The Reformed Life

Netflix lets you binge what you want, when you want, how you want—no strings attached.

Don’t like something? Skip it.
Tired of it? Cancel anytime.

And that’s how many people approach the church.

We show up when it’s convenient. We “watch” from a distance. We browse programs like a content library. And if something doesn’t meet our preferences, we just move on.

But church was never meant to be consumed—it was meant to be embodied. It’s not spiritual entertainment. It’s a spiritual family. It’s not built by passive viewers. It’s built by faithful servants.

What kills a church isn’t always heresy or scandal. Sometimes, it’s the slow rot of consumerism: the mindset that says, “That’s not my job.”

If we’re not careful, we’ll confuse attendance with ownership, and preference with participation. And the result? A church that looks more like a content platform than the body of Christ.

The Quiet Drift Toward Spectating

Somewhere along the way, many Christians began approaching church like customers at a spiritual convenience store. We show up. We receive. We critique. Then we go home.

We’ve embraced a model of church where the pastors perform, the staff executes, and the members…watch.

But the New Testament paints a very different picture.

“From whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.”
— Ephesians 4:16, ESV

Growth doesn’t happen when a few do everything. It happens when every part is working properly. That means you.

Consumers or Contributors?

A consumer asks, “What am I getting out of this?”
A contributor asks, “How can I build up the body?”

Consumerism sees church as a mere service provider. Ownership sees it as a family, a body, and a mission we share. And in the New Testament, there’s no such thing as passive membership. Every Christian has a role to play, a gift to steward, a burden to carry.

The problem isn’t that people don’t have the ability—it’s that they’ve believed the lie that someone else will do it. But in a healthy church, there is no “someone else.”

“To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.”
— 1 Corinthians 12:7

God didn’t save you to sit. He saved you to serve.

The Danger of a Spectator Church

When consumerism seeps in, churches begin to wither—slowly, quietly, and often with a smile. Here’s why:

• The body breaks down.
  A church functions like the human body: when one part stops working, everything suffers. When you check out, your church loses something God intended to provide through you.
• The leaders burn out.
  When members refuse to own the mission, pastors and staff bear weight they were never meant to carry alone. The result? Exhausted leaders, stunted growth, and unmet needs.
• The mission stalls.
  Consumer churches don’t plant more churches, reach more people, or disciple more believers. Why? Because consumers want comfort, not multiplication.

Why This Matters: Church Is Not an Event

If you think church is merely a place you go to get spiritual goods and services, you’ll always expect more than you invest, and criticize more than you contribute. But if you believe the church is a people you belong to and the means to fulfill a mission you’ve been given, you’ll show up differently.

You’ll take ownership.
You’ll carry weight.
You’ll pursue faithfulness, not just comfort.

Because church isn’t about your preferences. It’s about His purpose.

So…Where Do We Start?

Let’s get painfully practical. Ask yourself:

• Do I regularly ask what I can give, not just what I can receive?
• Have I identified and engaged my spiritual gifts in the church?
• Do I treat my pastors and leaders like employees of a service, or like co-laborers in a mission?
• Do I assume someone else will do it—or do I step in when there’s a need?

These aren’t just diagnostic questions. They’re invitations to grow.

Let the Word Disrupt You

“Whoever would be great among you must be your servant.”
— Mark 10:43

“Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.”
— Philippians 2:3

“Let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works.”
— Hebrews 10:24

You don’t need a seminary degree to make a difference in your church. You need a towel and a basin. You need a heart that says, “Here I am. Send me.”

Because spectators don’t build faithful churches. They’re built by servants.

Let’s reclaim the joy of ownership.

Jesus didn’t just save us from sin—He saved us for a mission. And He designed the local church to be the context for that mission to flourish.

So next time you’re tempted to say, “That’s not my job,” remember: in Christ’s church, it is.

Soli Deo Gloria,

Josh Chambers

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