Product Or Service

I find that churches vary as to whether they see themselves as offering a product or a service.  In the Catholic experience, when a parish has a product mentality, it seems to say, "We have this or that for you.  If you want it and qualify, you can have it."  The "it" is generally a sacrament such as holy communion.  It is a top down organization of people who are pretty set in their ways.  There is not much going out to find new members.  New members are welcome so long as they don't upset the way things are done by the longterm members.  There is a core group of believes who talk to one another and like things just the way they are.  This is the product variety parish.  Tomorrow I will talk about the service model of parish.