I am a consumer. At times I’m a consumer out of necessity. But, too often I’m a consumer out of habit, envy, or selfishness. It’s only natural, right? We live in a society that is completely consumer driven. If every ad is geared toward me, and every business I enter just wants to make me happy, then why shouldn’t I just think about myself and buy myself nice shiny things?

Here is where the problem lies, businesses are about me because they want something from me, money. And lately, money is something that I don’t like to part with, mostly because of how little I have. So my choice is simple really, continue to consume at an unhealthy rate and go into debt, or confess my compulsion to consume and enjoy what I already have (which is a lot).

I confess:

• To wanting a new MacBook Pro because it’s cool, even though I have a 3 year old Dell that works perfectly fine for my present needs.
• To wanting an iPhone even though my current cell phone does absolutely everything that I need and more.
• To wanting a new pair of shoes even though I have at least 10 pairs in my closet that do nothing but take up space.
• To wanting to buy more books, even though I haven’t read the ones that I already have and should read.
• To wanting a new camera, even though the one we have works great.
• To wanting a new Tivo that records 2 channels at once because the one that records just one channel is lame (even though it works great, and I don’t need to watch any more TV anyway).
• To wanting a new guitar, even though I can’t play the one I have.
• To wanting more things than I can afford, for absolutely no reason at all.

It’s pathetic, I know.

This is where I am, and I am unwilling to be a pathetic, weak willed consumer drone that buys everything that I don’t need any more. Instead I choose to save money, pay off debt, and be free of selfish consumerism. I am convinced that even though this will not give me the immediate gratification that society tells me I need, in the end I will be far better off and much happier.

But, after thinking through all of this, here is the question that really haunts my mind. If I have been so consumer driven in my every day life, how consumer driven have I been in my spiritual life? I guess that’s a question to ponder….

1. Brian Says:
   October 24th, 2007 at 9:54 pm

   hey adam!!!
   What’s shaken brother? It is great to hear from you. I appreciate your confession blog. it hits home for sure. it is a terrific place to that we are at in our journey in following Christ. starting a church is very exciting and lonely. it is very humbling and very rewarding. having ben and gina joining us in the launching stage (even though we really aren’t planning on officially making our plant public until January)has been a perfect fit for the crowd that comes and the space we’re in.

   I telling one of our guys tonight how much I need help with our website. can i call you tomorrow?

2. Russ Says:
   October 25th, 2007 at 7:25 am

   Adam,

   Great post! It is so relevant to our culture and to the challenge we have as church planters. I love you man and I can’t wait to see what God does through you this next year.

   russ