In the blog paradoxology Chris Monroe strikes a cord with me in his posting Will Consumerism in the Church Ever Die? I have often asked that question myself. I has even asked that question of myself.

The kingdom of God is not a product to be sold to people it is a life to be lived. That’s what struck me about a comment to the post by one Justin Baeder, concerning the marketing of our churches, where he says:

“Imagine a consultant offering the 1st-century Jerusalem church advice on how to reach more people, or clarify their mission, or target their demographic more precisely. I can’t.”

I look at the book of Acts as the descriptive application of the Jesus’ teaching by the disciples. So, when I say “the 1st-century church” I am summing up the sentiment of the book of Acts as a model of Christian life. So I find myself saying thinks like “Anything that draws us away from the model of the first century church can’t be good.”

Life is more complicated then that one statement can cover, but still I wonder, have we lost the mindset/heartset/worldview of the 1st-century church that was building the Kingdom back then, or have we just never had it in this modern/post-modern era.

Bobbie’s comment to Justin’s says it well:

“…somehow we have NO IDEA how that happens anymore. it’s a numbers game now, and we really think it’s our job to make the numbers grow. we can’t even imagine what it might look like anymore to have the holy spirit doing that for us… i just really think that as soon as it stopped being god’s job to increase the numbers and it started being ‘ours’ things got thrown off balance.”

Here, here Bobbie!