Ideologies of the world often clash with the theology of Christianity, and the ideology of consumerism is one of them.
Consumerism says, “I will pick and choose what I want.” In the mentality of consumerism, which is one of the most pervasive approaches in our society today, life is all about making choices. We choose what to buy, where to shop, where to live, what career to follow, what job to take, etc.
The problem comes when that approach leaks into spiritual life and the same principle is applied to what people believe and where they go to church. In this model, “the church becomes just another retail outlet, faith just another commodity. People change congregations and preachers and even denominations as readily and they change banks and grocery stores” (Colson, Chuck, The Body).
We all know the term “church shopping,” which speaks to how consumerism has creeped into the way we even talk about church. This practice, unfortunately, leads to the feeling that whatever you believe is OK and everyone can choose whatever they believe.
But, in fact, of course, this is only one option and that option is belief in Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit. And that one option dictates all other choices we make in life. The Church and our our belief in Christ are not on the same level as our other decisions we make as consumers; instead; they are an over aching driving force that is the foundation of all other practices.
We need to take ourselves out of the mindset of consumerism when it comes to our faith because our belief system is not something that should be changing as the wind blows. Our belief in the one true God who sent his Son Jesus to die on the cross and rise again for our salvation is the solid rock on which we build our lives. There is no Option B.
