7 Differences Between a Consumer Christian and a Contributing Christian
Not too long ago, I went through a season of bitterness, disappointment, and frustration with the church at large.
Why?
I felt like MY needs weren’t being met. The church didn’t do everything that I WANTED it to do. The church didn’t do it in the way I THOUGHT was best.
I was a very young minister who was far from home and honestly trying to figure out how to live life in this new season.
I thought the Church didn’t nurture ME enough.
I thought they didn’t guide ME nearly enough.
I thought they didn’t affirm ME enough.
Basically, I thought they didn’t give ME enough money, resources, guidance, and encouragement for me to do as much as they were asking.
Now, these were very real problems, but I my entitlement made it so much worse.
I expected the church to give ME something that only God himself can give me — and it almost ruined me.
I was a consumer Christian.
Now, I’m learning how to be a contributing Christian.
So what’s the difference between a consumer Christian and a contributing Christian?
Here are 7 defining differences between a consumer Christian and a contributing Christian.
1. A CONSUMER CHRISTIAN COMES TO BE SERVED. A CONTRIBUTING CHRISTIAN COMES TO SERVE.
Jesus says in Matthew 20:28, that he “did not come expecting to be served by everyone, but to serve everyone…”
Since Christian literally means “little Christ”, one might even say that a true Christian is one who comes to serve, not to be served.
2. A CONSUMER CHRISTIAN IS ENTITLED. A CONTRIBUTING CHRISTIAN IS GRATEFUL.
This one hits a little too close to home for me. When we feel like we deserve the type of forgiveness, grace, and love that Jesus gives, we become entitled to something that was never ours to be entitled to.
We feel like, somehow, we have done enough, served enough, given enough, or said enough to earn the love, forgiveness, grace, and hospitality of Jesus.
So, when the Church doesn’t give it to us, we become bitter about it.
A contributing Christian, however, is overwhelmed, enthralled, in awe, and deeply grateful for any love, forgiveness, grace, and hospitality because they understand that it cannot be earned.
3. A CONSUMER CHRISTIAN ASKS, “WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING?” A CONTRIBUTING CHRISTIAN ASKS, “WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU WILL NEED?”
A consumer Christian is often the person who does not trust the leaders of their church. They are often skeptics of other people’s God-given ideas. They need to know how it benefits them before they are on board with something. They often don’t really believe that God works through anyone but themselves.
A contributing Christian is often the person who asks what the leaders need in order to accomplish whatever the goal is. They have a deep trust that God is doing something through other people.
4. A CONSUMER CHRISTIAN POINTS FINGERS WHEN THERE ARE PROBLEMS. A CONTRIBUTING CHRISTIAN ASKS HOW THEY MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE PROBLEM.
This one is hard to write because I fall into this trap so easily!
I once got mad at another Christian over something dumb. So I told them that they needed to treat me the way they wanted to be treated. Jesus did say that, after all.
Here’s the thing, though. Jesus never told me to tell others how to love me better (you may need to read that a couple times).
He told me to focus on how I can love others better.
A consumer Christian looks outside themselves to identify the source of problems. The problem is with the way those people act.
The problem is with the way those people worship.
The problem is with the way those people vote.
The problem is with the way those people are doing things.
A contributing Christian looks within themselves to identify the source of problems.
A contributing Christian is great at shame-free self-reflection. In other words, they don’t beat themselves up for their mistakes, but they do own their mistakes and learn from them. They can do this because they trust that God can redeem their mistakes and turn them into something beautiful.
5. A CONSUMER CHRISTIAN FOCUSES ON THEIR PREFERENCES. A CONTRIBUTING CHRISTIAN IS FOCUSED ON THE NEEDS OF OTHERS.
I have seen it happen far too often in the church fellowship that I am a part of. A church doesn’t move forward or do something that would help new people come to know Christ because their members don’t like it.
I don’t know about you, but there were plenty of things that my parents made me do because it was the right thing to do. They asked what was right for our family to do instead of what the members of our family wanted to do.
Churches slowly decline in the impact they are making because they are trying to please the members of their family who are consumer Christians.
A contributing Christian is more focused on the mission of Jesus than their personal preferences.
I know so many youth ministers who absolutely hate lock-ins, but they do them anyways. Why? They are contributing Christians. They know that their kids love them and that they provide an opportunity for the kids to grow closer to each other and to Jesus.
A contributing Christian understands the truth that it is more blessed to give than to receive.
A contributing Christian does not expect everything to go their way.
A contributing Christian is willing to give away all of their personal preferences if it opens up a place for someone else to come to know Jesus.
6. A CONSUMER CHRISTIAN FOCUSES ON WHAT THEY WILL GAIN FROM FOLLOWING JESUS. A CONTRIBUTING CHRISTIAN COUNTS THE COSTS OF FOLLOWING JESUS.
There are plenty of amazing things that I have received from God as a follower of Jesus — but that’s far from the point. A contributing Christian is someone who trusts that God will take care of them and provide for them as they sacrifice their wants and needs for the sake of others. Jesus, our example, gave himself freely, forgave the people who were murdering him, and asked for nothing in return.
A consumer Christian expects something in return. They love with conditions. They are often ma- nipulative with the way they love others.
A contributing Christian gives with no expectation of anything in return. Instead, they trust God to take care of that.
7. A CONSUMER CHRISTIAN HAS TROUBLE FINDING A CHURCH FAMILY. A CONTRIBUTING CHRISTIAN JOINS A FAMILY AND BEGINS INVITING NEW MEMBERS INTO THAT FAMILY.
Someone once told me, “If you want to find the perfect church, show up just in time for worship on Sundays and leave immediately after the service. Don’t get involved. Don’t get to know anybody.”
Consumer Christians miss out on true community because they are searching for the perfect church.
This church doesn’t have the music you like. That church has the music you like, but their preacher isn’t the next Michael Todd, Steven Furtick, or Louie Giglio.
This church doesn’t have enough people your age. That church doesn’t have enough older people who will invite you over for meals and mentor you.
This church is too small. That church is too big.
The list goes on and on.
A contributing Christian is somebody who can embrace both the beautiful and the messy parts of a Church community because they understand that Jesus has embraced both the beautiful and the messy parts of themselves.
I can’t help but wonder… If we can learn how to be contributing Christians, would the Church exist in the love and harmony that Jesus talked about?
Love,
Nolan Huber
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Originally published at www.betterstorycollective.com.
