When did God's house become a coffee house?

I work full-time and go to school, so in the recent year coffee has become my friend. As I have visited my favorite shop I have noticed a few things. When I look around at the people who patronize this shop I find that some come to be re-energized, some come because it makes them feel special (because anyone holding a $5 cup of coffee must be important), and some come because it is a place to meet with friends and relax. This particular chain is special because they emphasize customer service through specialization and building relationships. Employees strive to know repeat customer's names and drink preferences. The reason they focus on customer service is simple. They know that we know that if we don't like the service we get, we can go half a mile down the road and find another store within the same company. If we are really disatisfied we can go across the street and start a relationship with a new chain altogether. My shop better know exactly how much foam I want in my macchiato or I'm taking my ball and going home.

This is Sunday morning and churches all over America will be serving coffee before church. I know it seems like I'm about to rant about this practice, but just hear me out. I have had this nagging feeling in my stomach for at least 2 months about the connection I see between church and the coffee house. Are you attending church for the same reason people frequent my coffee house? Do you attend because after a week in which you made no effort to see God on your own you need a boost or re-energizing from the pastor? Do you attend church to make yourself feel important  (because you must be important if you go to the church with the best lights and sound and the highest steeple)? Or do you attend because it is a place to catch up with friends? Of course there is nothing wrong with fellowship, but the problem with turning church into a social club is that it's only good for the people important enough to be a member. How many people are living dreadful empty lives while we "hangout" at church and sip our coffee and discuss our "good church people problems"?

And now the biggest similarity that no one wants to admit. Most people who attend church know that if they become unhappy they can go a mile down the road to another, and in some cases just as with the coffee shop, they can find a church in the same denomination that will cater to their needs. "I left that coffee house because they didn't give me the right amount of foam" translates into "I left that church because they didn't play the new music that I like". We make threats that if things don't go our way or if we don't get the attention we think we deserve we will go elsewhere.

Jesus sacrificed His life for so much more than what we have made the church. God forgive us for turning our churches into social clubs for the elite to meet in. Forgive us for our attitude that says that if we aren't catered to then we will go church to church until we find the one that satisfies our every want. Help us to see what You intend the church to be, and give us the grace to become that church.