BUSINESS OR GOD

“New Testament writers never use the imagery of a business corporation to depict the church. Unlike many modern “churches”, the early Christians knew nothing of spending colossal figures on buildings, programs and projects at the expense of bearing the burden of their fellow brethren” Frank Viola

The local newspaper headline said something like, “Local Preacher Begs for Money”; isn’t that how most of the world envisions the Christian Church anyway? The story went on to say how this internationally-known preacher needs 3 million dollars before December 31 or his ministry, which has already downsized by 35%, is in danger of collapse. Actually, the ministry collapsed long ago. What we are talking about is the need to finance a large corporate structure of buildings, programs and salaries. Where is that model in the New Testament Church?

The danger in running like a corporation is the possibility of dying like a corporation and the Christian Church (regardless of who they are) is one corporation Obama’s Administration will not bail-out!

The biblical model for Church is FAMILY. I suggest that it is impossible to grow a mega-church on a family structure. At some point, the structure, i.e. “church” becomes more important than individuals if it is going to continue to grow; the volunteer secretary who was with your ministry in the begging must be replace by a professional with more advanced skills, regardless of what that might do to her personally or spiritually, the once tight-knit familiar group grows into a sea of unknown faces and “community”, which once sprung naturally out of relationship, must now be scheduled and planned and programmed with little personal interaction. The “Pastor” must abandon personal interactions in order to operate as a CEO who is more concerned with the “survival of the ‘ministry”, than the spiritual health of his congregation.

For years, we struggled to live up to the maxim; “a church” has to operate as a business” and it nearly killed us. The reason is simple; God’s Church is NOT SUPPOSE TO BE A BUSINESS – IT IS SUPPOSE TO BE A FAMILY WHICH IS HEALTHY AND FUNCTIONAL. If we love one another, we will care for one another. We don’t need to adopt a business model, when God has already given us the model we are to follow; family. Amen!