Do the Hokey-Pokey

by Will Walker

Some friends and I have been having an ongoing conversation about what we believe to be one of the most critical issues facing Christianity in America today, especially among the group of people we work with (college students).

Many people are frustrated with what is sometimes called Christian consumerism. A simple description is that people are in it for what they get out of it … “it” can be a church or small groups or organization or even a relationship. This is often contrasted with the idea of contribution. That is, instead of taking I give; instead of eating I feed; instead of being served I serve. In the contrast, contribution is seen as superior to consumerism.

In his post Completely Consumed, Brett points out that this is not a good vs. bad issue. We need to both consume and contribute. Over consumption makes you spiritually obese. Only contributing makes you spiritually anorexic. So both are essential to the health and growth of any person or community of people.

This is all context for the thing we have been talking about. Before I get there, let me clarify one more thing. Consumerism in this sense is not the same as the Christian subculture. The subculture is a manifestation of deeper problems. I like to ridicule and make fun of the ark as much as anyone, but I’m starting to think that it is too easily a scapegoat, diverting our attention from the reality of our own hearts.

Now the point: I think the root of consumerism is a lack of commitment, not the other way around. Consuming is the addiction of the uncommitted.

We could comment ad nauseam about the pervasiveness of consumer Christianity … we like certain kinds of worship, we listen to our favorite preachers online, we go to a particular Bible study because it better meets us where we are, we go to that small group because they have childcare, whatever. We all do it. Technology and accessibility affords us the opportunity to custom fit Christianity to our lives. But God is not a tailor, letting out a little in the waist now and then to accommodate our increasing appetite.

Consumerism is a relatively new phenomenon. For most of history, people went to the church in their town and lived life with those people. No television or radio or bookstore. The means of sanctification were not equal for all people in all places. All this may be overstated, but I’m just trying to say that people used to be committed to a place and a people because they had to be. There just weren’t that many options.

But we have an abundance of options, which we think is very freeing because we can go where we want and do what we want, when we want. In our pursuit of this kind of freedom, though, we become addicted and even enslaved to choice. There will always be a person or church that will cater to our appetite. So we treat spiritual growth like a buffet. But you know how you feel after going to a buffet.

We do not have it easier than saints past in this regard. We have to choose commitment. We have to forsake convenience and preference in order to give ourselves to a people and a place, for better or worse, in famine and abundance, consuming as God provides through the means at hand and contributing as God provides opportunity.

I am guilty on both fronts. I consume from various people and places at my leisure. I think new people and places will be able to give me something else that I haven’t been able to previously get. On the other hand, I find myself wanting to move on from relationships and projects because I feel like I have contributed all I can. Instead of consuming more from what is at hand and therefore being enabled to contribute new things, I just want to move on and contribute the same old things to new people and places. In this way contribution becomes consumption because I am merely feeding my ego or sense of feeling wanted.

In both cases my deepest problem is not that I need to consume or contribute more or less. My deepest sin is that I run from commitment. I don’t want to let down or be let down. I want options. And while the world of Christianity provides options, Jesus does not. He did not primarily ask people to take from Him or give to Him. He asked them to follow Him … to commit to Him as Master and Shepherd and King and Husband. All of the relational give-and-take therein is built upon the foundation of unwavering commitment to Him.

That part we seem to understand, but I am left with a number of questions: If commitment is the basis of our relationship with Jesus, should it also be the basis of our relationships with each other … friends, spouse, church? Does commitment to Christ include commitment to specific people and sometimes a specific place? If so, who and where? I have options even about where I could be committed!

Comments

[Patrick]

Will, thanks for letting God speak through you. I have been toying a lot lately with the idea of commitment vs. keeping my options open so I can be where God wants me to be. Our good friend Bob started this thing called Coram Deo last fall. And I wondered whether I should stay commited to the group of people who went with him, the people I had developed strong community with, or if I should stick around the ministry he was leaving to help with transition. I decided to stick around to help out the new guy that was coming in, and also because I had just become a member of the church that summer. Well, a couple weeks ago, the new guy announced he was leaving to go be senior pastor at a church in Boise (apparently he like potatoes and Babtists more than corn and college kids). So now I am facing that dilemma again, and the chocie this time is not as clear cut as it was last time. We just got a new senior pastor as well and there is a lot of transition. So I don't feel a huge sense of commitment. I still feel connection to the people at Coram Deo so it would be easy for me to go there. I even asked my girlfriend if she would be okay with checking it out sometime. But I think I am similiar to you in that I want to leave because I feel my work here and my growth here has peaked. I have gotten everything out of it I can and I have put everything into it that I can.

But where does that leave 8:08? Why did I stick around during transition if I am going to leave right away when we go through another transition? The people are staying, only the leader is leaving this time. No, this Church is my home. Sometimes the roof leaks and it can get quite chilly at times. But it is still my home.

Thanks for letting me write that out and for speaking truth to me. And Will... if you decide you don't like Austin and want to move to Omaha, you can come lead 8:08. ;-)

[Jeff]

This reminds me of what Shane Claiborne calls "spiritual bulemia" we consume all of these things and do not let them sit and digest, but we just throw them up to fit more in.
I do it. It seems that I end up reading more and more books instead of reading the bible. These books can be helpful as support, but should not be the only thing I am reading. I realized this while reading "kingdom of couches" i had to stop reading it for awhile because i was reading that and not the bible.
thanks for this article, i had realized i was doing this type of consumerism with books, but hadn't thougth about it in the other areas.

[Bob]

Patrick,

Some people in New Orleans stayed in their homes, too... and now they live in trailers owned by FEMA. I'm just sayin': our house isn't as nice, but we'd love to have you move in. :)

And Will: if you're asking whether commitment to Christ means commitment to a specific place (Omaha, Nebraska), the answer is yes. Stop trying to work out your guilt through blog posts and just follow the clear calling of God to move here!

[Brett]

Will-

Great thoughts. I have thoughts; I think you've inspired me to write again... and that's not a simple task these days. "Do the Hokey-Pokey" is a beautiful title. Put part of yourself into something but only temporarily... I think you're right on with your thoughts on commitment and how new is almost always easier...

Bob-

Stop trying to break Will's commitment to me and the city of Austin by trying to get him to move to Omaha. It's cold there.

Jeff-

"Kingdom of Couches" quotes the bible a lot, if that makes you feel any better.

[Walker]

Patrick,

I'll make it easy for you ... just move to Austin. We'll love you better than Bob will.

Brett,

Thanks. I was seriously just thinking that you need to start writing again.

[Pimple]

All,

I miss staff guys.

Will,

I think of our relationship speaker from last school year. He talked about the word change that occured in the english language sometime in the last century. We use to use the word 'surrender' but now we use 'commitment'. You can choose to back out of a commitment. Surrrender your just plain sold out. Good thoughts for me coming back and church hunting in Austin.

Bob,

My truck's alternator went out in the middle of Nebraska once. An omish guy sold me a new one. Don't know how an omish guy knows anything about a device that generates electric current, but his denim overalls and beard were cool.

[Patrick]

Will, I do like the Cowboys, so your offer is tempting. But Omaha has the college world series, and it just wouldn't be summer without that. But maybe once I finish school, I will come down there.

Pimple, I think it is spelled Amish, not Omish. But it's not like they're going to be reading this anyway.

Bob, thanks for always welcoming me and wanting me to be a part of your church. I probably will come down there sometime this summer.

[Kendal]

Well Patrick, seems how the Texas Longhorns own Omaha for a certain couple weeks in the summer, maybe you should just come to Austin anyways.