Church is not about what you get out of it. Somehow, we'd adopted this idea that the local church is there to meet our needs, but that was never the intent. And it's because of this mindset that we tend to "church shop" based off of what we like or don't like about the preaching, the music, the children's ministry, etc... We critique our services based on how we "felt" the morning went rather than whether or not WE brought our best to God.

"The little things that might irritate you about your church might not be as big of a distraction if your focus is on what you are giving of yourself, rather than on what you are getting out of it for yourself." (Cathy Little - "First Church of the Consumer")

And I might add that if you do in fact love your church, be careful that you don't let the church become a distraction from your relationship with God. That might sound weird to some of you, but I've seen far too many people who are obsessed with "my" church rather than "the" church or more importantly, God. They LOVE going to church, but not BEING the church. For them, it's all about the experience. They love singing the songs and the whole vibe the church puts off, and they love all the cool things it offers. And that's great! But while their relationship with the local church is great, their relationship with God is lacking quite a bit.

Either way, church isn't about YOU. It's about the God who created you. So, stop consuming and start giving.

For my friends who already go to church, you should definitely check out this article: First Church of the Consumer