and then receiving something in return. A psalm, a hymn, a doctrine, a prophecy, etc.; to edify, encourage and comfort others. It’s not a one-way street.
The church model where the pastor and a few others do all the work, while the congregation sits in the pews and does nothing, is the antithesis of what is modeled in 1Cor12 and the Book of Acts.
12 February 2007 at 4:12 am
Steven
Interesting post. The presuppositions are interesting–they “feel they are being left behind” which would indicate they are not involved and “the church does not meet their needs” which would indicate they are more interested in what the big guy can do for them than say… being involved and meeting other’s needs. Mayfield might be headed the right direction.
Cumby–where does scripture say that Christians are to “receive something in return”? I think both the Old and New Testament affirm the exact opposite. Love is about giving, not receiving. If it is about both it’s consumeristic (at best) or narcissistic (at worst).
12 February 2007 at 4:29 am
cumby
We don’t set out to receive, that would be narcissistic. But in the process of giving from a properly motivated heart, we receive.
Luke 6:38 “Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure– pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.”
13 February 2007 at 10:51 pm
Brandon
I think many have a very selfish, “feed me” mentality when they come to the church. They expect to be entertained, fed, uplifted, encouraged, and taught.
And I think much of that seemingly wrong mentality stems from the idea that the preacher is the chef and he cooks up what the people want to eat.
We do need to teach folks how to eat and be fed themselves as well.
Great stuff…
16 February 2007 at 5:29 am
AJ
Interesting study.
I am a pastor who preaches way too much. My problem is that people’s comments such as “I didn’t get fed by that” or “I don’t go and get filled up”, I typically respond by saying…
Me neither.
Unfortunately, it appears that church services have more and more become great and helpful for brand new believers, but at times not fulfilling for a mature believer. Mature believers need meat, not milk, and church services are more than not “breast feeding” to believers. Thoughh thjat may seem trite, we must learn that church has a purpose, and that purpose has never been to “fill people up”.
Love your thoughts.
18 February 2007 at 7:34 pm
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22 February 2007 at 6:56 pm
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