By Jason Hayes

While much attention is given to the role of the church within Christianity at large, it’s also important to examine what role it should play in our day-to-day living. It’s important to be reminded of the impact the church can make in the lives of people. It’s truly sad to see so many people affected negatively by the church, especially when God established it to be a place of encouragement, truth, rest, refuge, community, and commitment. The church was established to give glory to God, and one of the ways it does that is by impacting the everyday lives of Christ followers in a positive manner.

Part of that positive impact comes through receiving. From the church we receive spiritual encouragement and companionship. We receive the great comfort that we’re not in this life alone, and we’re not supposed to be. Especially during trying and difficult circumstances, the church is meant to be a reminder of the invisible attributes of God’s love, care, comfort, and wisdom. In the church, the invisible becomes visible through the lives of those around us. Christianity stops being an idea and starts being a person in the body of Christ, and we are its recipients.

It’s a great blessing to think about all we “get” from the local church. It’s so good, in fact, that it’s tempting to get comfortable just being recipients. Maybe that’s why so many people’s affections have cooled for the church—all we ever think about is what we get from the church, either good or bad. But that narrow focus reveals that the consumerism of our culture has invaded our faith.

We treat the church like a fast food restaurant, demanding to have what we want when we want it. And if one church can’t offer it, we don’t come back. We either go down the street or we quit going entirely. Why? Because we’re consumers—church consumers. Exclusively focusing on what we receive in a church context is really only looking at half of what God intended for our relationship with the church to be. We need to be reminded that church is not the place where we solely come and get fed and ministered to. Instead, it is a place where we are to give—to give our time, talents, energy, and passion in order to serve and meet the needs of others. We do this for people both inside and outside the church as we utilize our gifting from God. Through giving we stop being consumers of church. We stop going to church and start being the church.

Look at 1 Corinthians 12:12-27.  Paul’s use of the physical body to illustrate the various gifts within the body of Christ, one specific thing stands out to me—everyone has a role. No member in the illustration got to do nothing while the others picked up the slack. Unfortunately, too many of us are guilty of using the church to meet our needs while not participating in it in order to help meet the needs of others. We look to the church to be served, not to serve others. That’s got to change.

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Jason Hayes is an author, speaker, and the ministry specialist for LifeWay Christian Resources. Having served on staff at churches and with para-church organizations, Jason is committed to speaking directly to the church and equipping ministry leaders across the globe.  He and his wife, Carrie, live near Nashville with their two sons. Please follow Jason HERELearn more at .

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