25.2 Community Work
© 2018 Christ Revealed Bible Institute
This lesson is the final part of community governance, the ordering of our labor. In order for the balance of the Lord to be maintained inside of walking together, three arenas of governance must be bounded and maintained. To be bounded means that no one arena of governance can encroach on the other two. To be maintained means that no arena of governance can be allowed to diminish in importance.
The first and primary arena of governance is the gathering of all the adult members of the Community to hear one another and to come to an amicable agreement together. The second is the role of those with the gift of shepherding.
Three Arenas of Work. The goal in either of these two arenas is not to “discover God’s will” so that we can “do God’s will and not our own.” The goal is to highly regard Christ in one another, and to believe that He does all things well, energeoing all in each one. The goal is to believe in Jesus.
There is a third arena of governance, however, that must be in place with clear definitions before life together can thrive as God intends. And that third arena is the ordering of the work. It is in the ordering of the work that the majority of conflict will arise, even more so than in the handling of the money, which we will include in the next lesson.
Policy–Management. I am convinced that the best approach to the ordering of the work is the policy–management form of governance. I first saw this form of governance in operation when I sat as a student representative in the governance of Northern Lights Community College in Dawson Creek, BC. I have kept their policy manual as a model to study at such time as the Lord places us into this way of living. More than that, when I first viewed this policy–management approach to governance, it was just after the prior few years of sitting with the governance of the communities in which I once lived, a governance that, while calling itself “God’s order,” failed people constantly and badly.
Years of Pondering. Let me again underline that I am not just “pulling stuff out of a hat.” Rather, what I am sharing with you comes out from years of pondering inside the Lord, searching for the answers to every aspect of practical conflict inside of life together. As you gather into real Church Life, you will not find yourself inside of any difficulty that I have not known many times. And while I seize hold of anything practical that I come across, I do so only inside of faith in what God actually says in the New Testament as Spirit Word.
If you receive anything from Jesus through what I write, it is only God fulfilling towards you the covenant I made with Him at age 20, that He would use my agony to bless you.
A Model of Governance. Let’s set out the basic meaning of a policy—management form of governance, and then look at the work itself before coming back to how this model of governance can be practical. The gathering of all the adults in the community, at least once a week, to hear one another and to come to amicable agreement on community decisions together, is the policy “board” over the work. That means that specific time is set aside in the weekly meeting to review any directives towards any work project that might need agreement. This governing board of all the adults, then, sets the “policies” for the work, including general guidelines and objectives.
The Manager. Then, the actual execution of any work project is given into the hands of a “manager.” There will be several differing individuals who will serve as managers according to the differing work projects of the community. Sometimes management will go from one individual to the next regularly. In other situations, however, a person anointed by God to manage will remain as manager for a length of time. Yet in God everything is seasonal, even if a “season” is twenty years. The “manager” of the work project will then be “in charge,” directing the work as he or she sees fit, though always by the guidance of the “policies” set out by the “board.” But the members of the board are not free to “micro-manage” the work.
Deacon. Now, I’m using quotation marks around these terms because, while there will likely be better terms we could use, more fitting to Christ, the definition of the terms in quotation marks will remain. The Biblical word for “manager of the work” is “deacon/ deaconess.” That word is marked as quite religious in the English mind at least, however. Yet as I think about it, it is a word we certainly could redeem. And so, let’s call the manager a deacon or a deaconess, understanding that this is NOT an office, but simply a present task lasting only as long as the work project lasts, or, if the work project is ongoing, only for a right season.
Two Kinds of Work. Now, before going into the specifics of how a seasonal deacon would manage any work task, let’s look at the work of the community as a whole. There are two kinds of work. First is the work of the family, that is, the internal meeting of needs. And second is the work of making a living in interaction with the general public.
The truth is, this pattern of “places in between” fits both types of work. As we make a living by serving the public, “places in between” gives us a clear understanding of how to fit that work into life together. But in the same way, “places in between” provides the principles by which we relate with one another in family work as well. Still, we separate clearly between family work and public work.
Family work includes every work project we do that is just for family. This work includes building homes, running a community school, cooking meals, growing gardens and orchards, tending animals, fixing vehicles, etc., etc. We do not do any of this work in order to “make a living,” nor do we do it to be “self-sufficient.” Yet doing these things does enhance our quality of life, especially the connection with the earth and living things that is found in gardening.
Economics. Real economics is a study of human action, what people actually do and why they do it. Most of what is called “economics” in today’s world is not a study of reality, but rather, an imposition of “grandiose” ideas upon people by force. Real economics asks, what do people actually do when there is no force?
Subsistence Living. Let’s define subsistence living. Subsistence living is living by what you yourself (or a few with you) can eke out of a given plot of land by your labor. As such, the law of scarcity rules. Scarcity states that, in any place in which a person finds him or herself, there is not enough to live well on apart from applying labor. Yes, you can eat bark and berries and snare squirrels, but even those actions require labor. Nothing that anyone needs to live well ever just “comes.” Give ten individual people five acres each, the acreage being identical in resources, come back ten years later, and some will be “wealthier” than others simply by the productivity of their individual labor.
Productivity. Next, we must define “standard of living.” (And understand that, although what I am sharing with you is confirmed by what is called “Austrian economics,” yet I learned all these things through pondering basic reality inside of voluntary subsistence living over many years.) Standard of living is the level of labor-saving devices that allow for an increase in comfort. Then, “productivity” is the output of increase coming from any one individual’s labor. One measurement of productivity is called “profit.” Profit, coming from free interaction, is the increase an individual action brings to the benefit of all. Subsistence living, then, is a strict limitation, bounded by the ability of one person to produce all personal needs entirely alone.
Not Good to Be Alone. God did not make man to be alone. And the Lord God said, “It is not good that man {or God} should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him [of his same kind]” (Genesis 2:18).
The moment, then, that two work together, two other factors come into play in “economics.” The first is called “the division of labor,” and the second is called “trade.” I can build you a house. I cannot fix your car. If you are good at fixing a car, but not good at repairing a room in your house, we can “trade” our skills. I build your room for you; you fix my car for me.
Division of Labor. The result of “division of labor” and “trade” is that, since we are both doing what we do “best,” the overall increase in our standard of living is far greater than if I tried to fix my car myself and if you tried to remodel your room yourself. These two things, “division of labor” and “trade” are the cause of all prosperity in the human experience BECAUSE they cause a subsequent increase in productivity.
Wealth comes from an increase in productivity. Poverty comes from a decrease in productivity. Bill Gates became extremely wealthy because he made and offered for sale one little thing, the Windows operating system, something that increased the productivity of billions of people.
Envy. Now, this is not a lesson on economics, so I will resist my desire to continue on this explanation. Yet I must bring in one thing.
Marxism is the irrational hatred of division of labor, private property, and trade. Marxism is envy, the demand that all things be dragged down to an “equality” at the bottom. It is safe to store live crabs in an open basket. Any crab that attempts to climb out to freedom WILL BE dragged back down by the other crabs solely out of envy. There is nothing taking place in the world today scarier than the rise of Marxist thinking and the destruction of capitalism. The result can only be the death of billions.
Family. Throughout the history of Christian community, there has been the terribly un-Biblical idea that life together means NO personal or private property. Such an idea is contrary to God and results in two things: first, it results in poverty and second, it results in violence against individual people.
The perfect balance between sharing together and private ownership is well-known in all society, however. It is typically called “family.” This is why, in order for any community to operate as family, the general top limit of individuals is around 75. Well before a community gets much larger than 75, a new community must form as an entirely independent family in a separate location.
Wealth. We do not “work” because “work is good for us,” any more than God would do such a ridiculous thing. We work for the same reason God works, and that is, to bring an increase. Let me define “wealth.” Wealth is the ability to give. Let me define “poverty.” Poverty is the inability to give.
Here is the Biblical reference. But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work (2 Corinthians 9:6-8).
Everything I have stated thus far about “economics” is confirmed by 2 Corinthians 9. “Sowing” is productivity; “reaping” is increase. “Giving” is trade; “abundance” is the result of trade.
The Boss. Let’s bring all this, now, into how the work of the community should be managed. For any work to bring benefit, that work must be productive. In order for any work engaged in by two or more people together to be productive, one person only must be “in charge.” The manager of any work project is “the boss,” in all that being the boss means. And all others yield to the manager as boss inside the arena of that work project.
Directing the Work. I have been a part of large work projects in which no one would step forward to be “the boss.” Those experiences were difficult for everyone and terribly limited in productivity. I have personally been responsible for many large work projects, the largest of which included 65 men working together on one task. If I am one of three individuals on a project, I do much of the work as well as specifically direct the other two. If I am one of several individuals on a project, I do less of the work. Rather, I spend much of my time making sure every other individual is able to work productively. With 65 men, I do no work at all; rather, I direct, one might say, an orchestra of togetherness in which all are wonderfully productive.
Gender. I would never consider gender in any “division of work,” but only interest. And I would especially never consider gender in any work of ministry. In Christ there is neither male nor female (or we could say, in Christ, gender makes no difference). Few women are interested in pounding nails all day, but men thrive on such a task. Few men are interested in sewing dresses, but my wife and daughters love doing such a thing. So yes, there will flow naturally a distinction of which tasks each gender wants to do. But if a young lady wants to pound nails, who should refuse her? Within wisdom, all are free to follow their interests, for, as we are real, each one is simply expressing the interests of Father through them.
Opportunity for All. There are many different work projects in community life, both for the family and towards the public. There are many opportunities for each to serve as manager, as they desire and as there is opportunity.
All individual teenagers should be given an entire project to manage as part of their education. Let’s say a teenage girl is given charge of a portion of the garden for a summer. When we go to help her harvest the crop, she is the boss. And no matter what role anyone else might play elsewhere, we all meekly do what she says. No one is allowed to correct her on the job; that is, policy governance does not allow micromanagement by the “board.”
Leading with Zeal. Never do we impose shame on anyone for any reason; rather, we encourage and lift up. Here is a line quoted earlier that is directed mostly to the manager/deacon role: Giving in generosity, leading with zeal, showing mercy with cheerfulness (Romans 12:6-8).
The work of serving the public should be together under one manager who serves for a length of time. Nonetheless, one other should always be able to step in to do the same job. The operation of public business must be carefully managed to serve the public and to limit liability. The work inside the community can be more readily divided between differing managers, even with a flexible schedule. All those who are gifted to lead should also follow.
Giving an Account. The board (all adults) sets the policies and objectives; the manager directs the work with the policies and objectives in mind, but without fearing micromanagement by the board. Nonetheless, at the end of the project, the manager will give an account of his or her stewardship to the board. If policies have been ignored or objectives not met, reasons must be given. If there is abuse, that will be handled privately by the elders, but honor will be given before the whole family.
We honor one another regardless, but at the same time, we submit to one another inside the fear of Christ.
I have been pondering three things together, for the first time seeing them as I am entirely turned around: submitting one to the other – the fear of Christ – for Father’s sake. We will look more at this turned-around view of God in the next lesson.