Consuming Religion

I'm currently in the 4th chapter of Alan Hirsch's book "The Forgotten Ways" and was so captivated by his section on the Consuming Church I felt I needed to post if for your consideration.  Just to preface, Hirsch argues that the major "religion" counteracting the work of the church today is the modern "religion" of consumerism.  To quote, "If the role of religion is to offer a sense of identity, purpose, meaning, and community, then it can be said that consumerism fulfills all these criteria" (Hirsch 107).

Hirsch further argues that, rather then reacting against consumerism, the church has adopted consumeristic practices and principles as the norm of how things are meant to be done.  So, with that as a preface, I refer you to the rather lengthy quote below.  Hope you enjoy!

The problem for the church in this situation is that it is now forced to compete with all the other ideologies and -isms in the  marketplace of religions and products for the allegiance of people, and it must do this in a way that mirrors the dynamics of the marketplace-because that is precisely the basis of how people make the countless daily choices in their lives.  In the modern and postmodern situation, the church is forced into the role of being little more than a vendor of religious good and services.  And the end-users of the church's services (namely, us) easily slip into the role of discerning, individualistic consumers, devouring the religious goods and service offered by the latest and best vendor.  Worship, rather than being entertaining through creatively engaging the hearts and minds of the hearers, now becomes mere entertainment that aims at giving the participants transcendent emotional highs, much like the role of "feelies" in Aldous Huxley's Brave New World, where people go to the movies merely to get a buzz.

Church growth exponents have explicitly taught us how to market and tailor the product to suit target audiences.  They told us to mimic the shopping mall, apply it to the church, and create a one-stop religious shopping experience catering to our every need.   In this they were sincere and well intentioned, but they must have been also totally ignorant of the ramifications of there counsel-because in the end the medium has so easily overwhelmed the message.  Christendom, operating as it does in the attractional mode and run by professionals, was already susceptible to consumerism, but under the influence of contemporary church growth practice, consumerism has actually become the driving ideology of the church's ministry.

The very shape of the church building gives us away.  Ninety percent or more of the people who attend our services are passive.  In other words, they are consumptive.  They are the passive recipients of the religious goods and services being delivered largely by professionals in a slick presentation and service.  Just about everything we do in these somewhat standardized services and 'box churches,' we do in order to attract participants, and to do this we need to make the experience of church more convenient and comfortable.  It is the ultimate religious version of one-stop shopping-hassle free.  But alas, all we are achieving by doing this is adding more fuel to the insatiable consumerist flame.  I have come to the dreaded conclusion that we simply cannot consume our way into discipleship.  Consumerism as it is experienced in the everyday and discipleship as it is intended in the scriptures are simply at odds with each other. And both aim at the mastery over our lives, only in marketing it's called brand loyalty or brand community.

Alan Hirsch.  The Forgotten Ways.  pgs. 109-110.

Hope that gets the wheels-a-turning!  For a greater depth and scope, read the book. =) However, I believe that this quote is a great challenge for all who work within the church. Have we simply sold out?