Spiritual Consumers

For years I've been convinced that Christians in America act as consumers and that this fact has played a major role in the dismal state of the church today. We go to a church because their music is the style we like or the Children's Ministry makes our kids happier or it is easy to find a good parking spot or the lobby is pretty or they have good coffee or er can get in and out without talking to anyone if we don't want to...you get the drift.
I spent part of my morning today at a meeting to discuss changes in the small group structure at the church where I have been on staff for a few years. It was a fascinating meeting, and it got me thinking. Are we all as incredibly selfish and self-centered as we appear to be? Have people always been like this? Everything is about ME, MY and I. What about MY small group? How will I be affected? What if I like my current group? What if I don't like the church curriculum? What if I don't want to change? Will this be convenient for ME? Will there be people who I will like? Will there be people MY age?
I suppose in a sense we must think like this, because each one of us is responsible for our own spiritual growth and maturity. So is it okay to be spiritual consumers? We have to think about ourselves and how we can help ourselves follow Jesus, but there still seems to be something incredibly wrong here. Everyone is looking out for number one. Everyone has such a hard time putting the needs of the many in front of the needs of the few, or the one.

With this attitude is something else that hit me in the face this morning. People in churches don't like to be told what to do. You can suggest something, but don't ever, ever tell me I have to do it. That just wouldn't be right. It wouldn't be convenient, and it wouldn't be appropriate, and I just wouldn't like it, because I can figure it out for myself. Don't try to mess with my life here.
Should today's pastors have the right to say, "Yes, we are all going to do this, and we are going to do it this way at this church"? I for one would be a little scared by this approach. I just may have some problems trusting leaders, and I've seen pastor do some pretty ridiculously stupid things. At the same time,when I read the Bible I can't imagine many of the leaders suggesting some nice things to try...if they seem like a good idea to you.