My friends at New Community Covenant Church in Chicago are hosting a conference July 17-19. I’ll be speaking about how consumerism impacts our faith, communities, and worship. The event is free so if you are in town be sure to check it out. You can read more about the conference here.

Friday at 7:00pm, Worship & Teaching: Consumerism & Christianity

Rather than being illuminated by the mind of Christ, many Christians’ imaginations are held captive by our consumer culture. This seminar will uncover how three facets of Consumerism (commodification, alienation, and branding) reduce our vision of God, diminishes the importance of Scripture, and make Christianity an image rather than a calling. In response we’ll see how we can illuminate the Christian imagination once again with an alternative vision of life in God’s kingdom through spiritual disciplines.

Saturday at 6:00pm, Picnic on the Boulevard

Saturday at 7:00pm, Worship & Teaching: Consumerism & Community

When Christ assembled the first community of Christians they were men, women, and children from the most diverse backgrounds imaginable. Every social barrier was torn down, and a new humanity was constructed. This vision of community is impossible to grasp by those ensnared by Consumer Christianity. Instead, we are taught that homogeneity should be the guiding principle of Christian community. This seminar will explore how consumerism leads us to treat people like products, view institutions as people, and exchange the call of community for the comfort of conformity.

Sunday at 10:00am, Worship & Teaching: Three Ways to Worship

Because of the injustice that permeates our world, many in our culture doubt God’s goodness. !ey have pushed him aside or feared his presence in their lives. Within the church many approach God casually, even flippantly. He is often trivialized as a comfortable God and useful for attaining our desires. But between these two extremes, between fear and flippancy, there is a third way to worship. King David matured in his faith and came to worship a God who is both dangerous and good.