The Church is a Business
When we are talking about the church as an institution – as a vehicle with the designation of being both evangelical (spreading the good news of Jesus Christ), apostolic (being sent under the authority of God to do so) and catholic (being universal in scope and breadth) – we are talking about a business.
This concept has been clouded over by what we have traditionally understood business to be within a capitalist framework. A business in its simplest form is an organization set in motion to produce and increase profits. In other words, it does not exist merely to establish minimal benefits for its participants, but seeks to draw in reserves and surplus for several purposes. These profits stimulate growth of the organization, may be used to reward investors, are used to compensate active laborers. None of these are against the gospel of Christ in principle – in fact, according to the logistics of ecclesiastical life, St. Paul recommends that all of these be manifested with regard to the church communities.
For St. Paul, the church is certainly a business whose existence is insured by the very product that it sells. The church is built on the principles of the gospel, it lives according to its experience of the gospel, and therefore is fully qualified through the guidance of the product to sell the product. As business plans go, it is remarkably efficient and has a very solid return on investment so long as everyone is willing to do their part. So far as St. Paul is concerned, everyone must:
- Know their product
- Use their product
- Sell their product
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© 2006 Jacob Gorny