On "Being Fed"

Every preacher on the face of the earth has heard it.  Even the greats such as: David Jeremiah, John MacArthur, John Ortberg, Francis Chan, Charles Stanley, David Platt, John Stott, Warren Wiersbe, Adrian Rogers, and Max Lucado, to name a few.

“I’m not being fed.”

I even heard Chuck Swindoll say that the number one complaint he received in his church was "I'm not being fed here anymore."

Are you kidding?

Chuck Swindoll is one of the greatest Bible expositors and communicators in the church today. No one could honestly question the depth and content of his teaching. He is exceptional.

It’s not hard to imagine someone walking out of church the day C.S. Lewis gave his famed sermon, “The Weight of Glory,” and saying it was not in-depth enough, or some other nonsense.

This is a universal complaint and has more to do with the complainant rather than the church or the pastor.

So what’s up?

Spiritual Narcissism.  That’s what’s up.  There is a consumer mentality within Christian subculture that views the church as a feeding station that exists for no other reason than to keep people stimulated and titillated. 

This, of course, turns “teaching” into little more than a food bar as people search for what they like to eat in order to pull it onto their plate.  Even worse is how this “selective feeding” often results in spiritual obesity rather than being fueled for servant-hood.

Narcissism elevates the needs and wants of the individual above all else.

Have you heard the way some people talk?  Words like “I'm not being fed here,” or “I didn't enjoy the sermon,” or “It didn't minister to me” rolls off their tongues without even blushing.  We walk out of a worship service saying, “I didn't get anything out of it,” as if worship is only about what we receive rather than what we give to God. 

And it’s stunting your spiritual growth.

The real issue is not about whether you are fed, but whether you have learned to feed yourself, or better yet, feed others.

Anyone can be ministered to and fed (no matter who the speaker is or what the topic is)  as long as they’re open and humble enough to hear God’s Word.  He always speaks to those who are receptive.

But the wise and prudent are passed over.  (Matthew 11:25-26).  Look it up.