Comments on: Corporate Language in the Church, and the Problem with Corporations in General http://www.tomsbigpicture.com/2006/12/18/corporate-language-in-the-church-and-the-problem-with-corporations-in-general/ A Discussion of Politics, Religion, Business, Science, Technology and Life - Comments Encouraged! Sat, 22 Nov 2008 01:56:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Lindsay http://www.tomsbigpicture.com/2006/12/18/corporate-language-in-the-church-and-the-problem-with-corporations-in-general/#comment-134 Lindsay Wed, 20 Dec 2006 19:14:24 +0000 http://www.tomsbigpicture.com/2006/12/18/corporate-language-in-the-church-and-the-problem-with-corporations-in-general/#comment-134 I agree with you, Tom. I get so disappointed when I see the church function like an organization, instead of a living organism made up of living people. The church has an obligation to the people God has given them - their best interests ARE the best interests of the church. Obviously, that's not the case with McDonalds, Walmart, or Philip Morris. I'm not complaining about that necessarily - it's just the way it is. We as consumers have to know that corporations aren't our 'buddies' or our guardians any more than the govnerment is. McDonald's CEO is looking out for himself and his family, as he should. We have to look out for ours. The church, however...who is it looking out for? Shouldn't it be shepherding its people? The church isn't an organization or corporation - the church is the people that make it up. It's a body, an 'ecclesia' - a called-out assembly of people. Without the people, there is no church. McDonald's could exit (albeit, not function very well) if the majority of its employees left. Legally, it would still be a corporation. But the church, without its people, would be nothing because of the very definition of what the church IS. It's so much "easier", though, to function as a corporation. Functioning as a group of people is so much messier - there are personality issues that policies can't resolve, there are sticky moral situations that there's no 'procedure' for...I can see why it's tempting. But we dilute the purpose of who we are when we give in and take the easier road. I agree with you, Tom. I get so disappointed when I see the church function like an organization, instead of a living organism made up of living people. The church has an obligation to the people God has given them - their best interests ARE the best interests of the church.

Obviously, that’s not the case with McDonalds, Walmart, or Philip Morris. I’m not complaining about that necessarily - it’s just the way it is. We as consumers have to know that corporations aren’t our ‘buddies’ or our guardians any more than the govnerment is. McDonald’s CEO is looking out for himself and his family, as he should. We have to look out for ours.

The church, however…who is it looking out for? Shouldn’t it be shepherding its people? The church isn’t an organization or corporation - the church is the people that make it up. It’s a body, an ‘ecclesia’ - a called-out assembly of people. Without the people, there is no church. McDonald’s could exit (albeit, not function very well) if the majority of its employees left. Legally, it would still be a corporation. But the church, without its people, would be nothing because of the very definition of what the church IS.

It’s so much “easier”, though, to function as a corporation. Functioning as a group of people is so much messier - there are personality issues that policies can’t resolve, there are sticky moral situations that there’s no ‘procedure’ for…I can see why it’s tempting.

But we dilute the purpose of who we are when we give in and take the easier road.

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