Churches Can Learn from Business

Churches can learn from business, and businesses can learn from churches -- at least according to a columnist on LifeWay, one of the largest distributors of Christian products and services.

Indeed, churches offer spiritual balance, including a system of ethics and honesty, a valuing of people, and creating a positive environment, stated columnist Ken Gosnell in an article published on his weblog.

However, in a separate column in LifeWay, Gosnell pointed out that there are also four strategies frequently used by businesses that can promote church growth. These are tools such as marketing and branding, a "bottom line" mentality, a value of leadership, and fashioning and maintaining a vision for the future.

"Even though the church is not a business, there are certain fundamental characteristics that the church can learn from the business world (and some concepts that the church can teach the business world as well)," Gosnel stated in his piece, What the Business World Can Teach the Church.

The four-point tips article comes after BusinessWeek attributed the rise of mega churches to the fact that they followed a business model.

According to BusinessWeek's May 23, 2005 cover story, "Earthly Empires How evangelical churches are borrowing from the business playbook," marketing and branding is what identifies a company and attracts a loyal following, and mega churches have recognized and employed this tool.

Gosnell points out that in order for the mission given by God to be fulfilled, "The smaller church needs to learn the important aspects of branding and marketing in order to be able to communicate their message successfully."

In addition, there is the problem of inadequate leadership in churches, states Gosnell.

"Many churches are afraid of leadership, and neither value nor appreciate leaders," he wrote, and in order to succeed, the church can look to the business world to learn how to lead and also accomplish its mission.

His third point is entrepreneurs strategically plan for the future, responding to the market and trends and developing new products and services.

He quotes Ben Merold, a preacher and church growth leader, who has often said: “Most churches don’t have any goals further than having church next Sunday.”

Gosnell adds his analysis that, "Many churches participate in pointless activities that help neither her people nor the church. Churches must learn to evaluate programs and use resources better to accomplish the mission that God has given."