Comments on: Why a Closed-on-Sunday Policy is Good Business http://mpchristianity.com/closed-sunday-policy-good-business.html where biblical principles produce everlasting profits Tue, 13 Dec 2011 03:33:04 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: Brad Harmon http://mpchristianity.com/closed-sunday-policy-good-business.html#comment-1386 Brad Harmon Tue, 26 Oct 2010 21:29:01 +0000 http://bradleyaharmon.com/?p=4609#comment-1386 That's a great question Richard. God designed the Sabbath as a day of rest and reflection. It's a day to give thanks and worship God together with each other. Jesus made the point that if you have an animal in trouble on the Sabbath that it's okay to take care of it. In other words, emergencies happen and we can't be too rigid about our rules. I'm pretty sure that the early Christians did not have to worry about Roberts Rules of Order or building funds. I wonder if it wouldn't be better if we sold our buildings and just met in parks - it would be tough here in Texas during the summers though. Like it or not, the operating a church today is much more complicated than it was 2,000 years ago. Has it got so complicated though that the example Christ gave for us no longer applies? I'd say that the business of operating the church is best left for the other 6 days of the week. If there is an emergency, then handle it when it arises. I'm also of the belief though that a true local church interacts with each other throughout the week. If the church is doing this then there are plenty of opportunities to handle church business leaving Sunday still set apart for communal worship time. That’s a great question Richard. God designed the Sabbath as a day of rest and reflection. It’s a day to give thanks and worship God together with each other. Jesus made the point that if you have an animal in trouble on the Sabbath that it’s okay to take care of it. In other words, emergencies happen and we can’t be too rigid about our rules.

I’m pretty sure that the early Christians did not have to worry about Roberts Rules of Order or building funds. I wonder if it wouldn’t be better if we sold our buildings and just met in parks – it would be tough here in Texas during the summers though. Like it or not, the operating a church today is much more complicated than it was 2,000 years ago. Has it got so complicated though that the example Christ gave for us no longer applies?

I’d say that the business of operating the church is best left for the other 6 days of the week. If there is an emergency, then handle it when it arises. I’m also of the belief though that a true local church interacts with each other throughout the week. If the church is doing this then there are plenty of opportunities to handle church business leaving Sunday still set apart for communal worship time.

]]> By: Richard G. Bird http://mpchristianity.com/closed-sunday-policy-good-business.html#comment-1378 Richard G. Bird Thu, 14 Oct 2010 13:04:19 +0000 http://bradleyaharmon.com/?p=4609#comment-1378 Is it okay to conduct church business (i.e, church elections, budget allocations, outreach candidates, etc.) on Sunday? Is it okay to conduct church business (i.e, church elections, budget allocations, outreach candidates, etc.) on Sunday?

]]> By: Brad Harmon http://mpchristianity.com/closed-sunday-policy-good-business.html#comment-1001 Brad Harmon Sat, 17 Jul 2010 23:06:50 +0000 http://bradleyaharmon.com/?p=4609#comment-1001 That's an interesting point. Truett does joke that he tells his customers they can spend their money anywhere they want on Sundays as long as they spend their money with him the rest of the week. I wonder how many actually do? It would make an interesting post to delve deeper into the impact this policy has on sales throughout the week compared to those who stay open 7 days. I'm not sure the data we would need is available though since Chick-Fil-A is a privately-held company. It's interesting how often there are "unintentional" benefits to following Biblical principles. It's part of the reason adopting them makes good business sense. Thanks for the comment. It added a whole new dimension to this conversation. That’s an interesting point. Truett does joke that he tells his customers they can spend their money anywhere they want on Sundays as long as they spend their money with him the rest of the week. I wonder how many actually do?

It would make an interesting post to delve deeper into the impact this policy has on sales throughout the week compared to those who stay open 7 days. I’m not sure the data we would need is available though since Chick-Fil-A is a privately-held company.

It’s interesting how often there are “unintentional” benefits to following Biblical principles. It’s part of the reason adopting them makes good business sense.

Thanks for the comment. It added a whole new dimension to this conversation.

]]> By: Dave W. http://mpchristianity.com/closed-sunday-policy-good-business.html#comment-1000 Dave W. Sat, 17 Jul 2010 17:47:57 +0000 http://bradleyaharmon.com/?p=4609#comment-1000 Good article...the Christian aspect aside, your first paragraph sums up why it is good for sales and I would have loved to have seen that aspect delved into further. Obviously their religious convictions are the reason for their closing on Sundays. As a (probably unintentional) side benefit though, Chick-Fil-A sends a subliminal message to its customers who seemingly always crave a Chick-Fil-A sandwich on a Sunday and can't get it, myself included. As a result, people end up satisfying this craving during the week. I'd be interested to see how their sales compare to other QSR's on Mondays (traditionally the slowest day of the week in the restaurant business). It's why you see Wendy's commercials on late at night when their restaurants are closed and people are settled in for the night; they want those people watching TV to go to Wendy's the next day for lunch. I think if for some reason they decided to open 7 days, you would not see the same growth that they have experienced. While they would be busy on Sundays, it would just pulling from the business from the other 6 days of the week. Good article…the Christian aspect aside, your first paragraph sums up why it is good for sales and I would have loved to have seen that aspect delved into further. Obviously their religious convictions are the reason for their closing on Sundays. As a (probably unintentional) side benefit though, Chick-Fil-A sends a subliminal message to its customers who seemingly always crave a Chick-Fil-A sandwich on a Sunday and can’t get it, myself included. As a result, people end up satisfying this craving during the week. I’d be interested to see how their sales compare to other QSR’s on Mondays (traditionally the slowest day of the week in the restaurant business). It’s why you see Wendy’s commercials on late at night when their restaurants are closed and people are settled in for the night; they want those people watching TV to go to Wendy’s the next day for lunch. I think if for some reason they decided to open 7 days, you would not see the same growth that they have experienced. While they would be busy on Sundays, it would just pulling from the business from the other 6 days of the week.

]]> By: Brad Harmon http://mpchristianity.com/closed-sunday-policy-good-business.html#comment-999 Brad Harmon Wed, 14 Jul 2010 18:38:47 +0000 http://bradleyaharmon.com/?p=4609#comment-999 Growing up I used to be very harsh (at least in my thoughts) towards people who would work on Sundays. I thought they should get a job where they wouldn't have to work this day. I was in good company at the church I attended so this idea was very much reinforced. I wonder if it ever occurred to them that every time we went out to eat after church the people waiting on us were working on the Lord's Day? Was it okay because they were sinners? Today, It's almost a ritual to go out to eat after worship services. I have to admit that we give very little thought to it. Ironically, with a morning and evening service on Sundays, we are often very busy with church commitments making it difficult for it to really be a day of rest. Sometimes, I fear that we have lost too much of the Jewishness of our faith. The reverence and importance of the Sabbath in our lives is one of those areas. Great comments. I love that you always make me think a little deeper. Growing up I used to be very harsh (at least in my thoughts) towards people who would work on Sundays. I thought they should get a job where they wouldn’t have to work this day. I was in good company at the church I attended so this idea was very much reinforced.

I wonder if it ever occurred to them that every time we went out to eat after church the people waiting on us were working on the Lord’s Day? Was it okay because they were sinners? Today, It’s almost a ritual to go out to eat after worship services. I have to admit that we give very little thought to it.

Ironically, with a morning and evening service on Sundays, we are often very busy with church commitments making it difficult for it to really be a day of rest. Sometimes, I fear that we have lost too much of the Jewishness of our faith. The reverence and importance of the Sabbath in our lives is one of those areas.

Great comments. I love that you always make me think a little deeper.

]]>