Right you are in many regards. I thought about my comment (of course after I posted it) and noted that most of the "Churches" in our country are not like ours. We have been so blessed on many fronts.

Jim Lincoln wrote:
No, all what happens is that children get bored when the sermons are so much above their head,

i still speak as a child, think as a child, reason as a child? Because nobody ever taught me to be a man.

Neil wrote:
One could as easily blame the Internet.
Quibble: decimation literally means taking one out of every ten. It was a Roman legionary punishment for unit cowardice.
I've encountered Christians who didn't particularly like their children. At one church, for almost every fellowship group social gathering, children were not invited & babysitting was expected. Very puzzling.

Jim Lincoln wrote:
Probably blame the prevalence of television. It's not abortion but the lack of bedtime entertainment, that is cutting down the growth rate. Also more women in the workforce, instead of following their natural calling, q.v., [URL=http://www.ihcc.org/resources/booklets/instructions-to-wives-mothers-and-their-husbands]]]Instructions to Wives, Mothers and Their Husbands[/URL].
So, no, the article is not quite on target with this topic.

Mike wrote:
Money is neither godly nor ungodly.

How much profit is too much and how should one arrange his pricing?

1 Corinthians 10:23
23 “All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up.

We need to remember what one's primary concern as a Believer:

Matthew 22:36-40
36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

Mike wrote:
Sometimes we see as unjust things that are not in themselves unjust. What we might be thinking is, some things are not fair.
The principle put forth in the example in Matthew 20:1-15 is- if both parties agreed to the wage, it is just, regardless of what the individual laborer's wage per hour turns out to be. It points out that there is no ground for complaint if some worked more than others in the attaining of the same wage. Although Jesus used the wage metaphor to make a point about something else, we need accept the validity of the example, unless of course, one disagrees with his using it.
Likewise if someone agrees to pay a certain price for an product or a service, and someone else agrees to pay more or less for the same product or service, neither has grounds for complaint about unfairness. "Fair" happens when the outcome of that which is agreed upon is settled.

Note however, in Mat. 20:15 he was being generous, not taking advantage. They were upset at his generosity.

Question wrote:
That is what happens when you step into the arena with little or no knowledge.

What country do you live in where the entire population is godly and ruled by godly principles?!! Or what country can you point to that has relied on such to make free enterprise work?
Besides which, what you state begs the question viz. that godliness is required to make free enterprise work. It demonstrates that you have no clear conception of what a free market is.

Neil,
I think that I would say that the difference would be when one's ultimate goal is to make money and not to bring “Glory to God” (The chief end of man). If a company is not governed by the Word or principles of God it can and often does lie (false advertising), manipulate (Lobbying & Propaganda) and coerce (Legislation). In order to accomplish that you generally have to be a “monster” or huge company or organization. Small business can be just as corrupt as very large ones. The difference is that you have much more power in a large company. By the way there are many wonderful large companies.

Question,
I guess it depends on what you mean by “flourish” and what you mean by “free.” Capitalism unchecked by Godly principles will lead to control by the largest most powerful companies. Monsanto is flourishing. Other seed companies are dead or dying at monsanto's hand. The dairy industry has successfully made it to difficult for small dairy farms to survive through heavy legislation and regulations.
There will be a demand and there will be a supply. However, it wont be flourishing.

Neil wrote:
My motive is to discover & share truth. Why should my motives otherwise matter?
My witness is shot by negotiating prices? How so, unless there is a price set in Heaven that we must charge? And what if you charge more than a customer likes for your products? Isn't that a "poor witness," too? Negotiated vs. fixed prices has no bearing on the matter.
True, Matt. 20 is not primarily about economics, but its whole purpose is defeated if it was somehow unjust for the landowner to negotiate[!] whatever wages he wished with ea. worker. You in effect accuse God of injustice, since He is the landowner in the parable. So it is Christ-like to emulate the landowner here.

Democracy can only survive if governed by the Word and principles of God. Likewise, Capitalism can only survive if governed by the Word and principles of God.

Jim Lincoln wrote:
So, A. L. is purported to have Satan to blame for his his murders? "I couldn't help it the Devil made me do it!" I would alleged his parents did not understand the [URL=http://www.ihcc.org/resources/booklets/instructions-to-wives-mothers-and-their-husbands]]]Instructions to Wives, Mothers and Their Husbands[/URL] that is given by God.
Proverbs 22
6 Train up a child in the way he should go, Even when he is old he will not depart from it.
Ephesians 6
4 And, fathers, do not provoke your children to anger; but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.---[URL=http://www.lockman.org/nasb/nasbcmp.php]]]NASB[/URL]
Did the father have any input into this person's life? In any event he was a man, and completely responsible for his behavior. While [URL=http://www.sermonaudio.com/sermoninfo.asp?SID=8403111921]]]Satan Offers Tests, God Offers Strength[/URL] to believers, the non-believer does not receive this strength to ignore Satan's suggestions.

I do custom screen printing.

Very easy to charge one more than the other. Your witness however, is shot if two people talk to each other about their prices.

I believe that Matt. 20:1-15 speaks to being a good steward with what is given to you, primarily "the good news."

If the good steward had made his profit by taking advantage of the sick and elderly would the master have congratulated him?

A believers primary concern should be to bring glory to God by emulating Christ-likeness by loving and serving others with integrity.

I will ask you a question. What is your primary motive in this conversation? Your insistence for an answer from John UK is silly and seems more combative than constructive (more like a radio talk show). Every business is different. Risk, demand, overhead...