Nations1

Continuing on with Fred Smith.  This is good stuff:

The purpose of the corporation and the purpose of the church are very different. The church is not a corporation. The church exists for relationship with God and other believers, not for profit. It is more a living organism than an organization. The members are not employees to be hired and fired based on their efficiency.
Let me define power, prestige, and money as motivation: the power to perpetuate the leader’s control as well as the life of the organization; to institute programs and procedures and see that they succeed, penalizing those who fail; to arrange people by results and reward loyalty; to combine with others in mergers or acquisitions; to influence one’s successor and, ultimately, to control one’s personal destiny.
In prestige this type of leader gets recognition, respect—for himself and his organization. This person is catered to, often attaining celebrity status. Prestige gives him social and political inclusion among the elite. He can join the best clubs, be elected to positions of power, honor, and influence. With financial reward he finds security as well as “the good life,” meaning comfort and often luxury, which often rewards such a leader much more than he deserves because he, in reality, controls the system.
Power, prestige, and money appeal to most of us, and to use methods that produce these will continue to be a temptation. I have seen spiritual leaders seduced into leaving their calling and becoming professionals in the American religious industry, which utilizes these same motivations and rewards. Unfortunately, they become ambitious, egotistical, metallic, and remote, only interested in people who advance their agenda. Self-love has taken over.
Those promoting this methodology predict dire results for those who stay with “old-fashioned, out-dated” methods. Others predict that only the megachurch will survive—that small churches may not be viable. But I think history shows small flocks will always be effective. The church’s basic functions have been and will be the salvation of the lost, the maturing of the saved, and the fellowship that encourages Christian living. This can be done in a small group as well as in a large one. The church still faces, no matter its size, two basic questions: Can Christ be Savior without being Lord? and Are members customers or distributors? The church of any size is faced with the temptation to make the irresponsible comfortable.