Let’s face it. We approach church as we do all of life: What’s in it for me? Author Danny Franks says that’s normal. After all, we’re born consumers.

But is that wrong?

No, says Franks, and he reminds us that desire is not evil. But he also notes that our desires “point to something deeper.” We’re missing something, and we know it.

By asking what the church can do for us, we treat church like a club membership, and we miss the mission God has given us. Our interaction with the church—and with God—becomes transactional. We find that by taking, we lose.

But by giving, we gain. When we stop viewing ourselves as club members and learn to see ourselves as members of God’s family, our mindset changes and our mission gains proper focus.

God is inviting people into His family. As we serve that mission, we start living the way God intended. Real contentment and satisfaction come when we find our place in the family of God.

Our Daily Bread Ministries