A few months ago in my search of the shelves in thrift stores for books of
merit, I came across "The Centerless
Corporation, A New Model for Transforming your Organization for Growth and
Prosperity," by Bruce A. Pasternak and Abert J. Viscio of Booz,
Allen & Hamilton. Since this was one of those few places where there is
still a flat price for books and since I had not read any so called
"professional management'" books in a long time, I decided to see if
there was something that I might learn in the volume.
As I read, even though it was set in the paradigm of the multinational
corporation, with some minor changes, the thoughts and points expressed were
basically consistent with what I had been teaching these last fifteen years or
so. That got me thinking perhaps it would be a good idea if I would update some
of those concepts to be more relevant in this new millennia. Since I was
playing around with the concept of Enterprise Symbiosis at the time, it was
quite easy to use that term when they said something in effect, "The
organization must be greater than the sum of its parts."
What began with the article on May 3rd was my attempt to change my material
into that new format and at the same time make a strong distinction between my
belief in a Eternal Creator God and their elevation of that multinational
creation of man into that Godly role. I believe very strongly that Christianity
instead of setting the agenda for western and world development, that it has
done for much of these last two thousand years, has become a follower, part and
parcel of the worldly system based on man centeredness and not God
centeredness. Now since much of this material is based on deductive science of
nature and common grace, its applications can be used in any religious paradigm
its user may feel (and that feel emotion is very important to most people)
comfortable with, results varying with the grace of God, however one might
define God.
Now you can get one take on this subject by reading their book, or calling
in Booz, Allen & Hamilton to set your organization into this new model and
for hundreds of dollars per hour I am sure they will be happy to serve your
wishes. Or for free, you can read these articles and God willing, find out that
there is not enough money in this world to make the wrong mistake in your
eternal enterprise allegiance.
The Centerless Corporation sets in contrast their model with the traditional
multinational command and control organization, whether that be Microsoft, Boeing,
or Mom, Pop & Sons International. Either through choice or ignorance, when
talking about this type of organization they failed to mention that the Roman
Catholic Church has been and is the most efficient multinational enterprise the
world has ever seen. Management experts truly marvel how well this enterprise
functions quite efficiently in most countries of the world, with very little
capital devoted to management control. It could also be successfully argued
that this church model, perhaps better modeled by English Protestant
denominations, became the organization standard for the industrial revolution.
I have on the wall of my dining room a quote from Martin Luther which says,
"I simply taught , preached and wrote,
God's Word: otherwise I did nothing. And when I slept or drank Wittneberg beer
with my Phillip and my Amsdorf, the Word so greatly weakened the papacy that
never a Prince or Emperor inflicted such damage upon it. The Word did it
all."
Except for that little burp, known as the Protestant Reformation, and a
period of adjustment thereafter, Roman Catholicism as continued to be the
dominate force of the Christian religion around the world. Except for that
brief period the Protestant faith and the Roman have existed side by side with
each having little or no effect upon the other. This can be illustrated by the
fact that there are probably more evangelical Protestants in the Northwest that
know that Trent (Avenue) runs on the south side of the Spokane River across
from Gonzaga (the Jesuit University) than knows that Trent (the Council) in the
16th century provided the basis for declaring much of Protestant doctrine an
anathema to the teaching of the church.
It follows therefore if Luther had truly been as effective as he in his
generation would have hoped, one could easily today see Christianity, not as
any type of positive influence upon society, but it would have disappeared into
the confusion of individual Protestant churches, cults, and sects. This is
apparent today even though much of the Protestant church still views the Roman
church as the common enemy, while they have in fact adopted a systematic
theology quite consistent with the Council of Trent and inconsistent with
traditional Protestant views.
In The Centerless Corporation, the authors say that this model of organization
does not exist, but again they are in error, not looking at the full spectrum
of enterprise. With exception for the drinking of the beer and the substitution
of Greg, Raul, Mike and a broader cast of characters in place of Phillip and
Amsdorf, Calvary Chapel would well serve as an appropriate model. In addition
to, "The Word did it all." Chuck Smith has added only the
applicational encouragement of, "Where God leads, God provides."
Forty years ago Calvary Chapel was a small church with twenty something
members, today there are affiliate churches around the world in the vicinity of
the 1000 mark.
Now there are many amongst the evangelical ranks that have much to say about
the short comings of the Calvary Chapel movement, including the concept of the
movement instead of a more formal structure itself. Perhaps many more flock to
the enterprise, copying the apparent details, without understanding the
fundamental paradigm involved. So we see also in Calvary Chapel a human institution
functioning beyond its level of organization, similar in that respect to the
Roman Catholic Church, and well beyond its religious or ogranizational
sophistication. The primary similarity between the two seeming to be an
episcopal leadership model, which is beyond the scope of this analysis. But,
according to many, there is far to much to see of the world in both the Roman
Catholic church and Calvary Chapel.
What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? Certainly not!
For He says to Moses, "I will have mercy on
whomever I will have mercy and I will have compassion on whomever I will have
compassion." So then it is
not of him who wills, nor him who runs, but of God who shows mercy. For the
Scripture says to the Pharaoh, "For this
very purpose I raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that my name
may be declared in all the earth." Therefore
He has mercy on whom He wills, and whom He wills He hardens.
Will you say to me then, "Why does He still find fault? For who has
resisted His will?" But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God?
Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, "Why have you made me like
this?" Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to
make one vessel for honor and another for dishonor?
What if God, wanting to show His wrath and to make his power known, endured
with much long suffering the vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, and
that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which
he had prepared beforehand for glory, even us whom He called, not of the Jews
only, but also of the Gentiles?
As He says also in Hosea: "I will call
them My people, who were not My people,
and her beloved, who was not beloved. And it shall come to pass were it was
said to them, 'You are not My people,' There they shall be called sons of the
living god."
Isaiah also cries out concerning Israel: "Though
the number of children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, The remnant will be
saved, For He will finish the work and cut it short in righteousness, Because
the Lord will make short work upon the earth."
And as Isaiah said before: "Unless the
Lord of the Sabaoth had left us a seed, We would have become like Sodom, And we
would have been made like Gomorrah."
What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness,
have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness of faith; but Israel,
pursuing the law of righteousness has not attained to the law of righteousness.
Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by works of the
law. For they stumbled at the stumbling stone. As it is written: Behold I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of
offense, and whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame."
It would be well that thosewithin, and those who
deem themselves outside of the paradigm of religious observance, take heed of
these words written by Paul in the Book of Romans Chapter 9 verses 14-33,
quoted above. It would be well to read these words again in context of the
entire Book, but at least beginning in Chapter 8 and continuing at least
through Chapter 12.
The God of the Bible is not the higher power of
much of man's enterprise even though man may call him (or her) god. Just as the
Jesus of much of Christendom is not the Jesus of the Bible. When any individual
chooses to pledge his allegiance, his enterprise, or puts his trust in any
organization and not in God alone, he runs the risk of becoming like Sodom and
Gomorrah not only in this world but in the world to come. So of what value is
worldly riches if they are obtained without God's blessing, when as God's child
they are bountifully provided through the Word that does it all.
Well, last week I quickly came to the end of my resources to move beyond
this location. Even more frustrating (as always) is that I did not even receive
the direction forward, even with all of my holy religious piety and it has
almost been a week. Occurrences outside of my own control however, have seemed
to confirm a move. There are meetings and close times with friends that tend to
indicate a change of environments, even though I do not perceive the actual
steps on the road ahead. Please continue to pray for that direction.