a church or business?

I wonder if anyone feels loved beyond measure. Does anyone know what it's like to live with true friends and true family? What is that like? Because of the last few years, my worst nightmare has come true. It has been proven to me that people are not interested in me as a person, people are not interested in me for who I am, but only for what I do. This is a fact, sadly. If for the last 10 years I had documented my actions vs. people's response and care towards me I could certainly publish a research paper with proof. I've been both the "throw down person" and the absent, and it's unbelievable what has happened to me, to our "friends" to our "family" to our church family when we are a liability, a long term liability. Gone and abandoned. We are too much work and honestly, to them, not worth the effort to pursue. No calls, no visits. Occasionally a text or Facebook message which I believe is to satisfy the duty of "care" to us. I find it repulsive and unbelievably painful. When I am an asset, I am thought of, called upon and invited. As a liability, especially a long term liability, I sit, I wait, I hear nothing. I only see what I'm missing out on. What everyone seems to forget to ask me to. Our church has been a huge heart ache. Where the hell is everyone? Again, because we are no longer heavy hitters they phone has not rang. I will never go back. The last 3 churches have killed me. It's not family, it's the same as my family, conditional, judgmental and frankly I'm not good enough. Church plants are businesses, not families. No one wants you the way you are, they want you to change, be different, be better and are only interested if you do something, especially something cool. That's good business. Here is a business model. Now you tell me if this sounds like a church plant? Great business models depend on developing three "green lights," or qualities that help the business succeed: 1. finding high-value customers, High-value customers doesn't mean rich customers, but customers who meet the following requirements: a. Are easy to locate (invite them in, the goal is to get them to come to us, so our energy is spent on mailings, events at church, relevant messages to get them to come to us, very little effort going out to the community and serving the community) b. Allow you to charge a profitable price (the cost is work, people have been convinced that we MUST serve, we MUST sign up and create many ministries and events, we MUST do something for the plant to be successful. the price is time and money, but it's for the lost and the Lord) c. Are willing to try your product after minimal marketing expenses (this is cost and time effective outreach, we evaluate our events by numbers) d. Can generate enough business to meet your sales and profit objectives (profit objectives are numbers and tithe, is there a profit of people and new people coming?) 2. offering significant value to customers, it imperative that you stay on the creative edge to fend off competition. (we constantly evaluate the "relevance" of our messages and events to be cool, young and relevant. nothing for the old, that is lame and insignificant. the young run the show and drive the train) 3.and delivering significant margins. You can achieve high margins with other tactics, including the following: a. Use a more efficient distribution channel. b. Require less sales support and sales effort. c. Have an industry-leading lean manufacturing process. d. Offer more auxiliary products or other opportunities for revenue without increasing cost. (this is the driving force with continued evaluation of numbers) Great business models also avoid three "red lights" that can derail a business: 1. difficulties in satisfying customers, Consider whether it will be difficult--and therefore expensive--to satisfy customers once they buy. If your type of product might have high customer service costs, you need to configure your business to put these costs on someone else, either with partnerships or alliances or by restricting your sales to an aspect of the business that doesn't require customer satisfaction costs.(this is where the driving force of only paying attention to the big dogs comes in, after all even Jesus only hung with the 12) 2. trouble maintaining market position, A good business model uses its resources to improve its market position, adding new products, features and customers or expanding into new applications. (yep, that's a church plant because all other churches are lame and boring) 3. and problems generating funding for growth. Startup costs, operating capital, personnel costs and overhead costs are just a small percentage of the funding requirements for any business. The question is whether the investments will have a high return and whether the business can grow without substantial new investments. (and new people equals more money, discipleship brings in more money and workers)