When a church goes corporate (part 1)

Samuel was the last of the Judges to shepherd Israel. Near the end of his life, the elders of Israel came to him with a very troubling request. They told Samuel, “We want a king. We want to be like the nations around us.” (1 Samuel 8:19-20 NLT) To us this may not seem troubling, but to Samuel and the Lord it was.

“Samuel was displeased with their request and went to the Lord for guidance. ‘Do everything they say to you,’ the Lord replied, ‘for it is me they are rejecting, not you. They don’t want me to be their king any longer.’” (1 Samuel 8:6-7 NLT)

Now transpose that situation into the present in the context of the church. Some churches, especially larger ones, have also made a troubling demand. “We want a CEO. We want to be like the corporations around us.” Does this application take too much liberty with the text? I don’t think so! Let’s consider some key differences between corporations and the church.

Purpose
A corporation exists to make money. If a corporation fails at this central goal, it will cease to exist. Although its employees benefit from the business, it does not exist for them but for its customers and shareholders. Yes, a company makes a product or provides a service, but only for the purpose of making money. If that product or service becomes unprofitable—no matter how noble it is, the company will discontinue that product or service and perhaps add new ones that guarantee profits.

A church exists to glorify God, build up and grow its members, and represent Christ to the world. (See Ephesians 1:14; 4:11-16; and Matthew 28:18-20.) We must apply this purpose to include pastors, elders and staff. They too are part of the body, the church family. In addition to existing for Christ and the world, the church—unlike a corporation—also exists for itself.

©2009 Rob Fischer