I have to admit that whenever someone starts talking about building a deck, or doing the electricity in thier house or just simply being handy around the house, I always feel a little inadequate. I sometimes wonder if I missed the handyman class in elementary school. But in reality I am ok with not being a house expert and I have embracied my inner cityboy.
But this week I was at a conference at DTS and I heard from Brad Smith who is the President of the Bakke Graduate University that we are all experts. He talked about how we are all experts and in fact geniuses when it comes to being consumers. I thought it was a terrific point that our culture has make us all proficient at our preferences. When the saints who came to the Swedish Free Church in 1925 entered the door, they were experts in farming, agriculture, etc and that was what was swimming around their heads during the sermon and old Swedish hymns. Today in 2007 at the same church (FEFC), each of us who enter the door of our church is an expert in our own preferences. Therefore in some sense, the "professionals" are expected to excellently provide spiritual goods and services and rememeber that "the customer is always right." Yes, a little bold, but he made some pretty interesting points about how the church operates like the customer service industry.
He sparked my thinking on how detrimental consumerism is to the goal of making disciples. When we watch how Jesus made disciples, it had little or nothing to do with their preferences. There was no sleepnumber bed for Jesus and the disciples; in fact the Son of Man didn't even have a place to lie his head, right? That is not a very good advertisement for becoming a disciple. In the consumer-addicted culture, we would say that Jesus needed to hire a new marketing guy. Jesus' method of making disciples provided opportunities for the lessons to be caught as much as they were taught. The gospel and the ministry of the gospel was continually about suffering, losing popularity, healing the rejects, dying and giving their life for their friends. I don't think we even can understand the depth of how discipleship has been effected by consumerism. I wonder if we can even know what discipleship that isn't tainted with consumerism would look like. Maybe it is worth a try since making disciples is our mandate and not pleasing the customer.
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3 comments:
Hi, Jeff. This is Matthew Simo, I'm a member of Dallas Bible Church and I am also on staff doing the graphic design and web stuff. There is no reason that you would know me but I am throwing up a hail mary hoping you are the same Jeff Fritsche that is the guest speaker for our Young Adults Ministry Retreat april 13-15.
You see, I'm working on the flyer for sign-ups and we have a quick bio on it of you. We also wanted to put your photo on it.
Jason Storie gave me a pic of you but it is of pretty poor quality and looks kinda old. I was just trying to track you down. I know this may be a bit odd or out of the blue, but if you have a new/good quality mugshot could you send it to me at msimo@dallasbible.org please. I hope you are the Jeff I'm looking for, if not, sorry for wasting your time!!
Be well,
Matt Simo
p.s. I'm an "Office" fan too.
Fritche,
Morgan Sperlock has a new movie out. It's called "What Would Jesus Buy." It is supposed to be about consumerism. I think it is playing in SXSW. I'm not sure though.
Frankie
That movie sounds really interesting. I would love to see it. Thanks for letting me know.
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