The Economics of Megachurchianity
Part 3: Language of the Communitarian Church
As social tools go, language is by far the most important. Certainly, it’s the most influential. The Proverbs makes this abundantly clear: To guard one’s tongue is to preserve life itself, for death and life are in the power of the tongue.
Because each field of study garnishes its own exclusive vocabulary, a trade word oftentimes connotes something altogether different from what the layman might presume. To the tourist, for instance, a Bombay duck is just that; but to the native chef of India, it is more accurately an indigenous fish—dried, salted, and served with curry. Religious speak is all the more confusing—and telling.
In recent years, Christianese increasingly signals the church’s dramatic paradigm shift away from biblical fundamentalism. But too few discern error inherent in transformative, seeker-friendly language. The faithful well versed in it freely characterize progressive, prosperous, and/or positive Christianity as purpose-driven, clarified, and subject to laws of change, transcendence, and biomimicry.
In meeting its call to renewal, the emerging church (of man’s own making) freely expands core biblical values to accommodate “red-letter,” freestyle Christian thought. Indeed, studies reveal that the lion’s share of sermons heard by American churchgoers marginalize the Bible and focus instead on mundane survival issues—i.e., nurturing personal relationships, developing human potential, and healing the inner child—that is to say, “privatization of the Gospel.”
Self-described advocates of planetary citizenship, creation care, and social justice, nouveau evangelicals participate as enlightened community organizers within the context of God’s politics. This takes form in public-private partnerships and faith-based initiatives, requiring process- and/or possibilities- thinking, coupled with the conciliatory language of consensus.
Now, continuous evolutionary change bypasses natural law in favor of social disciplines. But at a price—that of welfare state capitalism. It’s reasoned that this, after all, is an age of new images, in search of common ground and for the common good. Moreover, new age appeal to the church’s global responsibility presumes need for a new world ethic, language for which is more broadly inclusive than its Judeo-Christian counterpart.
Today’s benign-sounding, albeit cutting-edge buzzwords elicit knowing nods from those immersed in it; but then Bible-honoring Christians hold themselves to a higher standard. The book of James makes it abundantly clear that Christians are accountable for the words they use to inspire action and, therefore, they best choose their language wisely in deference to God almighty, not to “tickle the ears” of customers.
Church Government or Corporate Managers?
Charles Colson rightly warns that, all too often, the Gospel has been transformed into a commodity with the local church acting like a retail outlet and church members, its customers. Together, corporate management (church government) and its workforce (customer-members) work in tandem to attract converts and/or new members (noncustomer newcomers). Tithes, offerings, and manpower of newbies promise to better the corporate church’s bottom line.
Toward this end goal, Dr. Robert E. Klenck, M.D. (TruthRadio.com) discloses methods and practices of church growth ministers—those of Dr. Warren, for example. In his business plan, Pastor Warren first considers the felt needs, hurts, and interests of outsiders (noncustomers). Then he examines the Bible in light of these needs in order to determine the most practical, positive, encouraging, simple, personal, interesting ways to meet them.
Warren’s message and presentation are strategically designed to make it easier for a nonbeliever to come in, submit to spiritual gifts assessments (personality profiles), sign on to the program, and then be “discipled” in accordance with his strengths. Managers influenced by Drucker-Deming business model, progressive pastors as Dr. Warren view church members (customers) as human capital to be equipped for service in the productive whole, otherwise known as the body of Christ. Ostensibly in the best interest of customers, management gathers employment information leading to formulation of databases based on profiling practices.
Flock of Believers or Customers?
While functioning as worker bees under management, customers require ongoing in-service training (i.e., lifelong learning). This is accomplished by means of small groups that practice the dialectic process. Group leaders serve as facilitators or change agents who, in Warren’s words, administer “the most effective way of closing the back doors” of their churches.
Through “Bible study” groups, guided dialogue among committed customers and targeted non customers leads to consensus; team building is solidified through social ministries that encourage bonding among group members. Pragmatism distinguishes communitarian ministries. While social relationships and fun activities keep folks coming back, so-called accountability groups keep them in line.
What’s the Beef?
The question arises, “So, what’s the beef?” when the better question is, “Where’s the beef?” Blatantly absent from the communitarian agenda is deep study of the Bible. Yet the Bible is so central to Christianity that early converts, who were not subjected to spiritual gifts assessments and training, nonetheless became passionately, even miraculously eloquent. Starting in an upper room in Jerusalem, they preached the Gospel and virtually exploded across the Greco-Roman world. Theirs was no social justice message. Still, their oratory spread with such ardor that, in the very generation in which Jesus lived, the good news took firm root in all the leading cities of the region.
No ordinary book, the Bible is uniquely “God-breathed” (inspired) and is, therefore, profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness. Modern marketing techniques may indeed draw and hold large numbers of people. But strategically meeting felt needs of potential agents of social change does not fulfill the Great Commission, nor can it.
What distinguishes mature believers from the herd is their success at the greatest enterprise of all, life itself. For them, life has ceased to be a problem to be solved. It’s instead a glory to be discerned. While it’s true that Christians are genuinely “incorporated” into the body of Christ, the ekklesia of God is not best described as a corporation. Coupling consultants, denominational leaders, tool builders and suppliers with customized forums and workshops may bring to light the best practices known by man, but they overlook the infinitely more essential matter of spirit.
Be sure: Failure to read the Bible publicly and study it diligently signals error. Inspired scripture, when hidden in the heart, keeps one from sin, the very thing that distances God from mankind. Not only is it a source of comfort, delight, and hope, the Bible also lights man’s path. The humanistic construct of a quest for the good life/death offers no such promise.
As infants’ food, the Bible nurtures growth; and, as a life-giving force, it’s a believer’s sustenance. It’s worthy of being reverenced and esteemed even more than necessary food. After all, the Bible is a probing instrument, a defensive weapon, and a saving power —one that’s settled in heaven and forever standing.
Protestantism came about within context of political economy, nationalism, Renaissance individualism, and a rising concern over ecclesiastical abuses, yes. But the church’s basic mission today remains that of reconciliation through preaching of the Gospel—this, with administration of Gospel sacraments.
Upon being nourished and sanctified through the Word of God, the church’s destiny is to realize full conformity to the Lord and His likeness. In no way is the church primarily a human structure like a political, social, or economic entity. It’s the church of the living God, Jesus Christ. Because its function goes beyond man’s salvation to the praise of God’s glory, neither the church nor its function ceases with completion of its earthly task.
More to come in Part 4.
Proverbs 13:3.
Proverbs 18:21.
Debra Rae. “Hijacking Educationese,” Part 2, 6 November 2004.
Contrary to 2 Peter 1:20.
Revelation 22:18-19.
2 Timothy 4:3.
David Bryant. Christ Is All: A Joyful Manifesto on the Supremacy of God’s Son, Second Edition. New Providence, NJ: New Providence Publishers, Inc., 2005, p. 255.
http://www.crossroad.to/News/Church/Klenck2.html.
Methodology matters to God. When Moses smote the rock a second time, rather than speaking to it as God commanded, he was refused entrance into the Promised Land. Against the command of God, Uzzah steadied the Ark of the Covenant with his hand. For that disobedience, he was struck dead (2 Samuel 6: 6-7).
Taken from The Purpose-Driven Church by RICK WARREN. 1995 by Rick Warren. Used by Permission of Zondervan Publishing House., p. 190.
Huston Smith. The Religions of Man. (New York: Perennial Library Harper & Row, Publishers, 1958), 301ff.
2 Timothy 3:16.
Deuteronomy 31:11; Joshua 8:35; 2 Kings 23:2; Nehemiah 8:3,18; 13:1; and Jeremiah 36:6.
Deuteronomy 17:19; Isaiah 34:16; John 5:39; and Acts 17:11.
Jesus Himself warned: “Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures,” Matthew 22:29.
Psalm 119:11.
Psalm 119: 47, 82, 105; Romans15:4.
1 Peter 2:2.
Ezekiel 37:7; Acts 19:20; Deuteronomy 8:3.
Isaiah 66:2-66:2; Job 23:12.
Hebrews 4:12.
Ephesians 6:17.
Romans 1:16.
Psalm 119:89; Isaiah 40:8.
2 Corinthians 5:19; Mark 16:15.
James 1:18; Ephesians 5:26; 1 Peter 2:2.
1 John 3:2.
Matthew 16:18; 1 Timothy 3:15.
Ephesians 1:6; 2:7.
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Monday, December 5, 2011
Communitarian Church Growth Movement
The Economics of Megachurchianity
Part 2: Communitarian Church Growth Movement
When on track, the corporate world is likened to a well-oiled machine that is propelled by one integrative philosophy—namely, Total Quality Management (TQM). TQM ensures continual improvement of the quality of products and processes used so that, in the end, products and/or services offered meet or even exceed customers’ expectations. Together, corporate management, the workforce, suppliers, and customers work in tandem to better the bottom line.
In similar fashion, the Christian church is likened to an efficiently functioning human body with all of its members and officers admirably arranged, ideally proportioned, compacted, and fitly joined together as one. While each part is dependent on the others, all parts submit to the headship of Christ. These fashion one body given over to one faith with one God and Father of all who is over all, and through all, and in all.
Despite superficial similarities, the corporate world and the spiritual body of Christ part ways on matters of profound significance. Biblical Christianity focuses on personal relationship with God that inspires spiritual transformation. Bypassing biblical essentials for the sake of numbers, the Communitarian Church Growth Movement takes its cues from corporate America more so than from the Bible. Rather than heed a Bible-based, Christ-centric model, transformational churchianity practices outcome-based, purpose-driven religion managed by objectives that are geared toward serving customers.
Transformational ChurchianityTransformation churches use modern marketing techniques to attract and hold onto large numbers of people. Church leaders disciple their converts with Total Quality Management-style techniques. Common practices include committed leadership and strategic planning, cross-functional product design and training, process and supplier quality management, customer and employee involvement, information and feedback.
Ultimately, agents of social change within the ranks of the church leave their mark in the community and the world; however, their systems-based management philosophies are not rooted in the Bible, but rather in the work of two globally acclaimed experts in business management and methodology—namely, Peter Drucker and Edwards Deming.
Peter Drucker
An influential writer, management consultant, and self-described social ecologist, the late Peter Ferdinand Drucker coined the term knowledge worker and, later in his life, introduced knowledge work productivity as the next frontier in management. He’s credited with having invented corporate society. Even the church (a human invention in Druker’s view) must balance a variety of mundane needs and societal goals. Ostensibly bringing out the best in people, Drucker nurtured a sense of community.
Well into his nineties, Drucker consulted businesses and non-profit organizations. Volunteering, he believed, is key to fostering healthy community. Drucker insisted that all institutions bear responsibility to the whole of society for the common good.
Among Drucker’s most notable clients were General Motors, Coca-Cola, Citicorp, IBM, and Intel. With ever-increasing notoriety, the Communitarian Church Movement emerges today as yet another behemoth of Drucker’s corporate society model.
Edwards Deming
A contemporary of Peter Drucker, William Edwards Deming was an American statistician, professor, author, lecturer, and consultant best known for his work in Japan from 1950 and on. Deming's message to Japan's chief executives was: To improve quality is to reduce expenses while increasing productivity and market share.
Granted, the Drucker-Deming mindset serves 21st century business interests well; however, when implemented in church ministries modeled by TQM gurus—e.g., Drs. Robert Schuller and Rick Warren and the Rev. Bill Hybels—it’s problematic. Dr. Robert SchullerA great “possibility [transformational] thinker” and master of modern marketing, Dr. Robert Schuller founded the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, California. But first, Schuller surveyed the “felt needs” of his community in Southern California. Then he designed and opened an innovative “drive-in church.”
One former attendee described his experience as “a trip,” being able to “smoke and be in church at the same time [while] at a drive-in during the daytime.” Another recalled, “Ushers came with baskets on poles for the donations if you remained in your car. I remember my mom in her bathing suit ready for Huntington Beach right after the service.”
• Rev. Bill Hybels
Dr. Schuller credits the founder of Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Illinois, for extending his church growth principles. Rev. Bill Hybels’ seeker-sensitive church is broadly known as the prototypical mega-church featuring contemporary worship, use of drama, and messages friendly to noncustomer seekers.
• Dr. Rick Warren
Arguably, the acclaimed author of The Purpose Driven Church: Growth Without Compromising Your Message and Mission, Dr. Rick Warren, has outdone both the Revs. Schuller and Hybels. Warren holds his doctorate of theology degree from one of the strongest proponents of the Church Growth Movement, Fuller Theological Seminary.
As in Drucker’s economy, Warren always starts the change process with noncustomers (unbelievers). TQM churches use feedback gleaned from community surveys specifically designed to focus on the needs of unbelievers. So it was with Dr. Rick Warren’s Saddleback Valley Community Church in Mission Viejo, CA.
Social Experimentation Toward Church Growth
By his own admission, Dr. Warren condones social experimentation on his congregation. Indeed, he views Saddleback as a kind of Research and Development Department of the church at large. Word has it he’s trained over 150,000 pastors and church leaders in church growth principles.
Unfortunately, transformational churchianity exchanges Holy Spirit guidance for artful manipulation of Hegelian dialectic. That is to say, The Church Growth Movement capitalizes on a repeated process of continual, incremental change until, finally, the Word of God is interpreted to mean something altogether different from its original intent. In the process, the set-apart, Triumphant Church succumbs to agendas that advance seeker- and profit- friendly social services.
Toward this end, Rick Warren fingers the pulpit as the ultimate tool for church growth. The most important thing in communication, according to Peter Drucker, is to hear what’s not being said. Warren agrees. No doubt by design, this communitarian pastor’s attire and presentation are pleasantly informal. Icebreakers and sketchy notes eliminate need for a cumbersome Bible and tedious dogma.
It’s true. Christians may freely enjoy informality, humor, social activities, and the arts. Each has its place. However, a superabundance of church programs and entertainment, when coupled with Hegelian dialectic, inspires creative interpretations only loosely akin to the Bible.
Change Starts with the NoncustomerHuman thinking apart from divine revelation brings about a new thesis or reality upon which all can agree, but by nature it’s hostile toward God. Following Drucker’s managerial principles, unbelievers (noncustomers) are brought into the church, and that’s good. But the follow up process of subtle, albeit continual change sadly misses the mark.
Given the TQM model, the church capitalizes on operant conditioning principles advanced by B.F. Skinner, who found that any behavior followed by a reinforcing stimulus results in an increased probability of that behavior’s reoccurring, and a behavior no longer followed by the stimulus decreases its probability.
Carefully crafted reinforcing stimuli may well nurture church growth and, hence, the bottom line (this, by means of tithes, offerings, and human resources), but then Skinner is no friend to authentic Christianity. In 1973, he signed the Humanist Manifesto II and thereby lauded relativistic values that expressly dethrone God while, at the same time, exalting human dignity and worth based on self-determination through reason.
The Skinnerian method of “successive approximations,” called shaping, at first reinforces a behavior only vaguely similar to the one desired. Once that behavior is more firmly established (i.e., by noncustomer seekers), a good social engineer seeks variations that more closely approximate what’s ultimately wanted (i.e., by repeat customers).
At first, newcomers enjoy sanitized church grounds void of religious symbols that might offend nonbelievers; what’s more, they merit preferred parking slots. Once would-be members are pinpointed, trained greeters expend a great deal of effort to schmooze them. Once on board, the noncustomer newcomer eagerly jumps the bandwagon to help perpetuate the very process that successfully wooed and won him into the fold. Together, corporate management (church government) and its workforce (customers, both new and seasoned) work in tandem to target and draw additional noncustomer newcomers.
This they accomplish by tailoring policies and programs that pander to pinpointed pre-Christians (seekers). Noncustomers are viewed as potential human resources whose talents and means are deemed useful toward furthering work of the corporate church founded on human effort and entrepreneurship.
Biblically, the church is the ekklesia (“called out ones,” each with gifts to share) who separate themselves from the profane world and assemble as a body of believers in order to admonish, comfort, encourage, and edify each other with a word, psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs as unto the Lord. In turn, those built up and anointed go out into the world to yield to the Master Potter and to fulfill the Great Commission.
No doubt TQM ensures continual improvement of the quality of products and processes used so that, in the end, products and/or services offered meet or even exceed customers’ expectations.
But the communitarian church has it all wrong. Expectations of customers (believers) or noncustomers (seekers) don’t much matter. The work of the church is not man-centric. Her mission is to please God, not man; and as good and faithful servants, believers rightly seek the praise of God, not their fellows.
More to come in Part 3.
Ephesians 4:5.
Tarrant, John C., Drucker: The Man Who Invented the Corporate Society (1976), ISBN 0-8436-0744-0.
www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._Edwards_Deming.
Possibilities thinking—Involves mutual processing for mutual benefit. Set aside as cumbersome anchors that block the dialectic process, facts and fixed beliefs bow to constructivist thought. A carefully honed, collaborative team voice trumps line-upon-line biblical knowledge. Attention is directed instead to pinpointed felt needs that demand to be met in society.
www.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Hybels.
http://ministryonline.com/churchgrowth/warren.ht.
7 James 4:4; Romans 8:7.
Human Resources are best viewed as workers, not thinkers; followers, not leaders; group members, not individuals. Ever learning, they fail to discover and embrace to the full Bible truth and sound doctrine (Isaiah 5:20; 2 Timothy 3:7). Their development and management are accomplished by means of lifelong learning, interdisciplinary approaches, systems thinking, partnerships, multicultural perspectives, and empowerment principles—all designed to fit that human resource to the workforce and/or social needs of the community.
John 5:41-44; Matthew 25:14-30.
Part 2: Communitarian Church Growth Movement
When on track, the corporate world is likened to a well-oiled machine that is propelled by one integrative philosophy—namely, Total Quality Management (TQM). TQM ensures continual improvement of the quality of products and processes used so that, in the end, products and/or services offered meet or even exceed customers’ expectations. Together, corporate management, the workforce, suppliers, and customers work in tandem to better the bottom line.
In similar fashion, the Christian church is likened to an efficiently functioning human body with all of its members and officers admirably arranged, ideally proportioned, compacted, and fitly joined together as one. While each part is dependent on the others, all parts submit to the headship of Christ. These fashion one body given over to one faith with one God and Father of all who is over all, and through all, and in all.
Despite superficial similarities, the corporate world and the spiritual body of Christ part ways on matters of profound significance. Biblical Christianity focuses on personal relationship with God that inspires spiritual transformation. Bypassing biblical essentials for the sake of numbers, the Communitarian Church Growth Movement takes its cues from corporate America more so than from the Bible. Rather than heed a Bible-based, Christ-centric model, transformational churchianity practices outcome-based, purpose-driven religion managed by objectives that are geared toward serving customers.
Transformational ChurchianityTransformation churches use modern marketing techniques to attract and hold onto large numbers of people. Church leaders disciple their converts with Total Quality Management-style techniques. Common practices include committed leadership and strategic planning, cross-functional product design and training, process and supplier quality management, customer and employee involvement, information and feedback.
Ultimately, agents of social change within the ranks of the church leave their mark in the community and the world; however, their systems-based management philosophies are not rooted in the Bible, but rather in the work of two globally acclaimed experts in business management and methodology—namely, Peter Drucker and Edwards Deming.
Peter Drucker
An influential writer, management consultant, and self-described social ecologist, the late Peter Ferdinand Drucker coined the term knowledge worker and, later in his life, introduced knowledge work productivity as the next frontier in management. He’s credited with having invented corporate society. Even the church (a human invention in Druker’s view) must balance a variety of mundane needs and societal goals. Ostensibly bringing out the best in people, Drucker nurtured a sense of community.
Well into his nineties, Drucker consulted businesses and non-profit organizations. Volunteering, he believed, is key to fostering healthy community. Drucker insisted that all institutions bear responsibility to the whole of society for the common good.
Among Drucker’s most notable clients were General Motors, Coca-Cola, Citicorp, IBM, and Intel. With ever-increasing notoriety, the Communitarian Church Movement emerges today as yet another behemoth of Drucker’s corporate society model.
Edwards Deming
A contemporary of Peter Drucker, William Edwards Deming was an American statistician, professor, author, lecturer, and consultant best known for his work in Japan from 1950 and on. Deming's message to Japan's chief executives was: To improve quality is to reduce expenses while increasing productivity and market share.
Granted, the Drucker-Deming mindset serves 21st century business interests well; however, when implemented in church ministries modeled by TQM gurus—e.g., Drs. Robert Schuller and Rick Warren and the Rev. Bill Hybels—it’s problematic. Dr. Robert SchullerA great “possibility [transformational] thinker” and master of modern marketing, Dr. Robert Schuller founded the Crystal Cathedral in Garden Grove, California. But first, Schuller surveyed the “felt needs” of his community in Southern California. Then he designed and opened an innovative “drive-in church.”
One former attendee described his experience as “a trip,” being able to “smoke and be in church at the same time [while] at a drive-in during the daytime.” Another recalled, “Ushers came with baskets on poles for the donations if you remained in your car. I remember my mom in her bathing suit ready for Huntington Beach right after the service.”
• Rev. Bill Hybels
Dr. Schuller credits the founder of Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Illinois, for extending his church growth principles. Rev. Bill Hybels’ seeker-sensitive church is broadly known as the prototypical mega-church featuring contemporary worship, use of drama, and messages friendly to noncustomer seekers.
• Dr. Rick Warren
Arguably, the acclaimed author of The Purpose Driven Church: Growth Without Compromising Your Message and Mission, Dr. Rick Warren, has outdone both the Revs. Schuller and Hybels. Warren holds his doctorate of theology degree from one of the strongest proponents of the Church Growth Movement, Fuller Theological Seminary.
As in Drucker’s economy, Warren always starts the change process with noncustomers (unbelievers). TQM churches use feedback gleaned from community surveys specifically designed to focus on the needs of unbelievers. So it was with Dr. Rick Warren’s Saddleback Valley Community Church in Mission Viejo, CA.
Social Experimentation Toward Church Growth
By his own admission, Dr. Warren condones social experimentation on his congregation. Indeed, he views Saddleback as a kind of Research and Development Department of the church at large. Word has it he’s trained over 150,000 pastors and church leaders in church growth principles.
Unfortunately, transformational churchianity exchanges Holy Spirit guidance for artful manipulation of Hegelian dialectic. That is to say, The Church Growth Movement capitalizes on a repeated process of continual, incremental change until, finally, the Word of God is interpreted to mean something altogether different from its original intent. In the process, the set-apart, Triumphant Church succumbs to agendas that advance seeker- and profit- friendly social services.
Toward this end, Rick Warren fingers the pulpit as the ultimate tool for church growth. The most important thing in communication, according to Peter Drucker, is to hear what’s not being said. Warren agrees. No doubt by design, this communitarian pastor’s attire and presentation are pleasantly informal. Icebreakers and sketchy notes eliminate need for a cumbersome Bible and tedious dogma.
It’s true. Christians may freely enjoy informality, humor, social activities, and the arts. Each has its place. However, a superabundance of church programs and entertainment, when coupled with Hegelian dialectic, inspires creative interpretations only loosely akin to the Bible.
Change Starts with the NoncustomerHuman thinking apart from divine revelation brings about a new thesis or reality upon which all can agree, but by nature it’s hostile toward God. Following Drucker’s managerial principles, unbelievers (noncustomers) are brought into the church, and that’s good. But the follow up process of subtle, albeit continual change sadly misses the mark.
Given the TQM model, the church capitalizes on operant conditioning principles advanced by B.F. Skinner, who found that any behavior followed by a reinforcing stimulus results in an increased probability of that behavior’s reoccurring, and a behavior no longer followed by the stimulus decreases its probability.
Carefully crafted reinforcing stimuli may well nurture church growth and, hence, the bottom line (this, by means of tithes, offerings, and human resources), but then Skinner is no friend to authentic Christianity. In 1973, he signed the Humanist Manifesto II and thereby lauded relativistic values that expressly dethrone God while, at the same time, exalting human dignity and worth based on self-determination through reason.
The Skinnerian method of “successive approximations,” called shaping, at first reinforces a behavior only vaguely similar to the one desired. Once that behavior is more firmly established (i.e., by noncustomer seekers), a good social engineer seeks variations that more closely approximate what’s ultimately wanted (i.e., by repeat customers).
At first, newcomers enjoy sanitized church grounds void of religious symbols that might offend nonbelievers; what’s more, they merit preferred parking slots. Once would-be members are pinpointed, trained greeters expend a great deal of effort to schmooze them. Once on board, the noncustomer newcomer eagerly jumps the bandwagon to help perpetuate the very process that successfully wooed and won him into the fold. Together, corporate management (church government) and its workforce (customers, both new and seasoned) work in tandem to target and draw additional noncustomer newcomers.
This they accomplish by tailoring policies and programs that pander to pinpointed pre-Christians (seekers). Noncustomers are viewed as potential human resources whose talents and means are deemed useful toward furthering work of the corporate church founded on human effort and entrepreneurship.
Biblically, the church is the ekklesia (“called out ones,” each with gifts to share) who separate themselves from the profane world and assemble as a body of believers in order to admonish, comfort, encourage, and edify each other with a word, psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs as unto the Lord. In turn, those built up and anointed go out into the world to yield to the Master Potter and to fulfill the Great Commission.
No doubt TQM ensures continual improvement of the quality of products and processes used so that, in the end, products and/or services offered meet or even exceed customers’ expectations.
But the communitarian church has it all wrong. Expectations of customers (believers) or noncustomers (seekers) don’t much matter. The work of the church is not man-centric. Her mission is to please God, not man; and as good and faithful servants, believers rightly seek the praise of God, not their fellows.
More to come in Part 3.
Ephesians 4:5.
Tarrant, John C., Drucker: The Man Who Invented the Corporate Society (1976), ISBN 0-8436-0744-0.
www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._Edwards_Deming.
Possibilities thinking—Involves mutual processing for mutual benefit. Set aside as cumbersome anchors that block the dialectic process, facts and fixed beliefs bow to constructivist thought. A carefully honed, collaborative team voice trumps line-upon-line biblical knowledge. Attention is directed instead to pinpointed felt needs that demand to be met in society.
www.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Hybels.
http://ministryonline.com/churchgrowth/warren.ht.
7 James 4:4; Romans 8:7.
Human Resources are best viewed as workers, not thinkers; followers, not leaders; group members, not individuals. Ever learning, they fail to discover and embrace to the full Bible truth and sound doctrine (Isaiah 5:20; 2 Timothy 3:7). Their development and management are accomplished by means of lifelong learning, interdisciplinary approaches, systems thinking, partnerships, multicultural perspectives, and empowerment principles—all designed to fit that human resource to the workforce and/or social needs of the community.
John 5:41-44; Matthew 25:14-30.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
