Did you ever notice how many terms and ideas from the business community have infiltrated the church? We have corporate worship, business meetings and budget to meet. Here is a few questions I have been thinking: What is the difference between a business and a ministry? Is a church a business or a ministry? Is it bad for a church to be a business? Doesn’t a church have to pay the bills? How can you pay the bills without income? How do you have income without maintaining a business?
The place for the answer is the Bible. The church was founded upon Peter’s statement to Jesus, “You are the Christ, the Son of God.” (Matt. 16:16) This means the church is founded upon Jesus the Christ. What is the church? The word church in Greek is “ekklesia” which means the group of people who are called out of, or separate from, the world. What is our task, as the church? Our “marching orders” are found in the Great Commission: Go and teach. (teach includes: evangelization and education) (Matt. 28:19-20). And the Great Commandment: Treat others the way you want to be treated. (Matt. 22:37-40) Additional instructions order us to be witnesses to people about what Christ has done for us (Acts 1:8). In order to carry out these commands we are given several things to do: Pray, Study the Bible, Fast, Give, Love, Have Joy, Live Peaceable lives, Encourage, Rebuke, Defend, Witness, Talk, etc. Not once is the church given the task of making a profit. We are required to support the mission of the church and to provide for the burden God gives us. Too often we loose the vision of what the church is and what we do because of the vocabulary we choose. Here are a few vocabulary differences:
Business Term +++ Ministry Term
HIRE an employee +++ CALL a ministry leader
We PAY our employee +++ We SUPPORT a pastor
We go to a job to WORK +++ We go to a ministry to SERVE
This is an OCCUPATION +++ This is a VOCATION / CALLING
Work uses JOB DESCRPTIONS +++ Ministry uses AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY
Workers are Loyal to THE BUSINESS +++ Ministers are Loyal to CHRIST
Goal: Make the company MONEY +++ Goal: Start and Improve RELATIONSHIPS to Christ
A business SELLS things +++ A ministry OFFERS things
“What can we SELL IT for?” +++ “Who can we GIVE IT to?”
Businesses ENTICE / ENTERTAIN +++ Churches LOVE / SERVE to share Christ
tied to a BUILDING; not the PEOPLE +++ tied to the PEOPLE; not a BUILDING
Concern for PROFIT +++ Concern for PEOPLE
Employees DEMAND RIGHTS +++ Servants have NO RIGHTS only blessings
CUSTOMERS influence business decisions +++ CHRIST influences ministry leadership
MONEY is the base of the business +++ LOVE is the base of the servant relationship
What’s in it for ME? +++ What’s in it for CHRIST?
What would my BOSS do? +++ What would JESUS do?
What is the COMPANY POLICY? +++ What does the BIBLE say?
Safety first, Accidents cost money +++ Protect Physical, Mental, Spiritual health
Let’s TALK about it +++ Let’s PRAY about it
I’ll be THINKING about you +++ I’ll be PRAYING for you
Expects you to be ON TIME +++ Expects you to be EARLY
LEAVE WORK at work +++ Ministry NEVER STOPS
Working is usually stressful +++ Ministry is in the Fruit of the Spirit – Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Gentleness, Goodness, Meekness, Faith, Self-control
Keep business and ministry SEPARATE. +++ My work IS my ministry.
What is the PRICE? +++ What is the spiritual VALUE?
What does it COST? +++ What is the WORTH to the Kingdom?
People are CUSTOMERS +++ People are CREATIONS OF GOD
MANAGEMENT team +++ MINISTRY team
ON THE JOB integrity and honesty +++ LIFETIME integrity and honesty
EMPLOYEES +++ SERVANTS - MINISTERS
“What can you do for me?” +++ The church asks, “What can we do for you?”
Work is a part of my life. +++ Ministry IS my life.
It is clear from Scripture that a church is not a business. Our goal as a church family, is not a profit or even financial enhancement. Our goal is leading people into a meaningful relationship with Jesus Christ. We are required to give, to support the ministry of the church, but we are not to set spiritual goals based upon the “income” level of the church. We set spiritual goals based on Christ and His leadership. The provision is by Christ through the hands of obedient worshippers to do the service He has given us.
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