April 14, 2006
FD/MM/FM February 2006
[ ] "Acts 1-10," ML #1383:44, 71-74‚ GN Book 3
[ ] "Goals for 1998," ML #3160:141-144,146-147, Vol.24
[ ] "Living the Lord's Law of Love!—Part 2," ML #3202:9-15,18–21, Vol.25
[ ] "Putting Skin on Sin," ML #3453:39,40, GN 1038
[ ] "Show Me the Money," ML #3462:120-123,125,377,384-399, GN 1047‚ 1049
[ ] "Shooting Straight‚ Part 1," ML #3499:54-68, GN 1086
[ ] "CS Home Review Criteria," Charter amendment on common potting, GN 1107
(Dad: ) "And all that believed were together, and had all things common"—they shared all things! That sounds like communism! The only time when true communism can ever exist is under the influence of the Holy Spirit, in love and patience with each other—where you're willing to give the food out of your mouth so that they can eat too!" And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need."
Do you think God has a financial plan for the Church? He sure has! We've already mentioned it in the 2nd chapter, 44th and 45th verses, "all that believed were together, and had all things common" or shared! They lived together, they shared together; and those that had possessions sold them and shared them with the others, as every man had need.
"From each according to his ability"—whatever he had—"unto each according to his need"—whatever he needed! That was God's financial plan for the Church! "Oh," you say, "that just happened then!" Well, He goes over it again in the 4th chapter, "they spoke the Word of God with boldness. And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and one soul." There's perfect unity of Spirit!
"Neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own!" You've got to have one heart and one soul to share like that! "But they had all things common. (v.31 and 32.) They shared all things! And what was the result? "With great power gave the Apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all." (v.33.) They had power and they had grace!
If you can share with others, you've got a lot of grace and God will give you a lot of power! Amen? If you don't care about your possessions, as long as they're used by the Lord! What was the result, economically‚ for the Church? "Neither was there any among them that lacked!" (v.34.) They may not have had all they wanted, but none of them lacked anything he needed!
141. (Peter:) [The] question of living the "One Wife" vision and Acts 2:44 and 45 is broader than just whether you live in a single-family Home or not. Unfortunately, you can be living together with others and still be operating independently—keeping your finances separate, setting different standards for your children, not sharing the load in educating and caring for your children, and not reading the Word, praying or hearing from the Lord together. Even though you live communally‚ you might have a hard time saying you have many things in common, much less "all things" (Acts 2:44-45).
142. There are numerous examples of cases where there could be much more sharing of goods, finances, or personnel, whether you live together in the same Home or not, but pure selfishness stands in the way. It's terribly sad to see that there are many double standards now within the Family. For example‚ there are Homes in the same area, especially in poorer fields, where some have plenty due to home support or fundraising in home fields, while other Homes nearby, often where there are more nationals, are in great need.
143. In Homes where nationals and foreigners live together, what happens in some cases is that the foreigners leave the field periodically to raise funds‚ but when they return to their Home, instead of making those funds available to the Home teamwork to be used by all as Home finances, those who raised the funds hold on to them and then dole them out little by little, according to their own preferences or judgment. To make matters even worse, the foreigners who leave the field to raise funds also return with all the things they and their children need but with little or nothing for those who stayed behind, which makes for a very serious double standard when it comes to possessions as well. Needless to say, this causes a lot of resentment and division‚ and is a very poor sample of love and having all things in common. Brethren, these things ought not so to be!
144. It's this selfishness, this watching out for yourself and your own, that the Lord is unhappy about. This is not only a terrible testimony to outsiders but it greatly disheartens and even stumbles some of the brethren. God help us!
146. Mama and I ask that you seek the Lord regarding your personal attitudes and see if you've strayed from the Family's foundation beliefs regarding having all things in common, and loving deeply and without partiality those of your greater marriage—those in your Home and the whole Family. Please check your heart and see where you stand in spirit.
147. Are you still striving to live the Letters, to give your brethren as much as possible of your time, talents, and material goods? Are you willing to share what you have with those who have need, so all will have enough? Are you loving others' children and doing all you can to help to train them in the nurture and admonition of the Lord? Are you following closely the principles of the "One Wife" vision and Acts 2:44 and 45 that the Family was founded on? Or have you cooled off in spirit and decided that the Family lifestyle and the sacrificial love it requires is just not for you anymore? Let's commit ourselves to a personal goal of more fully living Acts 2:44 and 45 and the "One Wife" vision.
[Dad wrote:] If we have real love, we can't face a needy situation without doing something about it. We can't just pass by the poor man on the road to Jericho! We must take action like the Samaritan did! (See Luk.10:25–37.) The Church System today says, "Oh, I'm so sorry, how sad!" But compassion must be put into action! That's the difference between pity and compassion: Pity just feels sorry; compassion does something about it!
We must demonstrate our faith by our works, and love can seldom be proven without tangible manifestation in action. To say you love someone and yet not try to help them physically in whatever way they may need—food, clothing, shelter, and so on—this is not love! True, the need for real love is a spiritual need, but it must be manifested physically in works—"faith which worketh by love!" (Gal.5:6).
For "whoso hath this world's goods, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children‚ let us not love in word‚ neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth!" (1Jn.3:17,18).
However, we feel that the greatest manifestation of our love is not the mere sharing of our material things and personal possessions, but the sharing of ourselves and our personal services for others, which is our faith, and which results in our works and the sharing of our material possessions. Jesus Himself had nothing material to share with His disciples, only His love and His life, which He gave for them and for us, that we too might have life and love forever!
For "greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends!" (Jn.15:13). So we consider that the sharing of ourselves, our love‚ and our life with others, is the greatest of all sharing and our ultimate goal (ML #607:9-13).
"Greater love hath no man than this: that a man lay down his life for his friends." "Therefore we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren."
Are you willing to give till it hurts, even until it hurts you? Jesus did: He gave His life! God did: He gave His Son! David did: He said‚ "I will not give unto the Lord of that which hath cost me nothing!" He gave until it hurt! God gives His Wife, the Church, continually in loving service to others! She is constantly engaged in trying to woo and win the world! (ML #302C:18-19).
"From him that hath, according to his ability, unto him that hath not, according to his need."—That's the sharing principle of love—and the loving principle of sharing! (ML #833:41).
As the Apostle Saint James so clearly states in that passage in his second chapter, the 15th through the 17th verses: "If a brother or sister be naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body, what doth it profit? Even so faith‚ if it hath not works, is dead!" (Jam.2:15-17).
In other words, if in the faith of God you really love them, they cannot understand it or believe it unless you really show them by some visible, tangible work or action that puts your words into action and puts your faith into effect and makes it fact and not fiction‚ a sample not just a sermon! As even Jesus Himself said, "How can you say that you love Me and do not the things that I ask?" (Luk.6:46). (ML #502:21-23).
The first law is the law of love—unselfish love—love for Him and others. If you will obey that one and give that love which is His and their due, so shall you also receive. "For with what measure ye mete unto other men's bosoms‚ so shall they also mete unto your bosom" (Luk.6:38). (ML #250:44).
(Jesus: ) Many of you think that living Acts 2:44-45 in this day and age is not possible. You're wrong. You feel the world has changed so much, the System is different now‚ and that even the makeup of the Family and the way it's operating and its traditions are different now, so you feel justified in having your own private families, homes, and belongings. You are departing from the spirit of discipleship and communal living, which is an integral part of My plan for revolutionary Endtime discipleship.
You're not meant to be straying further from ultimate discipleship and radical living; you're meant to be coming closer, being more dropped out, more pure. It's time for all your selfishness and cozy, independent living to change. It's time to get back to the basics of the Word—sacrifice, giving, sharing, having all things in common. Only through such giving of self to each other will you be united and the true testimony of My Endtime New Church.
120. (Mama:) Living together, sharing all things, bearing one another's financial burdens, forsaking all to live together, and trusting the Lord to supply, are foundation stones for the Family's economic System. Have you let them go in favor of a lifestyle that looks just like everyone else? That is so boring! That is so ineffective! And that is nothing even remotely similar to the way Jesus' disciples lived. But I suppose that's the true question—are you a disciple? If you are, then you'll take advantage of the marvelous and workable financial plan that Jesus gave His disciples. It still works today; it's just that so few people are willing to truly live it.
121. When I talk about communal living I mean you share all things, you have all things in common, no one has so much while others have too little. Are you still living in the land of not too much, the land where everyone has enough? Or have you moved to the land of selfishness‚ where you're hoarding and guarding your things, not willing to share?
122. Granted, as Peter brought out in the videos to the Family in Brazil, there might be those of you who have gotten "burned" because you gave of your finances or things, and then you got ripped off by other Family members that you trusted. That is very sad, and if that's the case, I'm so sorry! These things ought not so to be! I only pray that you'll have the faith to once again step forward to give, share, and trust the Lord.
123. Please try to make it work. Successful communal living requires a large measure of unselfishness and trust from all parties involved.
125. Communal living is built on giving by everyone involved. It's not possible if your hearts are selfish and greedy. It must be a work of God's Spirit. While it's complicated to live together and share all things, if you're truly seeking to improve not only your financial base but also your sample to those you witness to, I sincerely ask that you pray desperately for a team that you can work and live with communally, following Acts 2:44 and 45. It's good business, it will save you tons of money, and it will improve your witness by giving you a supernatural, fascinating sample to offer to those you minister to. Then you'll be able to say, "Come and see!" and your communal Home will be a picture of Heaven on Earth to unbelievers.
377. (Mama:) Another vital part of our obeying the Lord and the principles of His Word is making sure that we're strictly adhering to Acts 2:44 and 45, sharing and wisely using what He's already given us. We know from the Book of Acts that God blesses sharing and "common-potting" as we call it, and doesn't bless withholding, as in the case of Ananias and Sapphira. (See Acts 2-5.) (ML #2813:5, Lifelines 20).
384. (Mama:) The Lord's financial plan for the Family has always been Acts 2:44 and 45. If you're not living that, I strongly suggest you pray about what changes you need in your lives and Home. And certainly if you're a single-family Home you can't possibly be living Acts 2:44 and 45, and you will undoubtedly run into more financial pressure. It's only logical that if you live communally and share your expenses and possessions such as your cars, appliances, computers‚ etc., not only is it more economical but it's obedience to the Lord's plan, so He can bless you more. But it all boils down to how much you want to share‚ how much you want to live unselfishly. (ML #3363:175, GN 959).
385. (Mama:) The Lord wants the Family to look a whole lot more like it used to as far as dedication, full-time service, unity, communal living, having all things in common, witnessing full time, living by faith, homeschooling our children, etc. We're the only ones doing it, and the Lord is determined to preserve that sample. In fact, the need to preserve that sample is the main reason the Lord will allow suffering, persecution, and more detractors to test and try you‚ so that all of you who need to will make some decisions—either to get right with Him and live as you should, or to find a life that is more suited to you, either in a different circle of the Family or in the System. (ML #3364:34, GN 960).
New Message
386. (Jesus:) The drastic departure from living communally and Acts 2:44 and 45 is one of the greatest signs of compromise and a cooling down of the children of David. This is a picture of the increased selfishness and worldliness that have crept into your midst—and not just crept in, but moved in and staked out the territory. This is a fruit of being closer to the System, not closer to Me. You have forsaken one of the original beauties of the Children of God, the Family of Love. Something that was once one of the greatest testimonies, if not the greatest, of your devotion to Me and your true discipleship, has now faded into the background, a victim of selfishness‚ division, and a severe lack of love.
387. It takes the pure supernatural love of God to live communally, to have all things in common, and to give to others in need. That's why I will bring this lifestyle back to the Family‚ as that illustration in living flesh will be more and more necessary to your witness as the days get darker and the hearts of men grow colder.
388. As you go into the Last Days, you will be surrounded with those who hate love, who fight God, and who will do anything in their power to stop My message. But as you're strong in unity, love, and communal happiness, they will never be able to destroy that testimony. It's the "come and see" testimony, it's the "not a sermon but a sample" testimony, it's the "we are the living proof that it works" testimony.
389. More and more people will have to see it with their own eyes; they will have to behold some kind of "proof" before they will believe. So it's not just for your own convenience and financial stability that I'm asking you to return to your roots, but for the sake of those whose minds are clouded, who want to believe, but who say, "I believe‚ help my unbelief." You will help them past their unbelief by your sample, by your love and unity.
390. Communal living and sharing all things, forsaking all to live together, is the foundation of the economic system of My Early Church, and it will work for you. I will use that lifestyle to lighten your financial burdens considerably. It makes sense, and it's a wise endeavor, certainly worth the sacrifices. As you return to your happy communes where you have all things common, where no one has too little or too much, you will find that your finances are miraculously multiplied and your coins will turn to God's good gold that never tarnishes. You will not lack for anything.
391. But that's not the only side of the story. I not only want to use your communal living to help My children have their needs supplied in every way, but I want to restore this illustration of the way that I and My early disciples lived. I want the world to be reminded of how I lived with those I loved and of the brotherly love that we shared. I want you to again be able to say, "We live like Jesus and His disciples," because that is one of the most interesting and miraculous testimonies to those who are slow to believe. When you are able to say that, they think of those who travel constantly, preaching the Gospel, healing the sick, helping the downtrodden‚ sharing all things, living by faith, being samples of love, and dedicating themselves fully to God. This is the way I showed your David the Family should live in the very beginning, the way you did live, and the way many of you still live—and the way I wish all of you would live. With this testimony I become more than a name, more than a prophet, and My disciples become more than characters in a well-read book.
392. With your living illustration of My truth in this miraculous way, I will draw all men unto Me. And because of this, I promise you that I will more than bless your sacrifices; I will make your living communally even more blessed, more prosperous and happier than it was before in your earlier days. If you'll reach out and take the steps needed, if you'll believe and hold Me to My word on this, you will not regret it, and this will be one of the biggest keys to your financial success and expansion that you have yet to lay hold on.
393. Yes, there are many obstacles to living communally, but I can and will supply if you put Me on the spot and hold Me to My promises. I have told you that it is My highest will for you to live communally, so you can have full faith and trust that I will supply the accommodations that you need. In some countries large housing is expensive or nearly impossible to find—or both—but I am not limited by circumstances or physical limitations. Where I guide, I provide. When I ask you to do something, I always supply what you need—whether it's a large enough house for a cheap price, or the money for an expensive one. No matter what obstacle you face that hinders you from living communally—financial or otherwise—know that I will open doors as you take the steps of obedience to do My will.
394. Even if you were just to move toward communal living on the strength of the logical argument that it's more economical, that you can co-op your talents and supplies‚ I will still bless you beyond your expectations, because I'm desperate for this sample to be brought back to the world. It is absolutely necessary to your future and the success of your missionary work. It is crucial to your survival‚ so I will stop at nothing in My blessings to you as you return to these beautiful ways of "the land of not too much," where everyone has enough, and you are My face to the world. (End of message.)
New Keys Promises
395. Seek Me together, call on the keys of love and unity to help your Home be a true sample of discipleship, and I will give you the finances you need to not just survive, but thrive.
396. When you're living together, having all things in common, and activating the keys of unity, I will open doors for you and supply all of your needs.
397. By living Acts 2:44 and 45 you activate the keys of unity that tap into the power of Heaven, and make a way for Me to shower you with the bountiful riches of My Kingdom.
398. Call on the keys of obedience to live the way I have instructed you to, and watch Me stretch your money, bring in extra finances, and supply through avenues and people you never would have believed possible.
399. The keys can help transfer My heavenly riches in glory to earthly pockets that can be used to fulfill My will on Earth as it is in Heaven.
(Mama:) An attitude that has crept into the Family is couples wanting/working to acquire goods‚ possessions, and things for their personal family—wanting their own car, furniture, belongings, etc.—and putting lots of time and energy and even money into owning everything they need and then being very possessive of their material things, rather than sharing what they have with others and letting others share in return. There are all kinds of problems with stewardship and people not taking care of other people's things, and that has no doubt contributed toward this trend of people wanting to have their own things and being hesitant to share. But the end result is selfish, possessive attitudes‚ which are very far from the standard of Acts 2:44-45.
God's mind on the matter:
(Jesus:) It's human nature to be selfish, to put yourself and your own needs and wants and comforts first‚ and even to put a lot of time and effort into getting things you want. It's something that the Devil has played up since the beginning of time, and it has intensified more and more as time goes on, because there are more nice things to acquire all the time.
This selfishness and desire for personal comfort is really the root of most of the worldliness that exists, in both the world at large and in the Family. It's a very prevalent spirit among humanity. The people who have nice things want more, and the people who don't have nice things lust after them. It's not surprising that this attitude has taken root in the Family as well, and that people have become focused—some minimally and some to an extreme—on acquiring goods and benefits for themselves and their family‚ and wanting to keep these as private possessions, to be used only by them and no others. Well, it is human nature and it is the spirit of the world, but that doesn't mean that it's acceptable to Me. It's not My way.
There is much in the nature of man that is selfish and evil and that is meant to be overcome. I have let these things be part of your nature to test you and to cause you to fight, but I do not mean for you to give in to and yield to such weaknesses. I do not mean for you to go the way of the world, the way of all flesh‚ in this matter of personal possessions and private property and selfish living.
I don't think I could make things any clearer than they are already in the Word—the Bible and the Letters—that My way, especially for you, My Endtime disciples, is the way of communal living, of sharing all things, of using the blessings that I provide for you and giving to your brother in need, and likewise letting him give to you and share with you when you have a need.
I don't need to get into a big discourse here about why it's important, about what the benefits are, but I will remind you that this is one of the essential attributes of the Family that makes you different from the crazy, rat-racing Systemite world around you. I could give you lists and lists of Letters that talk all about it. I could also remind you of how My Church started in the first place, back in the book of Acts. The specifics and details of how My Church operates have changed a lot since those days, but the basic foundation principles haven't.
Unity is still of the essence, and sharing all things, living Acts 2:44-45, is still an essential part of unity. There's no changing that. There's no denying that. There's no explaining that away or trying to modify it or make it more "modern." I still mean for the Family to be a community of sharing, giving, interdependent individuals who share ALL THINGS!
Someone does have to sometimes "own" certain things. Someone has to have their name on the car title and fulfill the insurance and registration and repair requirements, for example. Your attitude then should be that of a steward. You should feel responsible and do your part to ensure its care and upkeep. But you shouldn't feel that because you legally "own" it you are more entitled to use it than others, or worse yet, that others aren't entitled to use it at all, and should get their own instead.
Then there are tools that are used for the work, whether it be a piece of equipment or a musical instrument, which it's only logical that the person who uses it would assume the care and responsibility of. But you can still lend it to someone in need when you're not using it! The same with small personal possessions. No matter how little you have‚ you nearly always have something you can give or share, and that should be the prevailing way of life.
The details, the "law," the science and how-to that accompany the issues of ownership and stewardship, are in the Charter‚ and within it these "sticky points" relating to property and ownership are addressed. However, a problem arises when people go by that law and forget the heart of that law, the purpose and spirit behind the matter.
The laws have to be there to handle more complex situations that come up—and they will come up, because although you are not of the world‚ you live in the world, and therefore you have to go by some of its rules when it comes to practical, technical matters. But the laws in themselves are not the core issue—they're just a means for implementing My plan, for finding a way to cause the worldly way of operation that you have to be involved with to some degree to match up with the spirit of communal living, which is My way for you and where your focus should be.
The root, the heart‚ the soul, the essence of the matter when it comes to personal property and ownership of things, whether large or small or somewhere in between, is this: You are not your own; you are bought with a price. The things that you have are also not your own, but they are Mine, as you are, and meant to be used in My service and used for the good of others and shared with your brethren. That is Acts 2:44–45 in "modern lingo" for you, and that is the spirit by which I want My Family to live.
You can debate it. You can discuss the cons, the impracticalities, the fine points, the details, the exceptions, all you want—but that doesn't change the foundation principle, the truth of the matter‚ whatsoever. I know there are problems with communal living and with sharing all things. I know there are issues of stewardship and lack of proper care of things, lack of taking responsibility, lack of trust in one another, and so forth. These things need to be worked out‚ and it can be difficult to work them out. But the solution is not capitalism, private ownership, fending for yourself‚ and each one acquiring your own possessions.
There are problems with sharing and living communally, but the problems that come about as a result of not sharing and not living communally are far worse. The problems that come about as a result of sharing are more on a logistical or practical level, and are things that, while touchy or complex, can be worked out through love and prayer and communication and training. Whereas the problems that come about as a result of selfish living and acquiring personal property and possessions lead to the spiritual decay and eventual death of unity, which is one of the primary elements of the Family discipleship lifestyle.
So take your choice: Live according to the giving and sharing principles of My Word, and deal with the difficulties and problems that arise along with it. Or, live according to the principles of the world and its selfishness and materialism—but go and do it elsewhere, because it is no longer an acceptable way of life within Family discipleship.
CHARTER AMENDMENT: COMMON POTTING
By the WS Charter Committee
In keeping with the following CS board criteria point, some changes have been made to the Charter (revised clause included below), and one entirely new clause has been added. Please study these carefully. Thanks!
Here is the CS board criteria point referred to:
Share your finances and material possessions according to Acts 2:44-45. (This includes new disciples "forsaking all" in full, as per the Charter.) Each person contributes his or her income to the Home's financial "pot" to be managed by the Home Council as per the Charter, instead of what's commonly known as "split finances."
Revised Charter clause: "Responsibilities of Individual Family Disciples"
J. Share their material belongings with the Family in general, and with the Home where they reside in particular, "common potting" their income according to Acts 2:44-45, and be good stewards of all Family materials.
1. While 16- and 17-year-olds are not held responsible for the Home's financial decisions and obligations, they are still required to live according to Acts 2:44-45 when it comes to funds they raise either through outreach, secular employment, or donations they receive.
Our Family believes in Acts 2:44-45, which says, "All that believed were together, and had all things common; and sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need." This is an essential verse in our Family way of life‚ as it governs the use and ownership of our material possessions. The goal of these verses, and of their companion verses, Acts 4:34-35, which say that, "Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, and laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need," is that everyone should have what he or she needs and that those who have more than they need or more than others should lovingly share with those who lack.
"We are doing what the Lord wanted the Church to do in the first place, and which the Church did in the first place, in the days of the Early Church where they lived communally and 'no man called anything his own' (Acts 4:32) and 'owed no man anything save to love him' (Romans 13:8) and shared all things‚ just as it says in Acts 2.—They really lived communally and it worked‚ like it's working with us, because of the Lord and our love and sacrificial service and wanting to help others and help each other" (ML #2342:25).
As disciples, we share our material belongings with one another so that we will all have the things we need and that no one will be in want. In some cases the word "share" would mean to "give"; in other cases it would mean to "make available for others to use."
If you are truly sharing all things, the management of the gifts, donations, and income individuals receive should not result in "haves" and "have-nots." According to Acts 4:34-35‚ when a member of the Home receives additional income, it doesn't mean that they should keep it solely toward their own needs. The Home member should make the full amount of their income known to the Home to consider first the needs of the overall Home and his or her fellow disciples, rather than just his or her own needs or wants.
When truly living Acts 2:44–45, rather than by the "split finances" or "personal quota" modes of operation—which result in certain Home members having personal funds which other Home members are not aware of—while the money may not all be physically handed over to the Home's businessperson, the finances have been declared in full and have been given to the Home in spirit, and the recipient of the funds is willing to counsel about their use and is yielded to considering the collective needs of the Home over his or her own wants. So in essence‚ the Home, as a body, knows the income these individuals have received, and the Home‚ as a body, decides together how to allocate this income. (Please see "Financial Rules," D.1-2., regarding both solicited or unsolicited designated gifts.)
The area of material possessions can be a real test of our love, unselfishness‚ and faithfulness. Do we have enough love to supply the needs of others by the giving of those things we have to fill their need? Are we unselfish enough to give even though it hurts, or conversely to refuse to receive an item because we know the giver needs it more than ourselves? Are we faithful stewards of the things we use?
Whatever material possessions you or the Home have ultimately belong to the Lord, and it is your responsibility to take good care of them, to be a faithful steward of them. When you have need of something and someone shares it with you, whether by allowing you to use it or by giving it to you, it is your responsibility to take good care of it.
At times, questions will arise concerning to whom some item actually belongs. This will most often occur when someone is moving from a Home and wishes to take an item with them. In such cases the Home should decide the matter by a simple majority vote, unless, as in "Right of Mobility," D.7., the items were previously agreed upon when the member joined the Home. Generally, with major items, the Home should consider what is best for the overall work.
We are expected to be good stewards over not only the Family's materials but also those things that are entrusted to our care by outsiders, such as rented housing, properties‚ and other materials belonging to non-Family members. We need to be "faithful stewards and diligent caretakers of the materials, resources, properties, provisions, vehicles, etc., which the Lord gives or loans to us for His use!" (ML #197:23).
The next clause is entirely new, goes into effect at the publishing of this GN, and will be added to the Responsibilities of the Family Discipleship Home.
New Charter clause: "Responsibilities of the Family Discipleship Home"
X. Manages its finances according to Acts 2:44–45 and Acts 4:34-35, shares its material belongings with the Family in general and with those in the Home‚ and operates financially in such a manner that each Home member contributes his or her income to the Home to be managed by the Home Council.
As explained in the "Responsibilities of Individual Family Disciples," J., the Family believes in and practices Acts 2:44-45 and Acts 4:34–35, helping to ensure that everyone in the Home has what he or she needs and that those who have more than they need lovingly share it with those who lack.
A Family discipleship Home should be making united decisions as to how all income to the Home and to its individual members should be used. When a Home accurately knows the state of its collective income and expenses, it can take better care of all its members. Operating in this manner is a good testimony of a Home whose members are looking to take care of the varied and specific needs of everyone in the Home, including those who do not have access to donations or income from other sources. For this to work, Home members must put the needs of others before their own. That would include both the recipient of finances and the other Home members who are part of the decision-making process. Everyone in the Home must be truly thinking more of others than of themselves when deciding what to do with the Home's income.
There will be individuals within every Home who have particular needs, whether medical, legal, scholastic, or other, and these needs should be considered, prayed about, and filled as well as possible through the Home's collective living of the Acts 2:44-45 vision. A Home that is not able to care for the legitimate personal needs of all its members, because some are keeping aside personal monies which the Home either is not aware of or is given no authority over or say in how they are spent, will become ripe for division. A lack of a sense of community and sharing within a Home encourages dishonesty, selfishness, comparing, and discontent.
In summary, a Home in which its members make known all their income to the Home and then in Home Council agree together on its use is truly living according to Acts 2:44-45‚ and that Home will reap the blessings of "continuing daily with one accord with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord [will] add to the church daily such as should be saved" (Acts 2:46-47).
INTENT OF NEW "COMMON POTTING" CHARTER AMENDMENTS
CS criteria clause: Share your finances and material possessions according to Acts 2:44-45. Each person contributes his or her income to the Home's financial "pot" to be managed by the Home Council as per the Charter, instead of what's commonly known as "split finances."
Common potting the income of all Home members is one of the primary qualities that make the Family different. There are people in the System who co-op, meaning several individuals or even families live in one house and share some common expenses‚ but in the Family, living communally means actually living as Jesus' disciples did, having "all things in common," including finances. (Regarding designated gifts, solicited or unsolicited, please see the counsel in the Charter "Financial Rules," D.1–2.)
True "common potting" of the income Home members receive can be handled in a number of different ways. It's not a must that all finances are physically placed in the hands of the finance deacon, and then reapportioned to various needs, as per the Home's financial decisions. A Home that truly common pots declares all of its income and places that income in the jurisdiction of the Home Council, but such a Home may also have arrangements such as the following example, and still fall within the spirit of common potting:
Example: A Home may decide via discussion, prayer, and voting that individuals or parents within the Home may keep all or a certain percentage of income that they receive from various sources for their particular medical, legal, scholastic, or other specific needs. In such a case, the Home would need to be aware of the original amount of income, as well as the funds used for the voted-upon purposes. And if the funds received exceed the needs‚ then the extra funds would be given to the Home's common pot.
If there were two families in the Home and one family received a financial donation, which the Home members voted they could use toward purchasing their children's school books, but the other family had received no such donation, in the true spirit of living Acts 2:44–45, the Home would ensure that the second family would also have sufficient finances to purchase their children's school books, so that all the children have their needs supplied equally. The Home would do whatever is necessary to provide the needs of the second family, whether through a special fundraising day for that purpose, from the Home budget, or through other means.
If you are truly common potting and sharing all things, your Home's financial decisions and the management of the donations individuals receive should not result in "haves" and "have-nots." If some members of your Home have their needs met more fully than others, due to personal sources of income, then the spiritual balance of your Home is not right. Also, just because a Home member receives income via an outside source, that doesn't necessarily mean that they should request to keep all or a percentage of it toward their needs. That individual should consider the needs of the overall Home and his or her fellow disciples, and not only his or her own needs or wants.
The difference between truly living Acts 2:44-45 as explained above and the "split finances" mode of operation (or any other methods whereby Homes agree on quota systems, or that result in certain Home members having personal funds which other Home members are not aware of) is that in the above scenario, while the money may not be physically handed over to the finance deacon and literally placed in the common pot envelope, so to speak, the finances have been fully declared and given to the common pot in spirit, because the recipient of the funds is willing to counsel about the use of the funds and is yielded to considering the needs of the Home overall and is willing to go with the decision of the Home regarding how the money is used.
In essence‚ the Home, as a body, knows the exact income that these individuals have received from these different sources, and has decided together that these individuals can keep all or a portion of such income for specific needs. That does not fall within the category of split finances; rather, the Home is making united decisions on how its common pot money should be spent, and it's a good testimony of the Home taking care of the varied and specific needs of its members, providing the Home is also aware of and supplying the needs for its members who do not have access to such finances from other sources.
When we refer to "split finances," we're talking about when several people, couples or families live under one roof and they each pay a certain percentage of the bills, and the rest of the money they earn is personal funds, which the Home has no authority over or say about how it's spent‚ and often the Home is not even aware of how much income has been generated outside of the percentage that each member is required to contribute to the Home budget. This financial arrangement is not uncommon in the System, where families or individuals co-op, living under one roof, in order to save money on the rent, utilities, etc., but they are not living communally. Such an arrangement also does not guarantee that this Home would be giving a full tithe, since the funds received by the Home members are not fully declared.
Within every Home, there will be individuals who have particular needs (whether medical, legal, scholastic, etc.), and these needs should be filled through your living of the Acts 2:44–45 vision. If as a Home, you do not take care of the legitimate personal needs of your Home members, you could unwittingly be encouraging dishonesty and lack of true common potting, as well as discontent and disunity. If your Home members do not have their urgent personal needs met, they will be reluctant to declare their personal income, as they will feel tempted to use such income to meet their personal needs.
Aside from medical, scholastic, legal, and other important needs which various individuals have, it's also well worth adding into your budget an allotment of "personal funds" for each Home member. These funds would not be for medical expenses or buying next year's school books for the children, etc.; rather, these finances would provide Home members with some money to spend when they go out, to have a meal, to buy something "extra" for themselves‚ a gift for someone else, or to do something special on their days off. It's ideal to also give parents a certain amount of personal money per child, for excursions, special snacks, a specific need their child has, etc.
Your Home may not be able to allot a large amount of money toward such personal funds‚ but you should strive to allot some, as this ups the inspiration level of your Home. The Lord will abundantly bless your Home if you're taking steps to ensure that the needs of all your Home members are being met, even if that requires a stretching of your faith and increasing your Home's budget a bit. The Lord can and wants to supply!
In summary, a Home that truly lives Acts 2:44-45 declares all income, and counsels and agrees together, by all voting members of the Home (18 and over), on its use. This is true common potting. When all income is declared, it also guarantees an accurate tithe, which will result in the Lord's full blessing. Also, by declaring all income, you'll be able to see if you have any that could be given as an offering to WS or another needy Home or work.
Copyright © 2006 by The Family International