Before you continue reading let me preface this entry with this statement: I am thinking out loud.

It seems there has been a swell of anti-consumerism messages filling the ears of Christians this Christmas season. My own church is taking part in a thing called The Advent Conspiracy.

At their most benign, anti-consumerism messages remind the buyer that Christmas isn’t all about gifts and buying. At their most extreme these messages advocate not buying anything you don’t need. There is even a Church of Stop Shopping now. More about them in a bit.

While I don’t think these messages are without merit, I believe the majority of these anti-consumerism messages don’t address the heart of the issue.

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want…

At the heart of consumerism is want. If you want, you buy. Right? Movements like The Advent Conspiracy and The Church of Stop Shopping are failing to fill the need that is met with the want. That means movements like these merely become short lived fads. This isn’t good because movements like The Advent Conspiracy, at least, are meeting needs in other parts of the world. I don’t know much about The Church of Stop Shopping other than documentary producer, Morgan Spurlock (Super Size Me, 30 Days), followed its pastor, Reverend Billy, around for a while and made a film. A fillm that people will no doubt buy a ticket for after they’ve bought dinner at a local eatery then at the theatre perhaps they will buy more things to eat and drink. Do I need to point out the irony?

So what is the need that people are filling with the want? Well, that’s up for debate, but I would guess a host of things, not the least of which being a sense of purpose.

What’s startling to me is the Christian community’s swiftness to latch on to things like The Advent Conspiracy and The Church of Stop Shopping (see this entry from the blog Revolution in Jesusland).

The Church is quick to adopt new movements, but not our own problems. See, I feel like things such as The Advent Conspiracy provide an opiate for Christians around Christmas time, and even beyond. It helps us not feel as guilty for buying the gifts we are secretly still buying (TAC asks that participants forgo spending money on gifts, and rather give that money to their participating TAC church to fund clean water projects in third world countries).

Perhaps what we should be focusing on is what void we are filling by shopping, and, even, giving. Are we buying because it allows us to feel in control? Are we giving because it gives us a high, or because we love? Are we shopping to keep our minds off of something greater?

I think that when we begin to tackle these voids, then doing things like what TAC is taking on become part of our daily faith and practice, not just a Christmas event. Otherwise, I fear such movements will only be passing fads like True Love Waits, Promise Keepers, WWJD, Prayer of Jabez, and the entire “golden age” of Praise & Worship music.

It’s Christmas around these parts, and this season in particular is different for Jen, me and our community at Jacobs Well. Things are changing at the church we love so much. New people bring new ideas and new perspective. That isn’t always bad. Sometimes it is.

One thing Jacobs Well hasn’t employed this Christmas (yet…wait for it) are the phenomenal skills of one Welsh lad named Andy Michael. Last year Andy created three short films for Advent that correlated with the sermon each week. As I recall, the sermons revolved around the theme of liberation.

I took some time to go back and watch those films, and they still give me chills. You should do the same. You can find them here. If you have the time listen to the sermons that go along with each film. And I dare you to not be moved. If you don’t have the time for all three right-a-way, at least check out the film from week three.

I caught Andy on IM today to tell him how much I missed his work this year and he hinted that I should be happy this Sunday (12/16/2007). I do believe I will. Jeremy Collins (who in high school was every dude’s worst nightmare: talented, sensitive, athletic & good looking), created a piece that showed last week at Jacobs Well featuring the Madonna and child surrounded by all the major brands of our time. I am told this theme will continue. I can’t wait.

Also, if you know Andy, perhaps you can convince him to incorporate this song somehow. If Mike King can say “shit” while giving a sermon, Andy can use any part of this song.