I’m reading through Ken Blanchard’s book, Leading at a Higher Level. One of the points he makes is that every organization has two types of customers. The external customer, the outside person you are trying to serve, and the internal customer, the inside person that is employed and supported by other employees in the organization. Both sets of customers are important for a healthy organization.
Churches that believe the regular attender is the customer are churches that do not understand the priesthood of all believers. A firm understanding of the priesthood of all believers leads to others focused thinking. In a department store, front line employees are served by behind the scenes personnel (stock personnel serve the floor associates). The floor associates are the ‘customers’ of the stock personnel. The floor associate serves the external customer, the paying customer who has a need that is being met through the store. The most important customer in the chain is the external customer, without them, the whole chain dies. However, this does not mean that you can neglect the internal customer! Without the internal customer, the chain will also die.
In the church world, there are both internal and external customers. There are ministries that exist to support those in the church. However, there must also remain the focus on the external customer… those not yet in the church. If the balance between these two focuses isn’t managed well, disaster will arrive. Either the church body will become ingrown and ineffective or the church body will be neglected and under-nourished.
The church that focuses internally will think that they are fulfilling their mission because they are maturing believers. The church that focuses externally will think that they are fulfilling their mission because they are getting more people into the kingdom.
The Bible teaches not either-or, but both-and. We are to make disciples! Evangelism and discipleship are required to make disciples.
Balancing the tension between the two is the responsibility of church leadership.
Ok this is interesting. You are comparing the church with a department store. OK lets look at this concept. If we look at the church today and ask the staff members, where do you spend most of your week? Most popular answer is… in meetings and staff meetings and planning meetings which dedicate several people 30-40 hours a week for what be 3 – 4 hours a week. yeah this is marketing in a department store… open it and they will come….Well that does not work at all.. in today’s business world,, the most successful business have a sales force that is out visiting prospects.. seeing existing customers for new contacts in their company and turning them into prospects and begin the sales pipeline process. Another word for this is relational evangelism, but to build relationships outside the 4 walls of a building.
This is the proven model that makes corporations multi billion dollar companies, because they get a sales force sold out for their product and take pride in their company that they want to meet people and begin sharing what they have to offer.. and how it will benefit their life and company. So lets not be a department store church, let’s be a church with a strong sales force, truly growing the kingdom of God
The analogy of a sales force that is out in the streets is better.
Having served on multiple large staff churches, the majority of employees are not spending their time preparing for the services. Most are providing support for the non-service ministries that happen throughout the week and off-site from the central location.
Using your analogy, even the sales force that is out building relationships outside the four walls of the building has a group of people who are back in the company office providing support.