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Understanding the Three Church Systems

God values the means over the end.
—Fred Smith

This is a very personal opinion that comes from observing and participating in many churches for more than fifty years: Most churches are run on the poor human system, a kind of system with which you'd run a marginal business.

There are two other systems with which churches can operate: the good human system, and the spiritual system. Only the last is the one on which the church of Christ should be run.

Poor human system


In a marginal church you have a "Mom and Pop" operation, and both "Mom and Pop" are tired, harassed, and limited. One may serve different functions than the other, sometimes not even properly classified functions. Sometimes Mom is a better financier than Pop, so she handles the cash register. Pop may have more energy than Mom and so when he's on the premises, he keeps the store open longer. He may sit at the front door while she sits at the back, or they may reverse it.

I see churches run this way.

The pastor and his wife are running ...

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March
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