Did the Supermarket Put the Local Store Out of Business?

DID THE SUPERMARKET PUT THE LOCAL STORE OUT OF BUSINESS ? Do you remember or have you heard how that many years ago there used to be a grocery store on every block? You may be wondering, “What is a Preacher doing talking about Grocery Stores?” Well, I believe that there is an interesting similarity between the Supermarket, Grocery Store competition and the competition between the Super Church and Local Church. Let me give you my definition of these two types of Churches. The Super Church is that Church which has as its primary goal to be big. This goal and desire speaks so loud that it drowns out all their feeble attempts to cover it up. The Local Church has as its primary goal to glorify God and fulfill it’s purpose as found in the Word of God. This Church would rather start another Local Church than cause people to come 50 miles in order that they might be big. Today is the day of the Big Supermarket. Little grocery stores are going out of business every day because they just cannot compete with the Big stores. It wasn’t that the little store had bad products or low quality but rather that it lacked many of those nice little conveniences such as; shopping carts, electric door openers, cash registers, parking lots, price tags, and more, which make shopping so much easier. And today is the day of the Super Church. The local Churches throughout the Country just cannot compete with the Super Church. It isn’t because they don’t preach the Gospel or teach Christian living but rather they don’t have all the people (crowds), money, or activities which make being a Christian so much more delightful and less demanding. Let us look at some of the similarities between the Supermarket and the little grocery store and compare them to the Super Church and the Local Church. 1. In a Supermarket you can dislike the owner and still shop there unnoticed. In a small store if you dislike the owner, he knows it and you know it.  You must either make up or go somewhere else. I have talked to people in Super Churches who feel upset about the Church and disagree with the Preacher but remain unnoticed with bad feelings, simply to partake of all the conveniences. In a local Church you would soon be found out and you would either get things straightened out or leave. 2. The Supermarket, in order to get rid of its competition, lowers its prices, thus the little store suffers loss. Likewise the Super Churches for the most part have lowered their standards in order to gain numbers. The local Church in order to have a good testimony keeps its standards high. The weak Christian can now become a member of a Church and not have to live for the Lord. Sometimes a person can join a Super Church without even a profession of faith in Jesus Christ. 3. Lowering prices is not enough for Supermarkets. They then offer coupons and great sales as gimmicks to keep the people enthused and coming back again. The little store cannot afford to offer sales but continues to sell good quality products. The Super Church today offers everything from lollipops and minibikes to airplane rides. The local Church offers nothing but sound Bible preaching and good fellowship. It is amazing how much time is spent in the Super Church services, counting the people, giving out awards, and announcing next weeks big gimmick. 4. In the little Store the grocer would say, “how are your kids doing?” and “I’m sorry the dog died.” When was the last time you talked to anyone personally in a Supermarket? You can go in and out of a Super Church for weeks and months and never get to know anyone or have fellowship. 5. If you were sick and couldn’t get out, the little storeowner would deliver your groceries at your doorstep. By the way, how many years has it been since the Pastor of the Super Church visited your house? 6. Upon the many shelves in the Supermarket are substitutes for the real thing. The little store because of limited space must put only the real thing on the shelf. The Super Church and its many activities and organizations provide a substitute for the real thing. The local Church is concerned about meeting the necessities of the individual. 7. Surprisingly, shoplifters are more prevalent in big stores than little stores. These are people who look and act like shoppers but are actually thieves. Yes I am afraid it is easier for a wolf in sheep’s clothing to infiltrate a Super Church than a local Church. 8. The little Storeowner never kept hounding you about his finances. If his prices were higher than usual you knew he was going to paint the front of his store next week. I don’t think there is a Super Church today that does not constantly plead and preach about finances. In a local Church there are no great expenses like the Super Church, and thus, the constant cry of poverty is not heard. Yes, Christian I believe we have shortchanged ourselves in not supporting the little grocery store. In the same way I believe Christians have short changed themselves spiritually by supporting these Super Churches that offer little in genuine spiritual edification. You may say, “Preacher, are you against having a big Church?” No, I am not against a big Church, but I am against a big Church when the only reason it exists is to be BIG. I think it is a shame to bus children 30 miles one way on a Sunday morning under the guise of soul winning and then never bring those same children back Sunday evening, Wednesday Evening, and any other time the Church doors are open. There are some people who ride the bus Sunday morning who never partake of the Lord’s Supper because the Church doesn’t want to be bothered serving communion to all the children. Do you know that there are some Pastors of’ these Super Churches that frown upon any one starting another good Bible Church within 50 miles of their Church? You know why? They are afraid that they are going to lose people. I believe the New Testament teaches that the Local Church is just that, LOCAL. Maybe you have left a good local Church in order to join a distant Super Church, I hope that you will re-evaluate the purpose of a New Testament Church and act accordingly. By Pastor Gary L. Freeman <<Back