Nov 30, 2011
Mike Breen on “Why Corporate Church Won’t Work”
Posted by Pastor Todd Murphy in | Comments (0)
http://mikebreen.wordpress.com/2011/11/29/why-corporate-church-wont-work/
I was looking at Mike Breen's blog yesterday. He has a great post on why corporate Church models will not work. You should definitely check it out. Here are some quick points why I feel the corporate church model will not work to add to the discussion.
1. Membership in Corporate culture is based upon works - We all apply for jobs with a resume. What does the resume say? It basically says, “hey look at me, look at what I have done. Here are the reasons you should want me on your team.” A Gospel/discipleship culture runs against that grain. It is not based upon what you have done. The only criteria for acceptance is repentance, that is basically repenting of any kind of self-made worthiness by embracing what Christ has done. Have you eery noticed how socially stratified corporate churches become; how they become primarily upper-middle class white suburbanites with moral and republican agendas? Have you noticed how really broken people do not fit in easily?
2, Corporate Culture is based on a Transaction -- You do a job and you get paid. You fail to do your job or make a big mistake that affects the bottom line, you are out.
3. The Gospel/Discipleship culture is Familial -- This means it is based upon the family. Rather than being transactional, it is selfless and nurturing. We care for our small, sick, and weak in a family regardless of their ability to deliver.
4. The Corporate Church Culture is a machine -- It is based upon programs, systems, and structures that run people through like an assembly line. It runs people in and out of services, in an out of programs, in and out of soup kitchens. This lacks all real relationship and sensitivity to the real spiritual and emotional needs of people. It lacks genuine incarnational presence like Jesus.
At Sacred Journey we are aiming at a discipleship culture where the Church is not a system or a machine, but a community that serves like a nurturing mother. We want to see people built up in the Gospel and grow to maturity in Christ.
What are your thoughts and experiences? Have you seen first hand how the corporate model has been destructive to you and your spiritual growth? Do you have anything else to add as to why the corporate structure is destroying the real Church and the real Gospel?
Posted by Pastor Todd Murphy in | Comments (0)
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