I recently preached a message called, “The Bridezilla of Christ.” In it I talked about ways in which we, the beautiful bride of Christ, make our experience in the church all about us; how we ignore the feelings of others and focus primarily on how we look and not on Christ.
By the way, the pastor and pastoral staff can be guilty of everything on this list. I’m not just pointing fingers at church members. There’s are some unique ways that pastors and church leaders become Bridezillas but since most of my readership aren’t pastors I’ll not waste the space to focus on the other side of the pulpit.
I will also be quick to point out that I am surrounded daily by examples of Church members being Christ exalting and sacrificially serving others. May the following serve as a gentle rebuke if we are currently struggling with self-centeredness and a caution against drifting into self absorption if we’re not.
Matthew 20:26-28 26 Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever wants to be first must be your slave– 28 just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
There’s a couple of worship parody videos posted at the end that I think you will enjoy. Listen up.
WE MIGHT BE THE BRIDEZILLA OF CHRIST IF …
1. We turn and visit with our BFF’s as soon as soon as the church service is over, ignoring the guest and those who are alone.
2. We only want the church to appoint us to ministries that involves other church members while we ignore nursing homes, prisons, juvenile detention centers, homeless shelters, soup kitchens, community needs, social need, global catastrophes, neighbors and the opportunity to start workplace Bible studies.
3. We compromise our values to avoid being criticized and rejected as a committed Christ follower by friends, family members and co-workers outside the church.
4. We refuse to serve at all but expect the leaders and workers to have the services and programs running smoothly for our edification.
5. We consistently refuse to show up and help with practical task and manual labor.
6. We refuse to do things to make the local church grow because it’s just the right size to meet our needs.
7. We refuse to challenge other Christians who are making poor choices because we just don’t like confrontation.
8. We whine and complain that the church service is too long.
9. We pout, shut down, disconnect, avoid, withhold love, share our discontentment with close friends; anything but have a private, face to face, adult conversation with a church leader or other member who has has wounded or wronged us.
10. We blame the dull prayer service on the way the leader organized and orchestrated it; “Why should we have to work our minds and vocal chords?”
11. We leave a church when we don’t get our way or someone offends us; doesn’t everyone know they are called to keep us happy?
12. We consistently show up late for everything and make no apologies; after all shouldn’t everyone just be happy that WE showed up.
13. We expect the best of everything because every day is our special day.
14. We expect the local church to spare no expense to make us comfortable with seating, sound, lighting and parking while we financially contribute little.
15. We expect the local church to hire and appoint only the best staff to serve us and our family while we financially contribute little; we are sure that God will provide for us to have only the best.
16. We will only go to a church where we can have consistent personal time with the senior pastor and where we are publicly given recognition.
17. We change churches every few years because we are bored and there’s another church that is now more cutting edge than where we have been attending.
18. We change churches every few years because of unresolved conflict; working at relationship is just too stressful for us.
19. We continue year after year being a mission field that the church has to reach to keep us in attendance, keep us encouraged, keep us happy, keep us from leaving for greener pastures, keep us interested, keep us from being offended, etc. etc. etc.
20. We will only go to a church where we can be an elder, deacon or on the official board.
21. There are needs in our life more important than knowing Jesus.
22. There are goals in our life more pressing than being like Jesus.
23. There are relationships in our life that are a greater priority than Jesus.
24. We have bigger goals for our friends and family than bringing them to Jesus.
25. There is anything in our life more important than Jesus.
Click on the youtube links below for some of the finest “Me Worship” music available.
