I just found this blog via Lovelace’s site. I’m looking forward to reading up on what you have to say. I hope you and the crew are well.

Take care,
Justin Lamb

Corporate is maybe not the best word, but it’s hard to define. Maybe it’s more “church for church’s sake” – the inward focus of many American churches on building a mini church empire that derives its ethos more from business theory than missional thinking (thus my word “corporate” – feels like a corporation more than a body). I’ve spent way too much of my life with folk who think the church’s purpose is to build buildings, develop programs, increase weekly service attendence, and bring in enough cash to cover the mortgages and salaries that sort of approach takes. My only interest these days is to be a part of communities of faith that see participating in God’s mission of redeeming the world as the primary focus – communities that couldn’t care less about those other things. You can see the difference – one is a more grassroots, shoestring budget operation with the mission as its focus, and the other is, well, corporate.

To that end I entirely fund my family’s needs via other work so I am free to teach and lead in churches for no fee. For now, it seems the most honest way for me to work out this issues in my own heart. Hope that answers the question. I’m not trying to bash anyone else – we are all called to do different things, but for me this is the way I think God is leading me.