Why This Business Model Doesn't Work For The Church

Due to my background in business, finance and economics I find myself being able to quickly identify business models being implemented in the church.  As is often the case, I find myself reacting strongly against these models.  


For example, Kurt Bickel and Les Stoh’s book, "Structure Your Church for Missions," states the following: 

“Determining the right things for the missional effort of the congregation begins with an awareness of the Cultural Context in which the congregation exits. This encompasses the history of the congregation, including the formation, transitions and unique stories of God’s blessings over time. Culture Context also includes the community with the current makeup of people, industry and other demographical information. The understanding of the context must include the strengths and weaknesses of the internal environment of the congregation, as well as the opportunities and threats it faces from its external environment now and into the future.” 

At first glance this seems quite harmless.  My concern with the previous paragraph though is with the words, "Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats."  These word make up what is call a S.W.O.T. analysis.  The S.W.O.T. analysis is a business assessment tool that came about in the 1960’s and attempts to maneuver businesses within a competitive capitalistic environment. The business is called to assess its marketable strengths, worrisome weakness, as well as identify opportunities and threats in the market place.  The S.W.O.T. analysis drives organizations into competition, pushes them to assess objectives for pragmatic reasons and drives them towards marketing strengths.  The problem with this in the church is that decisions are made according to how achievable and attainable they are.


While I can agree that it is good for a church to be aware of its sociological surroundings and threats, a S.W.O.T. analysis cannot and should not govern the mission of the church. Bluntly put, if the church at large were to apply a S.W.O.T. analysis towards its mission endeavors, we would have to remove the majority of our missionaries as well as close many of our inner city mission ministries.  Rather my friends the scriptures and the Gospel are what drive the church.  Frankly, the motives and effects of the Gospel cannot be measured or assessed by a S.W.O.T. analysis.  A church can have absolutely no internal strengths, but if the church possesses the Gospel, they can have assurance that the Gospel is the power of God.  The church also faces the threats of the world, Satan and the flesh, but take comfort for the gates of hell will not prevail against it the great confession of Christ.  


Even though I have knee jerk reactions to many governance structures implemented in the church, we must consider that many of them have value. We can learn from many governance structures, though this S.W.O.T. Analysis is something that is not a strength or opportunity but a threat that could potentially weaken the church.  :-)