I can't wait until Chris Anderson's new book, Free, gets released. And to be true to the message, there should be an online version for free.

There will always be scarcities (creation of new content, trust, authenticity, personalization, immediacy, membership, ownership, etc…).

In fact, Chris Anderson's book is entirely about the business models built around giving things away for free.

I think the big problem with products is that there is still a history of the Christian tv and radio preachers that were always "selling" something to keep themselves in business.

I do think this is something different from for-profit businesses that market real products and devote their profits to ministry (lots of coffee shops and producers, some small book publishers, etc.) The idea of using for profit businesses (that compete with other for profit businesses) and still give their profits away is an innovation that is being used well in the church.

I don't see churches changing the way they are funded. People don't give to the church to get a product, but out of obedience. The church uses that to serve the community. I don't anticipate that aspect changing although many churches do have some creative endeavors to bring in funding other ways, but it's usually not the majority.