Reaching a Fast Food Nation

By Ray Baumann

America today is by far the most commercially self-indulgent society on the planet. That is why churches are serving up gospel happy meals to this fast food generation. The church has become consumer-driven and this low cost gospel has “Have it Your Way” written all over it. The fast food gospel is about convenience and taste; programs to fit your needs and style to fit your taste. The message sounds too good. “Your best life now” ? “Purpose Driven Life” ? Churches have become appearance-driven and are pushing a lifestyle instead of preaching the gospel.

Many churches buy into these franchise formulas to grow the church. Thousands of pastors have signed up to find out the secret to fill the building. But when they find out what works, it has nothing to do with preaching the gospel, which appears to be a mere oversight.

This is my personal testimony. I have served up my fair share of the “Your Way, Right Away” dollar menu gospel for years. I preached that God would super size your life if you just came to him. Even though it was packaged nicely and tasted good and had a prize inside, it severely lacked substance. Yeah, you can eat it but it is not good for you. Unfortunately, it seems all the church cares about is fulfilling the model of what you want is what you get.

All of the major fast food joints will always be profitable because they market, market, market, leading you to believe that you deserve a break today and to make a run for the border and to do what tastes right. These are all emotional ploys.

The truth is, any restaurant that focused on foods that are natural and good for you would not be very profitable by the world’s standards just like the church that focused on preaching the gospel and discipleship would not be packed out every Sunday. The gospel does not appeal to your flesh; it is calling you away from your fleshly desires. The gospel of Jesus is a tough pill to swallow but many would sure like to try to candy coat it.

America has a love affair with its fast food. We know it’s not good for us but we keep returning to it because it tastes so good. It makes empty promises it can’t fulfill. The same goes for our love affair with our churches. No matter how far they go and wander from the truth we remain faithful because the message sounds so good but lacks any real substance.

Luke 14:27-33 And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. [28] "Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? [29] For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, [30] saying, 'This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.' [31] "Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? [32] If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. [33] In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple. [NIV]

Sharing the gospel is like telling someone that their diet is not good for him or her. “How can it not be good? Everyone eats these! I grew up on the happy meals. It tastes good and it’s cheap, what’s the problem?” No offense, but just because it tastes good doesn’t mean it is good for you. Please look at the ingredients and the nutritional values. You would have to show evidence for your claims. They will not change their eating habits unless they truly believed what I was saying. On a larger scale it is the same with sharing the gospel. We are to speak the truth sharing the evidence and letting God do the rest. We can’t expect everyone to come to Christ. We are just being obedient in sharing the truth. How do we know they have come to faith? They obey what they heard. They change their diet.

1 John 2:3-6 We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. [4] The man who says, "I know him," but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him. [5] But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: [6] Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did. [NIV]

The reason the true gospel is offensive is not so much the message but the recipient. America is in love with itself and we believe we are God’s gift to the rest of the world. We believe we deserve something, that God owes us. We are more concerned with our title instead of our testimony. We are lovers of money, possessions and status. We are worried about our physical condition more than our spiritual condition. Our hope lies in the amount of money in our bank accounts and how physically fit we are. When the gospel is shared to a person that values and loves earthly things and you tell them what is required to follow it can’t be comprehended. Jesus isn’t asking for you to squeeze him into your schedule. He is telling us to scrap our agenda and follow his. If you really believe who he said he was then nothing else would have any importance except honoring him. 

Sacrifice to Americans is taking our old clothes to the Goodwill or giving our spare change to the bell ringer during Christmas. As a result of this mindset, the sacrifice to follow cannot be comprehended and is written off as legalistic. If you want people to just come to church, just preach what they want to hear and accommodate messages to their lifestyle. It will taste great and be less filling all for under a buck.

James 2:26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead. [NIV]

“The more we market the church the less it says about who Jesus is.”
-Ray Baumann

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By Ray Baumann Email: Ray.baumann@mac.com Click here for bio and archived articles