Further, in the modern story, reality is that which is observable, measureable and repeatable - the kinds of phenomena available, accessible, and verifiable to the five senses. Thus, reality comes to equal the scientific method. It should come as no surprise that in such a world the life of the spirit is ignored or marginalized (as a great many nonmaterial things). This view of life subsequently birthed in human beings a ravenous materialism as matters of the soul with the only nourishment available: in our context, the consumptive aquisition of material goods. If spirituality is engaged, it is often reduced and turned into one more commodity to be packaged, sold and consumed like so many other aspects of modern life: in a radically individualistic way. As a result, to be human in a world of modernity means to understand oneself as a consumer who progresses by working to aquire the signs and symbols of a material world that are chosen on the basis of personal preference.
Churches existing within this framework for reality are often no different. "Church shopping" has become the defining metaphor for deciding which community of faith satisfies one's needs - it is the new mantra. Churches rarely possess a corporate understanding of themselves as a people rather than as one more collection of individuals choosing to be together based on similar preferences (music, preaching, programs, etc) While leaders complain of the challenges inherent to such a paradigm, any honest assessment forces a humbling recognition that leaders are often shoppers too, though of a more professional sort. Seeking to advance a career, they move from one church to the next in an upward spiral that associates the numerical size of a church with success. In such as scenario, pastoral ministry is less a vocation than a profession. Because the rampant materialism of our consumer culture has so significantly shaped our self-understanding, the satisfaction of perceived needs based on desire and personal preference is now the determining factor for where a person or family worships and where pastors decide to serve."
Tim Keel - Intuitive Leadership pg 107-108
Wow.
