Remember your first car? Mine was a used, 1977, cherry-red Pontiac Firebird. I remember thinking I had hit the automotive jackpot as I was driving away from finalizing the purchase. That feeling lasted a few short weeks. The car had a host of problems and breakdowns. It looked good, but it ran awful!<\/p>\n
The American automotive industry in those days sought to secure profitability, not by building quality cars, but in knowing the buying public would accept vehicles that would break down and need replacing around 100,000 miles. These companies bet the farm the buying public would come back and purchase another vehicle out of brand loyalty.<\/p>\n
In the ’80s, that business plan was disrupted by the introduction of vehicles from Japan which were more affordable, reliable, and durable. The Big Three auto makers fell hard.<\/p>\n
Many plateaued and declined churches are like the Big Three automakers of the ’80s. They are deeply committed to ministry vehicles that no longer work, yet they refuse to abandon them. And as a result, they aren\u2019t going anywhere.<\/p>\n