“We are working for a weird business.”

Those words spoken over lunch made me consider the place of the church in the world. Who are we as an institution? What have we become?

In the business world, your priority is either on quality, quantity, or customer service. Seldom does one cross back and forth in equal balance. With churches seeking to be more business savvy, it begs the same questions asked above.

This is a terrible quandary. In classes, we are told that it’s not about the numbers, yet the is an emphasis on numbers in order to keep records. We are told to strive toward excellence, yet the pursuit of excellence can distract us from worshipping through our ministry. If we seek to make people comfortable and provide the best possible “customer service” church, there would never be a confrontational message.

This paradox attacks the heart with pure intentions for ministry. The demands of expecationalism have the same, lasting effect on a pastor as pornography has on a young man. It causes us to be forever plagued by thoughts of wanting more performance driven ministries and our feelings of inadequicy causes us to gauge our ministries by how much better or worse we are than others. Something is not right. Something has to give.

I was glad to be a sounding board over lunch, to simply listen rather than talk. But it saddened me that someone whose heart and motive was once so pure had to ask how they disappeared or where they got lost. It is almost as though his heart had been violated by the business mentality of the church.

What have we become? We have become , as my friend put it, become “spectators in the sport of life” who like to sit back and watch from the stands, occasionally yelling strategies and moves to the players. All the while, we are so happy to sit in the stands rather than diving into the game and enjoying the victories, defeats, pains, and rushes of life.

Who are we? We’re supposed to be the body of Christ. But as I sat and listened to this young pastor, I couldn’t help but think of the words of Casting Crowns: “If we are the body, why aren't His arms reaching ? Why aren't His hands healing? Why aren't His words teaching? And if we are the body why aren’t His feet going? Why is His love not showing them there is a way?”