Clash of Christianity and Consumerism.

The city I live in is a great place to live but the church here is stifled by the consumerism mentality.  Living in the most affluent city in Alberta is a challenge and blessing.  Resources are available for the Kingdom the problem is that many in this city go outside to Edmonton to spend their resources.  Hundreds even thousands travel to Edmonton, Spruce Grove, Sherwood Park and Morinville to go to church and they give their time, talents and resources to these communities at the expense of the churches in St. Albert.  Out of the some 25 churches in this city about half are one hundred in a city of $60,000.  The rest of the churches average between 200-500 on a given Sunday.  Yet we have large churches within a mile of the city pulling people and resources to them.  This is such a paradox.  Our first responsibility to evangelism is to our own home community, then places nearby. It seems here it is role reversal.  Now this is not a new problem, it has been going on for decades.  So how does one break this problem.  Pray, the stronghold's of consumerism and its blindness must be broken.  No person will see until their eyes have been opened.  Next, confront, remind those of this city that where they live first is their mission field.  You will never be a successful missionary or transformer of lives until you transform the world in which you live now.  There are over 50,000 lost people here.  They need our resources, time and talents here.  Perish the thought that a believer stands before the Lord on the day of accounting and find out that their most important mission field was neglected while the communities next door benefited before their own.  Many head will hang in shame.  Think about this.