How's Business?

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Peter Drucker, the leadership guru once said leaders of non-profit organizations should ask two questions:

1. What is our business?
2. How's business?

Percentage of McDonald's franchises that did not sell a hamburger last year: 0%
Percentage of Ace Hardware Stores that did not sell a hammer last year: 0%
Percentage of Kaybee Toy Stores that did not sell a toy last year: 0%
Percentage of Salvation Army Outlets that did not help a needy person last year: 0%
Percentage of State Universities that did not educate a student last year: 0%
Percentage of airlines that did not fly a plane last year: 0%
Percentage of Wal Mart's that did not sell merchandise last year: 0%

Percentage of Methodist Churches that did not receive a member by profession of faith last year: 43%


Comments

  1. Richard Lauby9:48 PM

    mark, the difference is, those companies know what their job is. too often in the church we have forgotten what our "business" is. In our state we do not even list the numbers of people saved or baptised, or joining the church, in our monthly list of "numbers that count". go figure.
    peace ... richard lauby

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous8:32 PM

    Until the UM, and most other denominational churches quit putting their emphsais on numbers (read 'money") rather than Jesus, they will continue to dry up and die. ...jane crabtree

    ReplyDelete
  3. Rob Murray10:53 AM

    Hi, found your post via "church marketing sucks". I minister with a mainstream protestant church in canada. I take your point, but just wanted to point out that membership is not the sole "product" of the church. That doesn't excuse us from taking a hard look at what we are selling and not fooling ourselves about what constitutes success.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Anonymous3:05 PM

    You know what would be an interesting analysis? Plot that statistic over the last 20 years. Then, plot the decline of the percentage of UMC churches have refused to take a firm public stand on "liberal issues". I think you'll find a strong correllation. UMC pastors better start worrying about Jesus holding them accountable for thier influence, and how they shepherd their flock...instead of putting a greater stake in what the UMC leadership would say to them! I know there are exceptions, and you know who you are, the rest of them are blind I guess.

    From a DIL of a 20+ year former UMC pastor

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous10:06 PM

    Someone told me tonight that I could find something about the
    temperatures in Wisconsin compared to elsewhere in the country on this website (funny of course).
    Where can I find it?

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous2:58 PM

    I posted it this month -- you can find it here in the Feb 2007 Archives.
    http://revitalizeyourchurch.blogspot.com/2007/02/balmy-wisconsin.html

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous8:31 PM

    Thank you, Pastor Mark. I forwarded
    this to a friend in Las Vegas - she
    sends us funny stuff all the time.
    Elisabeth

    ReplyDelete

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