Back to school shopping - sure? Back to church shopping - not so much.

I'm afraid that we have bought into the culture of commodity and production. We have been seduced by ‘empire’ around us.

We claim Jesus as Lord but listen to other lords who through media, model and manatras seduce us into living life their way, the way of the world rather than in the the alternative, upsidedown life-culture of Christ, the sphere of God's Kingdom Rule.

We shop - it's natural, for we we have legitimate needs and wants. But we shop for churches too, and for religious 'goods and services' - traveling, hunting, comparing, contrasting - often seeking but never finding.

What would happen if churches dared say to those who come to sample: 'Actually, It’s not about us and in one sense this is not for us. The audience is God. God gets the glory, though of course the spin-off to us is blessing. But, It's not first off about our needs, let alone our wants.'

Our concerns and needs may well be met as a by-product of our seeking another Way, a more biblical, missional way of joining Jesus and following Jesus, and sharing together as a community of faith in the journey of life, as we seek to be God's Church in our times.

"Seek first the Kingdom of God," Jesus said. As we look for God’s purposes, God's agenda, all these other things including our soul's deep need will be added to us. God knows what we truly need.