Amenities

A friend of mine who lives in South Dakota gets an excited glimmer in his eye when he talks about ice fishing in the middle of the winter. He would agree with the English author Izaak Walton (1593-1683) who wrote a classic book about the joys of fishing called The Compleat Angler. The book describes Sir Henry Wotton, a "frequent practicer of the art of angling," who found fishing to be "a rest to his mind, a cheerer of his spirits, a diverter of sadness, a calmer of unquiet thoughts, a moderator of passions, a procurer of contentedness." Fishing, it seemed to him, "begat habits of peace and patience in those that professed and practiced it."

If fishing can produce all those positive benefits, then every child ought to be given a rod and reel on the day of his birth. Unfortunately, instead of having a restful mind, a cheerful spirit, and a peaceful outlook, many today are plagued by chronic discontent.

It even shows up in the body of Christ. Hard-to-please church-goers jump from one congregation to another in search of more satisfying amenities. As a result, American churches are spending far too much time and money on non-essential issues designed to produce comfort, convenience, and enjoyment. There's nothing wrong with a church having a gym, a coffee shop, or a youth program that's the talk of the town. But there's considerable danger when a consumer mentality drives us to "pick a church" the way we select a supermarket, a hotel, or a bank—based solely on how well it meets our individual tastes.

The building where my family worshiped when I was a young boy had no indoor plumbing or air conditioning, amenities which thankfully were added long ago. Yet despite our humble surroundings, the people in that country church managed to build important values into my life. They prayed for the sick, cared for the dying, and helped the poor. They stood together in times of tragedy and laughed together whenever they could. They honored marriage, loved kids, respected the elderly, and served amazing home-cooked food on ordinary and special occasions. They preached the Bible, baptized new believers, supported missionaries, and taught by example that it's more blessed to give than to receive. Today they can do all those things in air conditioned comfort. I just hope they never quit doing those things.

The apostle Paul adopted an interesting philosophy: "If we have food and clothing, we will be content with that" (1 Timothy 6:8). In other words, beyond basic nutrition and clothes, everything else is an amenity. There's nothing wrong with enjoying God's abundant blessings; even Paul learned to be content "in plenty" as well as "in want" (Philippians 4:12). The key is to find contentment in what God provides instead of trying to satisfy "a continual lust for more" (Ephesians 4:19).

The primary work of the church is to make disciples of Christ, not to make ourselves comfortable. We're here to worship and serve the Lord, give hope to the lost, build up other believers, and take God's love and truth to the world—not to please everyone by providing every desirable amenity.

Indiana's "Hoosier Poet" James Whitcomb Riley wrote:

"It hain't no use to grumble and complain,

It's jest so easy to rejoice;

When God sorts out the weather and sends rain,

Why rain's my choice."

Or as the apostle Paul put it, "Godliness with contentment is great gain" (1 Timothy 6:6). We all can say "amen" to that.