Posted on 07/03/2007 3:39:59 PM PDT by Terriergal
Advertising is part of marketing. Simple. Of course it's marketing. It's stressing your assets and downplaying your weaknesses. And everyone in every business does it. If you hvae great music, say so. If you have a lousy Sunday school, well, don't talk too much about that. Basic marketing.
The church is not a business.
Of course it is. It's not for profit, but it's very much a business.
No. It isn’t.
The church is Christ’s bride. Local churches are gatherings of believers who worship God. It may have several business-like characteristics on a local scale; however, the mission of the true church is different from that of any business. What business says “lose your life for my sake and take up your cross and follow me?” What business says of their gains “they are mere rubbish, for I count them all loss”. What business says “your efforts can’t get you there. Surrender all to a person you can not see.” No, businesses look after the interests of their finances and shareholders stakes. Our stake as a church is Christ and Him crucified. The church is not a business.
The church is much more than a business, granted, but business is one of the many things that it is, and it has to be run like one.
Or else what?
The finances of the church are the main things that “have to be” run like a business. However, the goals of a church are, and should be, diametrically opposed to some of the goals of businesses.
We should not be in the business of making a profit, for example.
The Pastor is not a CEO. He is a shepherd whose job it is to look after and feed the flock spiritually. Contrary to popular opinion, it is NOT his job to make a church grow in numbers.
There are many more differences between businesses and churches. But, I think a look back at what the 1st century church was like is probably better than looking at what churches have become today.
The congregation got together in one accord. If someone had need, they gave of their wealth to meet that person’s need. Yes, they had meetings where the apostles, elders, and the whole church decided what to do - but that is also very unbusinesslike - since, you don’t have one person in the early church who is tasked with deciding what the entire group will do.
We should get back to that model as much as possible. Life would be a lot less complicated that way.
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