The dichotomy of spirituality and organizational governance: A phenomenological study.

摘要

A dichotomy exists between the church and the business world. The purpose of this study, was to uncover perceptions of active church members regarding operational performance of a Southern Baptist church in suburban Louisville, Kentucky. Six primary themes regarding church operations developed from participants' responses: (a) the role of staff in church operations, (b) effects of communication on church operations, (c) expectations of transparency and acceptance of internal controls, (d) operational need for congregational volunteerism, (e) spiritual and operational aspects of congregational financial support, and (f) stewardship correlation of assets with mission. Data from the study indicated that congregants perceive churches as dealing with similar problems as business, but place additional expectations on churches because of the church's mission.