Patronage or Privilege? Rethinking Our Attitude Toward Church
In a culture that prizes independence and self-sufficiency, it’s easy for our attitudes toward the church to become subtly shaped by consumer thinking. We choose where to worship based on what feels comfortable, what fits our preferences, and what we perceive we can “get out of it.” Yet sometimes, even our language betrays a deeper misunderstanding: we speak of “supporting” our church, as though the church were a charity and we its benefactors. There’s a striking difference between patronage and privilege when it comes to church attendance. Patronage says, “I support the church.” Privilege says, “The church supports me.” Patronage implies that we are the givers and the church is the receiver. Privilege recognizes that we are the receivers of God’s grace, the ones upheld, nourished, and shaped through the ministry of Christ’s body. The Danger of a Patronizing Spirit To patronize a church, even unintentionally, is a dreadful attitude—as if God or His church somehow needs us. The tru...