Have We Turned Church Into Target?
How convenience has quietly shaped the church, and how we can refocus on making disciples.
I live in Las Vegas.
The entertainment capital of the world.
There is always somewhere to go, something to see, or an event to attend.
After living here for years, I’ve noticed something about the way we approach almost every place we go.
We want it to be convenient.
We know where we’re parking.
We know where we’re sitting.
We grab a drink on the way in.
And if traffic starts backing up near the end, we might slip out a few minutes early to beat everyone else out.
None of that surprises me.
That’s how we attend events.
What has surprised me is how often I see those same patterns on Sunday mornings. And how easily I find myself drifting that direction too.
Not because church has become more entertaining (although maybe it has, but that’s another essay).
It’s because somewhere along the way, church became something we consume.
As a kid, church felt different.
There was a reverence to gathering together.
You dressed up because you were going to God’s house.
You quietly slipped into the back if you arrived late.
You didn’t interrupt the service to grab another coffee.
You only left early if there was an emergency.
I’m not longing for “the good old days.”
There were plenty of things that needed to change.
But I do wonder if we’ve unintentionally traded reverence for convenience.
Have We Made Church Our Spiritual Target?
For many of us, church has subconsciously started to feel a little like Target.
We choose the location that’s most convenient.
We stop in when it fits our schedule.
Some weeks we go in person.
Other weeks we order online.
We grab what we came for and head home.
No assumption that anyone will notice if we’re missing.
No real expectation that we’ll know the people around us. Be honest—some of us don’t even want to make eye contact. We’d prefer the self-checkout lane, please!
And if a new church opens with a better experience...
Well, we’ll probably go there instead.
The more I thought about it, the more uncomfortable I became.
Because Jesus never described His Church that way.
Before ascending to heaven, He gathered His followers and gave them one final assignment:
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations...teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” — Matthew 28:19–20
Notice what He didn’t say.
He didn’t tell them to build bigger gatherings.
He didn’t tell them to create better experiences.
He didn’t tell them to attract larger crowds.
He told them to make disciples.
I think that’s an important distinction.
Because the Great Commission isn’t just the Church’s mission.
It’s the lens through which we should evaluate everything the Church does and who the Church (you and me) is becoming.
Discipleship isn’t measured by attendance.
It’s measured by transformation
How Did We Get Here?
Every church is making disciples.
The real question is: What are we discipling people toward?
Before we blame church attenders, those of us who’ve helped lead the church over the last twenty years need to acknowledge something.
People don’t simply become consumers.
Consumers are formed.
For years we’ve worked hard to remove barriers.
We’ve asked how to make church more welcoming, more engaging, and more accessible.
Those are good things.
I’m grateful for them.
I’ve helped shape some of them.
But somewhere along the way, in our attempt to make church more accessible, many of us also unintentionally taught people that church exists primarily to meet their needs.
And whenever that’s the expectation, disappointment isn’t far behind.
Church leaders get frustrated.
Long-time members get frustrated.
New people get frustrated.
Because consumers are always looking for the next thing that better meets their expectations.
Disciples are looking to become more like Jesus.
Those are two very different goals.
Jesus didn’t call us to simply consume scripture, knowledge, and experiences.
He called us to become people whose lives are continually being shaped into His likeness.
That kind of discipleship is so much bigger than attending a weekly service.
It’s learning why Scripture matters—not just what it says.
It’s developing rhythms of prayer that shape our dependence on God.
It’s serving because we love people, not because a ministry needs another volunteer.
It’s practicing generosity without asking, “What’s in this for me?”
It’s investing in people because relationships matter as much as the sermon.
When we gather, we aren’t simply attending church.
We’re forming the Church, because the church isn’t just a place we go.
The Church is who you and I are becoming. We are the Church.
Hope Remains
But hang in there with me, because all isn’t lost.
The hopeful news is this:
Drift isn’t destiny.
Church culture can change because people can change.
We can realign ourselves with the mission Jesus gave His followers from the very beginning: To make disciples.
People who know not only what Jesus taught, but who are learning to obey and trust Him.
People whose lives increasingly reflect His humility, generosity, compassion, service, and love.
Because discipleship has never been about transferring information.
It’s about transformation.
That future won’t be built convenience and programming.
It will be built by ordinary people choosing, week after week, to move from consuming church to participating in it.
It’s learning why Scripture matters—not just knowing what it says.
It’s developing rhythms of prayer that shape our dependence on God.
It’s serving because we love people, not because a ministry needs another volunteer. It’s practicing generosity without asking, “What’s in this for me?”
It’s noticing the lonely person before we notice our favorite seat.
It’s lingering after the service because relationships matter as much as the sermon. It’s recognizing that when we gather, we aren’t simply attending church.
It’s shifting from asking, “What can this church do for me?” to asking, “How can God use me to help someone else become more like Jesus?”
Because the Church was never meant to be another stop on our calendar.
It was always meant to be a people becoming more like Jesus—together.
Reflection Questions
In what ways have you found yourself approaching church more like a consumer than a participant?
Jesus commissioned His followers to “make disciples.” Who has helped shape your faith, and who might God be inviting you to invest in?
What’s one intentional step you could take this week to contribute to the spiritual formation of your church—not because it’s expected of you, but because it’s part of becoming more like Jesus?
Keep Reading:
What The Church Can Learn From Off Campus
The Other 51 Weeks
I Had A Change of Heart
Hi! I’m Torrie. Thanks for stopping by.
If this article encouraged you, provided language for what you’re feeling,
or challenged you, I’d love to hear your story in a comment below.
Love this. And love the reflection questions.
Hi Torrie. I love your work and your focus. I regret that I am not in a financial position to support you.