I just heard someone talking about moving from one church congregation to another because “we weren’t being fed.” So I got to thinking, what does that mean? And just whose responsibility is it to feed you?
Does being fed mean that I don’t like the senior pastor’s sermons? Maybe I don’t agree with the theology? Or speaking style? Or maybe the type of worship service? You know, some people like a more formal service, and some people like something more up-tempo and lively. That’s the thing in America, we have so many “cultures” that you can literally go across the street and find an entirely different style of worship. And then again.
What really struck me about the phrase this time was the passive voice (if you remember your grammar lessons)–“being fed.” That means someone else is the actor. The picture I have is that of these adults as babies with mommy and daddy feeding them.
Paul talks about being a baby in the faith and then growing up. I’m thinking that if they had said they prefer guitars to organs, I could understand. If they said I don’t like the preacher’s style, I could understand. If they said we don’t have any friends or small social group in the church, I could understand–a little. With the last one, though, the individual person could take some initiative to invite people to a small group.
But back to feeding. As we mature, we learn to hunt and gather for our food. OK, so hunting these days is mostly at the super market, but still, we take the initiative. Is it someone else’s responsibility to figure out what I want and provide it to me–spoon-fed if you will? Or, is being spiritually fed my responsibility? Should I pursue study, prayer, meditation on my own? Should I seek out others to share with?
God’s grace is funny that way. It’s always available. But God expects you to seek it.
Are you being fed? Or are you assuming adult responsibility to seek your food and consume it?
Faith Venture 
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