THE OFFICE OF A BISHOP!--1Timothy 3.
DO 210
3/73
DAD'S TESTIMONY ON ADMINISTRATION
1. I have never really cared to be an administrator, much less a King. I've always shunned administrative responsibilities as much as possible & really preferred to let others run things for me. I particularly hate to have to handle finances or deal with business details or legal affairs, which is why we have almost always had someone else to handle these matters for us so that I PERSONALLY HAVE NOT MYSELF HANDLED ANY OF THE OFFICIAL FUNDS OF THE FAMILY FOR MANY YEARS--in fact, not since we were a very small Family of only a few in the very beginning & under an entirely different name, when there was no one else to do it for us!
2. Beginning in Grandmother's little cottage at the very beginning so long ago when we were only a dozen or so, I turned all these affairs of business, money & office administration over to someone else, & so it has been ever since. Since that time I HAVE INSISTED THAT OTHERS HANDLE THE FINANCES & BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION, WHICH IS REALLY THE WORK OF DEACONS in the indispensable job of tending tables, while I myself preferred TO DEVOTE MY FULL TIME TO THE MAJOR MINISTRY GOD HAS GIVEN ME, THAT OF AN ELDER MINISTERING THE WORD. I by far prefer, therefore, to sit high & alone atop my mountain hearing the Words of God & feeding them to His sheep, rather than to become involved in timeconsuming business affairs.
3. I have asked of God nothing but my room & board & the barest necessities of life, & very little of that. These basic necessities were AT FIRST PROVIDED FOR BY THE LORD THROUGH MY OWN EARNINGS which I shared for many years with others, taking the needy into my own home & sharing my own room & board with them as members of my own family. Then, as our family grew larger, they no longer lived with ME, but I with THEM, sharing their room & board & such things as the Lord provided for all of us.
ADVICE ON LEADERS' HANDLING OF FINANCES & MATERIAL MATTERS
4. WE, AS THE LORD'S SPIRITUAL LEADERS, HAVE FOR MANY YEARS LIVED ON THE BAREST OF NECESSITIES & REFUSED TO HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE BUSINESS OR FINANCES OF OUR MANY FAMILIES, EXCEPT FOR ADVISING & counselling them on how to handle their own in their individual Homes. I HAVE ALWAYS INSISTED THAT EACH HOME BE COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT FINANCIALLY & HANDLE ITS OWN FINANCES & business, except as it may have need for help from others or as it may be able to share with others as they may have need.w
5. Contrary to what many people think, we are a tight & disciplined organisation ONLY in SPIRIT, FELLOWSHIP, MESSAGE & METHOD. Otherwise, AS FAR AS FINANCES, INDIVIDUAL BUSINESS, ADMINISTRATION & GOVERNMENT OF THE LOCAL HOMES ARE CONCERNED, EACH IS TOTALLY ON ITS OWN & strictly independent except for their dependency on each other in love & its manifestation in mutual help of each other voluntarily--no more! God warned me long ago that each should operate this way so that the World could not accuse us of the very lies with which I knew they would try to accuse us some day: That we are some kind of religious racket making millions for someone's personal gain!--Which as YOU know, we are NOT!
6. This is why I always insisted that each Home handle its own finances absolutely independently, including the Office Homes, except as they help to support each other with voluntary gifts when so needed.--And this is also why we have refused to accept any personal remuneration whatsoever, except for their own little loving voluntary gifts toward the absolute minimum of our own personal barest of meager living necessities!
7. Therefore we have also insisted that our various leaders should always live together within the Homes of which they are members, sharing with them such things as they have, as the Scripture says & as we did for many years personally until our present retirement in exile, & receive absolutely no other compensation or remuneration for their services, just like all of our other disciples. Like ourselves, WE HAVE ALWAYS ADVISED OUR OTHER SPIRITUAL LEADERS ALSO TO HAVE AS LITTLE TO DO WITH THE FINANCES OF THE HOMES AS POSSIBLE, BUT LET EACH HANDLE ITS OWN UNDER A DEACON APPOINTED BY EACH Home for that purpose.
8. Since our earliest days I have not had my name on any of our checking accounts nor been a personal signatory to such checks; & if each of you spiritual Bishops, Shepherds or Overseers are going to follow MY example as a faithful Bishop or Shepherd of your flocks & be the good SPIRITUAL COUNSELLORS & even BUSINESS ADVISORS that you should be to your Children in the Lord, you will HAVE AS LITTLE TO DO WITH THE PERSONAL TENDING OF THEIR MATERIAL TABLES AS POSSIBLE, such as AVOIDING HAVING YOUR OWN PERSONAL NAME ON THE TITLES OR DEEDS OF ANY PROPERTIES OR VEHICLES OR BANK ACCOUNTS OR THE SIGNING OF YOUR OWN PERSONAL NAME ON ANY CHECKING ACCOUNTS OR CHECKS! LET ONLY YOUR LOCAL BUSINESS DEACON OR FINANCIAL MINISTER DO THESE MATERIAL DUTIES at the agreed & united behest of ALL the local leadership, according to his appointment for this purpose.
9. Personally I have preferred to have so little to do with finances, that I DO NOT EVEN LIKE TO READ THEIR FINANCIAL REPORTS except in times of trouble to help them find where they made their mistakes. In such cases I may TRY TO ADVISE OR COUNSEL THEM on what they might do to rectify the situation, particularly spiritually, but I TRY TO AVOID ANY PERSONAL INVOLVEMENT whatsoever, beyond such mere overseeing or supervision.--Let them do their own pick-&-shovel work according to their own needs or desires &/or leadings of the Lord while you STAY IN THE SPIRITUAL BACKGROUND: This way you will neither get the credit for their successes nor the blame for their mistakes! You will JUST TRY TO HELP THEM all you can, but IF THEY DON'T WANT TO FOLLOW YOUR SUGGESTIONS, THERE IS NOTHING MORE YOU SHOULD DO.--Let them learn the hard way in such cases!
10. Our shepherds should not be dictators nor bosses, neither lords over God's heritage, but rather their humble servants, helping them all we can, but not doing it for them personally in matters which they themselves should handle.
11. In all such local decisions, the local leaders should join together for discussion & prayer & then join together in unanimous agreement if possible, according to whatever seems good to all of them as they are led by the Spirit.
DECISION-MAKING BY COUNCILS ONLY
12. No decisions should ever be dictated by one person, without agreement by other leaders &/or the rest of the body, as seems necessary. CONFERRING TOGETHER ON SUCH DECISIONS IS IMPERATIVE & must be made on the level of the leadership whose authority & jurisdiction it is or within whose department or ministry it lies, & with any other departments or ministries whom it may affect or who might wish a voice in the making of such decisions. ANY DECISIONS MADE ON THE PART OF ANY INDIVIDUALS WITHOUT SUCH DUE CONSULTATION & AGREEMENT COULD BE CONSIDERED NULL & VOID because others affected were not consulted nor conferred with. This is the way we personally have always operated even within our own tiny personal family. I, as their spiritual leader, would first hear from the Lord what I thought was His Will, then pray together with them & consult with them for their agreement & confirmation. It works!
13. Decisions thereupon should be made by unanimous vote in the unity of the Spirit. If there is any difference of opinion, it should be discussed until better understood, or prayed about some more until they are better led of the Lord, & some suggested changes may be made in the light of new facts revealed etc., but ALL DECISIONS SHOULD BE MADE BY GENERAL AGREEMENT.
14. No decision should be made within any Family, Home, area or the World without consultation together & if possible, unanimous agreement in the unity of the Spirit & in prayer in the presence of those affected if possible, or their representatives, or to be referred to them for their subsequent agreement & NOT TO TAKE EFFECT UNTIL SUCH AGREEMENT IS OBTAINED. PTL? Amen!
Copyright (c) 1998 by The Family