I have been involved in Church leadership for over 15 years and have experienced many Churchgoers asking why it is that the Church always lags behind the business world when it comes to the implementation of new technologies and strategies.
Or, why does the Church never actually lead the way? And having been directly involved in Church management for just under half of those years, I too have wondered why this is.
Why is the Church never a trend setter?
Why is it that we can never set the pace and lead rather than follow?
I believe that there are primarily two reasons for this.
Money’s Too Tight to Mention
Firstly, the Church rarely ever has sufficient resources. This is not purely a financial issue but a people’s one too. It is a practical reality that the Church needs money in order to do the work of ministry, both missional and pastoral. But it is a reality too that not everyone pays their full tithes which results in budget shortfalls and the inability to do what needs to get done. It is a sad reality too that there are those in ministry who squander financial resources, which in turn make people not want to give their tithes, perpetuating the problem.
But as I mentioned, the lack of resources is not only a financial issue but a people’s one too. Due to the lack of finances, the Church can never pay enough to retain critical technical or strategic skills. Yes, the work of ministry does mean that most accept a financial sacrifice as a gift to God. But as living costs go up and family dynamics change, that sacrifice becomes more and more burdensome. Until one day the ministry worker either gets lapped up by the business world prepared to pay a market related salary for the skills that they are acquiring, or they start their own business with the skills that they have acquired over the years. So finances are both a direct and indirect key problem.
The Church Is Not A Business
I believe though that the second reason is the more pertinent one as to why the church always lags behind, and that is that the Church is not a business. Yes, it must operate along most standard business practices such as developing policies and procedures to govern how the ministry must operate and appropriately spend finances. But it is ultimately not a business in the traditional sense in that it does not operate to generate income or profit. As such, the Church simply does not possess the finances, personnel resources, or the inert desire to research and develop methods, strategies, or technologies, that ultimately seek to make money out of its patrons.
Some businesses may argue that businesses aim to serve their customers, but the truth is that none of them would do that for very long if it did not prove profitable; charity does not pay the bills. As much as they say they want to serve, it is only done at a cost to the one that they want to serve. The Church is the only organisation that is truly prepared to serve at no cost to the direct beneficiary of that service. Some may argue that other not for profit organisations also exist to serve without cost to the beneficiary of that service, but I believe that these organisations exist because the Church is not fulfilling that role due to both the lack of finances and or the misappropriation thereof.
Another aspect to the Church not being a business point is the danger of serving two masters (Matthew 6:24). In order for the Church to be able to conduct technological research and development, it would require masses of additional finances. And like a friend of mine always used to say, money makes you funny. Therefore, there will always be a danger when lots of money is floating around in the Church. Having too much of it always seems to result in problems somewhere.
Am I Being Negative?
Some might say that I am speaking negativity over the Church or that I am prophesying death, but I believe that pursuing the desire to be trend setters is a misguided goal and detracts from the true purpose of the Church. If time, energy and money is wasted on technology research and development, then that is time, energy and money taken away from missional and or pastoral efforts.
So What’s the Point?
The fact is that the Church is not a business. The point is that it means that it will never develop any new non-missional or non-pastoral strategies or technologies, and will therefore always be a step or more behind the business world.
But that’s okay.
As long as the Church stays abreast of the latest technology and strategies to see which would be the most suitable to implement in an ever changing world.
The Bible speaks about us being in the world, not of the world. To expect or desire or strive for the Church to be like a business, developing technologies, would to be of the world. To be using existing, already developed technologies or strategies, is being in the world.
The Church then must use technology to promote the Gospel, but it doesn’t have to develop it. And that’s why it will always lag behind.
And the Solution Is …?
Sites like ChurchMag exist to help connect the dots between the Church and the world of technology. People who possess the passion for both the Church and technology, take the time to sift out the chaff of what works and what will most likely benefit the Church in its mission and goals.
Listen to them.
vietchristian says
An organization needs a strong leadership team and passionate volunteers.
Darryl Schoeman says
That’s a great point and supports both points above. Without strong leadership, money will always be spent unwisely. Without passionate volunteers, tithes will never get paid. Without both, the need to embrace new technologies will never be recognised.
vietchristian says
As they say there is no “I” in team for I can’t do many things. More importantly, there is “T” in team, i.e., The Cross!
Paul Clifford (@PodcastinChurch) says
I think there’s a cultural problem we’re stil fighting. Communicating in a cutting-edge, culturally relevant way ISN’T compromise any more than when the Apostle Paul spoke about “the unknown God” at Mars Hill (not the church, but the place in Athens mentioned in the book of acts).
Part of the problem is starting with Christian culture and trying to explain the good news from that perspective instead of starting with the secular culture and building on it so that those outside the church can understand what we’re talking about.
It wasn’t always the case that the Church lagged behind. Some of the greatest art made in the middle ages and the Renaissance was made by and for the Church. We can do that again.
BTW, the purpose isn’t to be cool or out do the world, but to be so engaging that they can see Jesus for who He is.
Paul
Darryl Schoeman says
This is a really great point Paul and very much a cultural problem. But you are equating expression with invention. Paul did indeed communicate in the philosophical language of the day and was therefore contemporary. But he didn’t develop or invent philosophical thinking (or communication); he embraced it for the purpose of spreading the Gospel. The same is true of the art of the Renaissance; it was the embracing of an already existing form of expression, and expanding it’s use into the Church. Yet it is indeed fundamentally a cultural problem, especially contemporary culture that is post industrial revolution.
Bryan says
While this is a directly technological post and therefore has focused on the trend setting in that area. I have to ask; Why is the church not a leading trend setter in creative areas? Since the church is actually connected to the greatest creative mind there is (God) why is it not leading creatively(i.e. Music, fashion, Fine Art, Photography, etc.), or could you argue that it is?
This is not meant to bash christian creatives, just to start a discussion on the subject.
Eric Dye says
I don’t think it’s a bash at all!
Totally good point.
Something even Bono has brought up, before (video here).
Darryl Schoeman says
This is a great question Bryan and smacks of Paul’s example above of the Church being a leader in the area of arts during the Renaissance. There are a few thoughts that I have on the creativity side.
Firstly, I do not perceive the Church as NOT being a creative trend-setter. The point of the article is about not needing to be the innovative leader. Maybe I’m wrong, but creative innovation is, well, “less” innovative than technological innovation. For me the creative innovation would be the use of technology in order to be more creative. And I believe that within the expression of Christianity, the Church is indeed quite creative.
Secondly, I think that some of the answer (“problem”) lies in Christian contentment, where we do not need new things in order to be or feel fulfilled. Hence, we do not strive out of lack to find new ways of doing things.
But hey, I’m not a creative-arts type person.
I have however asked a creative-arts friend of mine to comment. Let’s see if they do and what they say.
God bless
D
Curtis says
The church does not *always* lag behind.
Jesus was one of the best, most motivating, most famous speakers of his day, which was the technology of choice at the time. Okay, Jesus wasn’t a church, but you get my point.
Paul was one of the best letter writers of his day, when letter writing was the most common technology for communication at his time. His teaching and letters led directly to the planting and blossoming of the initial Christian churches.
Luther know how to take advantage of the technology of his day, the printing press, to expand the Gospel in new ways and to new people. Luther was more innovative in his use of printed books than many private entrepreneurs of his day.
So it is not an axiom that the church must “always lag behind”. What is needed is for new leaders to emerge, usually from outside the established church, to use new technology to present the Gospel in new ways.
I think you can find that in Christian bloggers of today. But many of them are outside of the established, denominational and evangelical mainstream, so they don’t get much attention from church establishment. But they are there, and hundreds of thousands of people are presented the gospel each day because of these innovative church leaders.
Darryl Schoeman says
Thanks for the comment Curtis. You gave wonderful and valid points, and I get your point. It is true that once the Church get’s its teeth sunk in, we truly do bring out the best of something, (which I think is linked to our desire for excellence in everything that we do, always doing things to the glory of and for God). My point though was not about the USE of technology but rather the development of new technologies, methods, etc. The inevitable reality then is that because the Church is not in the business of technological research and development, we will always be behind the business world in embracing something new, even if it is only a little behind ;-).
Mark says
You say, “To expect or desire or strive for the Church to be like a business, developing technologies, would to be of the world. To be using existing, already developed technologies or strategies, is being in the world.”
I’m not sure what your criteria for worldliness are, but I have to disagree with this. The church shouldn’t shrink from invention when it serves the purposes of the Great Commission. You don’t have to be a for-profit business to develop technologies.
Worldliness has more to do with aims and motives than with the activity itself. Greed, selfishness, pride–these are worldly. Invention and technology are not in and of themselves worldly.
There’s lots of great invention happening in the church and in parachurch organizations, for the sake of the gospel.
Darryl Schoeman says
Hey Mark
Thanks for taking the time to comment. This is a great and valid point you raise, highlighting the underlying principles of worldliness.
I am not suggesting that the Church shrinks back from invention. The practical reality though is that it can’t invent and develop technologies like the business world can; it simply doe not have the financial resources and expertise that businesses have access to.
I did however end my article off with the point that the Church “… will never develop any new non-missional or non-pastoral strategies or technologies …” which I think is akin to your point that there is indeed great invention taking place in Church and para-Church organisations for the sake of the Gospel.
It is my desire to see the Gospel spread by any and every means. As people are called into ministry, some of them would have come from a business background, and sometimes its easy to slip into old habits and management styles. As such, the Church (para- included) must just be cautious of trying to look and operate too much like a business rather than the Church.
Mark says
Agreed.
Though one might also note that lots of people come into ministry from a seminary or other academic background, and sometimes it’s easy to slip into old habits of intellectualism and puffed-up knowledge. Really, whatever background we come to ministry from needs to be baptized, so that we can offer the best of what we’ve learned to the glory of God.
Darryl Schoeman says
Well pointed and noted. Your insight has been invaluable.