Why Church Isn’t Feeding You Anymore (And What The Purpose Actually is)

I know this isn’t a popular take… but Chick-fil-A is just okay.

It’s not bad. I don’t hate it. I just don’t think the food is worth the hype. But you know what isn’t average? Their service.

You show up and somehow they make you feel like royalty for ordering a chicken sandwich. They smile, they open doors, they say “my pleasure” like they actually mean it. And when they mess up? They fix it fast.

I’m convinced the reason they are so popular is not because their food is so good, but because of how they serve you. It’s the experience.

Now let’s be honest… This is how a lot of people treat church.

Not a place to grow. Not a place to be challenged. But as a place where someone serves you exactly how you like. Show up. Get fed. Leave satisfied.

Gym Vs Restaurant 

But what if church was never meant to be a restaurant at all? What if it was more like a gym?

Think about the difference here… Think about how you show up in each of those spaces… At a restaurant you expect the staff to do all the heavy lifting so you can enjoy your meal. But at a gym, you are the one who will be doing the heavy lifting… 

Now, of course there is still an element of service at any good gym. It’s reasonable to expect a clean space, people to help you, and the required equipment to be available… 

But there’s a fundamental difference… The goal for a restaurant is to serve you… The goal of a gym is to train you. 

And I think this contrast reveals something about the church and how many of us show up. The Church doesn’t just exist to feed you—it exists to train you.

As a pastor I see this play out almost weekly. People show up expecting things to be exactly to their liking. And when It things don’t meet their expectations, they send an email or chew someone out. 

And listen… Sometimes those complaints are valid. But more often than not it’s because they are showing up expecting to be served, not trained.

What’s The Purpose Of Church? 

So, What’s the purpose of the Church?

For a lot of people, it’s simple: The Church is a place you go to get something. To hear a good message. To be fed spiritually. To be served.

In other words—it’s a restaurant. A place that exists to feed and serve the regular patrons.

But is that really all it’s supposed to be?

I think we are missing something here… We’ve gotten used to consuming church, not contributing to it.

But think about what happens when you just keep eating without ever moving? You get spiritually fat. Complacent. Lazy.

That’s not how faith is supposed to work. There’s a reason they tell you not to feed wild animals. If you keep feeding them, they stop hunting for themselves. They become dependent on you to survive.

And when you’re not there? They don’t make it.

Isn’t that what’s happening in the Church today? How many people lose their faith when a pastor leaves? How many drift when church gets hard or uncomfortable?

Too many of us are spiritually dependent on someone else to feed us. We haven’t learned to seek God, to study Scripture, or to serve on our own.

But the Church was never meant to be a restaurant. After all the Church is a gym… It’s not about consumption. It’s about transformation. This is what Paul was getting at in Ephesians 4:11-13 when he said the purpose of the church is to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.

You don’t go to a gym to be served. You go to train. And you go to the church To stretch your faith.To build spiritual muscle. To prepare for the calling God’s placed on your life.

And hear me on this: The Church should feed people. We should feed new believers who are still learning. We should feed the broken, the weary, the overwhelmed.

But feeding is for a purpose—and for a time. It’s meant to bring you back to life. To strengthen you until you can stand again. To prepare you for what’s next. This is when Hebrews 5:12 is getting at, we need milk for a season so that we can get ready for solid food. 

If you’ve been in church for a while, it’s time to stop showing up to be fed… And start showing up to be trained.

You have gifts. You have purpose. You have a role to play. He called you to move, to serve, to grow, to GO.

And if you’re a pastor or church leader? Let’s stop enabling spiritual laziness. Your role isn’t to be a chef—it’s to be a trainer. 

The people in your church aren’t customers. They’re disciples.

And your job isn’t to do everything for them—it’s to equip them to do the work of ministry.

That’s how we grow strong churches. That’s how we fulfill the mission Jesus gave us. 

The Church is a gym. It exists to train, equip, and challenge the body of Christ to live in light of the Gospel.

CLOSING CHALLENGE

So let me ask you: How are you showing up to church?

Are you walking in like it’s a restaurant? Looking for good service, hoping the message hits, and leaving when it doesn’t?

Or are you walking in like it’s a gym? Ready to be stretched, challenged, and made stronger? Because the Church isn’t here to coddle you. It’s here to call you up.

I want to leave you with two challenges… 

1. Learn To Feed Yourself

If you only open your Bible when someone’s preaching it to you… If your spiritual life only comes alive on Sunday… Then you’re not feeding your soul. You’re snacking on someone else’s meal.

God gave you His Word so you could feast. So pick it up. Sit with it. Wrestle with it.
You don’t need a stage or a seminary to hear from God—you just need hunger.

Find ways you can connect with God. Start a reading plan on the Bible app, go for a prayer walk, journal, paint, turn on some worship music… Whatever… Find ways to feed yourself and grow yourself spiritually… 

2. Flex Your Faith

It’s easy to post verses and wear the shirt. It’s harder to serve when no one sees. To forgive when it hurts. To lead when it costs you.

But here’s the deal… Muscles don’t grow by watching. They grow by working. To get stronger you’ve got to use your muscles.

And the same goes for faith. Don’t just consume the message—live the mission.

James 1:22 says that we deceive ourselves when all we do is listen and not do what it says… 

Volunteer. Give. Pray with someone. Join a group. Start something. Start applying God’s word to your life… It won’t always be easy, but it will lead to growth in your life and faith.

And I bet, you will be shocked by what God can do through you.. 

The next time you roll through Chick-fil-A, remember this: You weren’t saved to be served. You were saved to serve.

The Church isn’t a restaurant. It’s a gym. And your pastor? Not a chef. They’re a trainer.

So don’t just show up for comfort food. Show up ready to train. Because faith doesn’t grow when you’re comfortable—It grows when you’re committed.

Don’t just eat the Word. Exercise it.