CS Home Review Criteria

January 2, 2005

GN 1107 FD/MM/FM

CS Home Review Criteria

For Family Discipleship Homes

Related to the overall spiritual state, shepherding‚ and level of general obedience in the Home

By the International CS* board‚ January 2005

FD/MM/FM

*(The name of the VS board has been changed to the CS board—Coaching and Shepherding.)

(Please also see the Word basis for this set of criteria, which you can find on the MOv3 site in the following section: Pubs‚ FD/MM/FM, Miscellaneous Pubs.)

INTRODUCTION

All Home members, 18 and up, should be present for the filling out of this review form. Home members may be absent only under exceptional circumstances, such as when a member is away from the Home on a trip that cannot be scheduled at another time, and is unable to return to fill out this review form. No less than two-thirds of the Home's voting members (age 18 and up) must be present in order for this review form to be valid.

It's important for you to understand that these questions apply only to the adults 18 and older in your Home. These answers are not expected to reflect the actions or attitudes of those under the age of 18. The reason for this is that the spiritual standard in the provisional contract that the senior teens are required to sign is different in some ways from the standard expected of adult disciples. Therefore, to consider the attitudes and actions of senior teens when answering these questions could cause the review to be inaccurate. By the same token, it could be difficult for senior teens to judge how to answer such questions, since they will not have firsthand experience in some of the subjects and they will not be knowledgeable of some of the circumstances involved in some of the questions. Generally, the results of your review in this pillar of spiritual shepherding will be more accurate if the questions are answered by the adults, regarding the actions of the adults. The senior teens will be represented in the JT board criteria.

When a question contains the word "overall," that is meant to give you some flexibility in your voting. Otherwise you might feel you're being untruthful if you don't give yourself a lower answer due to something that's happened in your Home or that involves one person‚ for example, that is out of the norm for your Home members or that is not in sync with the general sample, activities, attitudes‚ and lifestyle of your Home. We realize that it would be impractical and unfair if you were to feel that your Home situation, members or history had to be "perfect" before you could answer with one of the top two answers. We are looking for honest answers; we don't want you to be too lenient, but neither do we want to put you in a position where you are too severe in your judgment of your Home and Home members' state. As you fill out this report, please bear this explanation in mind about the reason the word "overall" has been added to some questions.

If a question is noted as being an "informational question," that means it will not be taken into consideration when your Home is being evaluated. That is for the information of your CS board regional chairperson(s).

Thank you very much for the time, prayer, and honesty that you will put into filling out this review. We appreciate you and pray this is a blessing for you!

Name of CS board criteria monitor: _____________

Names of other Home shepherd/s: _______________________

1. Manifest unity, the joy of the Lord, outgoing love‚ unselfish care and concern for others, and camaraderie as a Home.

The overall spirit of your Home should be loving, happy, and united, with members exhibiting the joy of the Lord. You should be caring for one another, sacrificing for the happiness of others‚ lovingly communicating with one another, working in teamwork with one another, and manifesting camaraderie of spirit. Those who visit your Home, whether other Family members or outsiders, should be able to recognize the Lord's Spirit manifested in your Home and members through the preceding qualities.

Live in unity with others (both those in your Home and other Homes). Refrain from gossip, criticism, sowing division or doubts, harboring bitterness, or speaking negatively against Dad‚ Maria, Peter, the Word, leadership, or the Family.

CS Home Review Questions

Overall, is your Home in unity? Does your Home manifest a spirit of outgoing love and unselfish concern for others? In the early days of the Family, we had a "come and see" policy‚ because the sample of our communal living and striving toward common goals was such a powerful, convincing proof of the existence of a God of Love. Is your Home overall that kind of happy‚ loving‚ united, caring‚ communal sample?

If any significant ongoing disunity has occurred within your Home since the last review period, or between your Home members and members of other Homes, please explain what you have done about it. Has it been resolved?

Overall, does your Home work in unity with other Homes in the area in things such as witnessing, ministering to contacts, sharing witnessing areas, provisioning, united ventures, etc.?

Overall, have your Home members been walking in the fear of the Lord by consistently avoiding such things as gossiping, sowing division or doubts, harboring bitterness, or speaking negatively against Dad, Maria, Peter‚ the Word, leadership or the Family?

Are your Home Council and other required meetings open, honest, fruitful platforms for helping to decide your Home's goals and guidelines?

Does your Home take part in City Council meetings, and abide by and support the City Council decisions of your area (which a majority of the Homes have agreed upon)?

2. Practice Jesus' teachings of forsaking all, living communally and by faith‚ and the principles of Acts 2:44-45 concerning finances and material possessions. Manifest faith in the Lord's ability to supply; be good stewards of what the Lord gives you; be generous.

Live the "Conviction vs. Compromise" series in spirit and practice, which means you live communally in a large enough Home that it's obvious that you're different—you live like Jesus' disciples.

Live communally in spirit and in practice.

Live by faith and the Lord's supply; depend on the "God factor." Manifest faith in the Lord's ability to provide your needs abundantly.

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." (See new Charter amendments on this point on pages 11-13‚ and the intent of these amendments on pages 14-15.)

Take good care of your Home members; as much as possible, ensure that their needs are met.

Practice good stewardship of the material blessings the Lord has given your Home.

Give to those in need.

CS Home Review Questions

(Note: Regarding designated gifts, solicited or unsolicited, please see the counsel in the Charter "Financial Rules," D.1-2.)

Overall‚ does your Home truly live communally in spirit and in practice, manifested by living Acts 2:44-45 in the sharing of finances and material possessions? (It's fine to appoint stewards over communal items, and it's understood that individuals have certain personal items which are not necessarily "communal" items, such as a CD player, guitar, laptop‚ etc. The question is whether the overall spirit of your Home manifests a willingness to share, lend items, give to others in need, etc., whether the item in question is a communal item or a personal item.)

If new disciples have been voted in as FD by your Home since the last review period, did they truly "forsake all" to the Family as per the Charter? (Meaning that they did not give some of their personal possessions or assets to their parents or relatives to "hold" for them, thus not "forsaking all" in full.)

Is all Home and individual income faithfully and openly reported and put into one "common pot," which is managed by the Home Council‚ as per the Charter? (See new Charter amendments on pages 11-13.)

Does your Home strive to ensure that all Home members have their individual needs met, whether through provisioning or allotting finances toward such needs (medical, dental, scholastic, legal, etc.)?

Does your Home have a plan that is regularly followed through on which enables you to allot a certain amount of finances monthly (or on a regular basis) to your Home members for "personal funds," which they can use for their days off and other special events?

Is the spirit of your Home, overall, one of trust and faith in the Lord's ability to supply your Home's needs, whether financial or otherwise?

As a Home, do you give financially to WS or special projects in your local area‚ other needy Homes, missionaries around the world, or Family individuals who are in hardship situations? (This is referring to offerings, not to your tithe or the 3%.)

When your Home has an abundance of goods, such as provisioning, do you share your abundance with other local Family Homes and Family members? Or if you aren't near any Family Homes, or the local Homes and Family members do not need what you have to give away, do you share your abundance with others in need, such as CTP projects, etc.?

Is the stewardship of the material belongings the Lord has given your Home acceptable to those in the Home, and is it an appropriate sample of faithfulness and diligence to others, whether Family members or outsiders?

3. Live the Law of Love and the One Wife Vision.

Treat the members of your Home and those outside your Home according to the principles of the Law of Love.

Treat the members and children of your Home and other Homes according to the principles of the One Wife vision.

Be willing to consider, be open to, and pray about receiving physically weaker members, large families, and single parents with children in your Home‚ and proceed as the Lord leads. (Older FGAs might be physically weaker but they can bring special gifts, talents‚ and experience to your Home, even if they're going slower or have some health problems. To have single parents or large families or several smaller families in your Home can be a "plus" and lead to God's blessing because it provides opportunity to live the One Wife vision, it can add to your witness and sample, and can make a Home more well-rounded and complete.)

CS Home Review Questions

Overall, do your Home members' words, deeds, and interactions with one another and those outside your Home reflect the spirit of the Law of Love—the "golden rule" that should govern all our actions and decisions as Christians?

Overall, do you live the One Wife vision in your Home in regards to the children‚ avoiding the spirit of exclusive independent little families living "separately" under one roof?

Is your Home open to considering and praying about receiving single parents, large families, and older or weaker members, as the Lord leads?

Do the single parents in your Home receive sufficient physical help and spiritual support in raising their children?

Do the singles in your Home (or those with more free time) help to care for the children of couples or single parents so that the parents are able to have free time, extra rest when needed, etc.?

Are your Home members generally (and appropriately and discreetly) made aware of needs of other members of your Home (such as the need for sexual intimacy, personal attention, affection, and/or other types of fellowship) so that they can pray personally about what the Lord would expect them to do to help meet those needs (within the boundaries of the Charter)?

4. Living the Words of David; having a spirit of obedience to the New Wine that is manifested in the Home through keeping the Word in first place, basing Home decisions on the Word, eagerly seeking the Lord's highest will, and making the sacrifices needed to stay on the cutting edge of discipleship.

Live the practical and spiritual counsel in the GNs. Even if a new push or change is not articulated specifically in a Charter amendment‚ FD Homes are required to, "Live in accordance with the Word by endeavoring to apply the spiritual and practical counsel given in the Letters to their daily lives." ("Responsibilities of Individual Members," D.) Do not be a "minimizer," trying to get by with just the minimum of the Charter. Don't grade yourself on the curve, but go the distance, following the New Wine as closely as possible.

Progress as a Home in the use of the new weapons, including additional new weapons and moves of the spirit that are introduced in the GNs.

Follow through on assignments in the GNs within a reasonable period of time. Such assignments usually include prophecy questions to ask the Lord, subjects to discuss at Home Council meetings, goals and deadlines to set‚ etc. Your RSs, coach, or in some cases even the boards (if the topic falls under their pillar), might ask you about this and monitor your progress.

CS Home Review Questions

Are your Home members doers of the Word, manifesting an obedient spirit overall when it comes to living the practical and spiritual counsel in the GNs, striving to do the maximum rather than the minimum?

Overall, is the Word the central guiding force in your Home? (Meaning that when directional GNs come out, your Home studies them, prays and counsels about them, makes concrete decisions, and sets goals toward lasting change.)

Does your Home/Home members complete assignments listed in the GNs within a reasonable amount of time when Mama or Peter ask that you discuss certain points and when there are specific prophecy questions assigned?

Does your Home consistently follow up on the guidance the Lord gives you through the GN assignments, including studying the counsel in the prophecies you receive, reviewing your Home's decisions, and monitoring your Home's resultant progress?

Overall, are your Home members committed to doing their "personal best" to live the New Wine and grow in the spiritual aspects of their discipleship, and is that commitment manifested through such things as: using the gift of prophecy in their spiritual lives and daily decisions, being praiseful‚ talking about the Word‚ sharing lessons learned‚ quoting the key promises, being faithful prayer warriors, actively trying to find better ways to obey the Word, minimizing ungodly and unedifying influences and worldly input, etc.?

Do your Home members overall use the new weapons, and are they improving in the use of them?

Does your Home have an adequate, well-stocked, organized library (either paper or electronic) that is readily available to all?

5. Be disciples. Stay true and uncompromised, be dropped out, do not manifest the world's spirit, attitudes‚ and materialism.

Your Home should be an overall sample of the unique qualities of the Family, a sample of full–time discipleship as per the teachings of David. This means you are dropped out of the System, you live by faith and avoid dependence on System jobs. You are different from the people of the world, with different goals, attitudes, priorities, and lifestyle.

Minimize ungodly influences, as per the "Shooting Straight" series (Parts 9-11). Realize that the success of your sample as a discipleship Home will depend on the sacrifices‚ spiritual strength, and commitment of each resident disciple; therefore it's your responsibility as a Home to accept the recent New Wine regarding System input, to hear from the Lord about your intake of System input, to make commitments, and to be willing to help each other, so that you can hold on to the victories gained, both personally and as a Home, through the fast of worldly input during the renewal of 2004. Even System input that is "allowed" and that you receive the Lord's approval on should be minimized and kept in its rightful place, and only partaken of after asking the Lord, as well as counseling with your Home shepherds and others, as needed.

Refrain from going on anti–Family websites, and minimize your contact and unnecessary fellowship with people who talk against the Word, and who seek to tear down your faith and weaken you or your Home spiritually.

Only allow non-FD members to live in the Home if it's with shepherding desk permission and it's not bearing bad fruit—not distracting full–time disciples from the Lord's work, and not weakening other Home members or children through the lifestyle, comments, or System attitudes portrayed by the non-FD person(s).

CS Home Review Questions

Overall, are the members of your Home committed to enhancing the discipleship sample of your Home, so that when people see how you live, how you spend your time, what you talk about, what your interests, values, and goals are, they realize you're living as Jesus' disciples, being in the world but not of it?

Does your Home overall uphold a Word-based standard that your Home has voted upon regarding System input through such things as movies, Internet browsing‚ TV/sports viewing, novel reading, computer games and System music, etc.—that is‚ a standard that is sufficiently high that it is in accordance with the counsel in the "Shooting Straight" GN series (Parts 9-11), and that helps you hold on to the victories gained through the renewal of 2004?

Have the members of your Home refrained from going on anti-Family websites (unless absolutely necessary for a bona fide reason), and avoided unnecessary negative fellowship or communication with those who speak against the Word, who tear down your faith and weaken you spiritually?

Does anyone in your Home have a System job for the sake of raising income?

Has your Home done the following in the last six months regarding any member who holds a System job, as was suggested in the "Conviction vs. Compromise" series?

Counseled, heard from the Lord, and voted as a Home about the System job?

Made sure he/she received a confirmation from the Lord from two or three channels about this being the Lord's highest will for the individual?

Have the Home shepherds adequately and consistently shepherded the person who has the System job?

Have the Home shepherds monitored‚ prayed about, and asked the Lord about the fruit that the job has brought forth in the life of the individual and in the Home?

Please explain what your Home member having a System job contributes to the Home, such as helping to support a thriving witnessing ministry in a significant way, helping X number of people to stay in the country when it would not be possible otherwise, etc.

Is the employed person fulfilling the Charter requirements, such as the Word and witnessing requirements, attending Home meetings, etc.?

Does the employed person give the finances gained through the job to the Home's common pot, as per Acts 2:44-45 and the counsel contained on pages 14-15 of this GN that explains common potting?

Informational

Since your last Home Review‚ have you had any non-FD individuals living in your Home for over 30 days?

If yes, are they presently living in your Home?

Please list who they are‚ their age, how long they have been living (or lived) in your Home, and whether or not they are former members:

Did your Home receive authorization for this exception from the shepherding desk?

If it is a young person who has left the Family and is living in your Home, please explain briefly what progress has been made to help prepare him/her for life outside the Family:

Are your Home shepherds properly shepherding this situation so that the non-FD individual is not having a negative effect on the Home or its members?

6. Create a winning team by lovingly and consistently giving and receiving shepherding from one another, and upholding the requirements for maintaining a spiritually strong Home.

The Home shepherds are responsible for the spiritual shepherding of the Home members and for making sure the spiritual requirements in the various board criteria are fulfilled in the Home. (This includes focusing on the needs and training of the YAs, who are specifically under the care of the CS board.)

The Home shepherds are responsible to adequately and lovingly shepherd the Home members according to the Word so that they can make spiritual progress and overcome weak areas. Consider the following methods:

• reading assignments

• prophecies of instruction and encouragement

• giving the individual questions to hear from the Lord about in prophecy

• personal talk times

• united prayer

• loving correction or counsel

• additional time off from Home duties for extra prayer time, Word‚ meditation, and reflection

• making sure Home members feel loved, appreciated, and understood

• having open forums where different topics are discussed

• applying disciplinary measures, if needed, and with the assistance of the Home when appropriate, such as Home Censure

• initiating the procedure to move someone out of the FD Family to a place of service that's more suited to their lifestyle.

Home members need to take responsibility for the state of the Home, including its overall sample, fruitfulness, spiritual state and progress, and for the Home's decisions and the effects of those decisions. This is the concept of Home accountability.

Home members are to be their brothers' keeper by being honest with one another‚ being willing to shepherd each other, not covering up for one another but rather being willing to speak the truth in love.

Discuss, formulate‚ and vote on Home decisions and policies in Home Council or other official Home meetings. Do not run a "mom and pop shop" where decisions are made by the de facto "heads" without the genuine input, open discussion, and majority consent of the Home's voting members.

Each person in the Home must be given ample opportunity to have 1½ hours of quality Word time daily, as per "What Is Jesus Worth to You?" (ML #3433, GN 1016). New disciples (under one year in the Family) must be allocated an additional seven hours of Word time per week, or a total of 17½ hours per week‚ in order to complete their study of the full foundation course for new disciples within one year, as well as to complete their basic memory work. (See GN 1033, "Charter Amendments 2003," Word Requirements.)

Discuss the weak areas/problems of the Home in Home Council (or other meetings) and make commitments to progress. Agree on specific plans, set deadlines.

Steering Council members (Home shepherds and Home managers) need to be united and open to receiving shepherding and safeguards from other Steering Council members and Home members.

The Steering Council should meet officially‚ as is needed.

Home managers should meet often, possibly daily; Home shepherds should meet regularly‚ as the need arises.

Regularly have the required Home meetings, as noted in the Charter, such as devotions, Home Council‚ monthly prayer days (even if split between two days), etc.

Have regular Loving Jesus inspirations and/or times when you get together as a Home to wield the undefeatable weapon of praise.

Have united times of intercessory prayer, devotions, and spiritual feeding from the Word together not less than four times per week.

CS Home Review Questions

Do your Home members accept and apply the concept of Home accountability, taking responsibility for your Home's decisions and the effects of those decisions, and for the overall sample‚ fruitfulness, spiritual state and progress of your Home and its members?

Does your Home discuss, formulate, and vote on its decisions and policies in Home Council or other official Home meetings?

Overall, does your Home provide ample time and opportunity for Home members to fulfill the requirement for 1½ hours of quality Word daily‚ as per "What Is Jesus Worth to You?" (ML #3433) and "Charter Amendments 2003" (GN 1033)?

Does your Home provide the extra 7 hours of Word time each week for new disciples (a total of 17½ hours per week), as per the Charter requirements (GN 1033, "Charter Amendments 2003")?

Overall, do your Home members have their 30 minutes of intercessory prayer time daily?

How much does your Home use prophecy, either in the making of decisions, for resolving Home problems, for seeking how to implement the Word, or for personal encouragement of one another?

How often does your Home have united spiritual Word-based activities, such as vespers, fellowship based around the Word, lesson-sharing, praise meetings, Loving Jesus inspirations, etc.? (This refers to additional times of spiritual fellowship outside of the required four times weekly.)

Do you regularly support each other in prayer by providing a way for the prayer requests of your Home and individual Home members, and other Homes' prayer requests, to be made known, and by encouraging your Home members to pray for those requests either individually or unitedly?

Does your Home have united praise times, actively wielding the weapon of praise, often enough that you feel your Home is growing in the use of this weapon and generally has a praiseful atmosphere?

Does your Home regularly have united times of intercessory prayer (such as united prayer vigil, a focused time of praying for requests/needs when together at devotions or meetings, etc.) so that you're using the weapon of prayer to really make a difference and to unite together around common goals?

Overall‚ has your Home had the required monthly prayer days?

Overall, has your Home regularly had the four united times of prayer and reading the Word (commonly called united devotions) required on a weekly basis?

How would you describe the overall quality of your Home's united devotions?

Does your Home give proper time and attention to doing what you can to help your YAs (18- to 20-year-olds) feel challenged and to supply their needs for fellowship, shepherding, and training?

Have the 18-year-olds in your Home signed the Charter member contract (required within one month of their 18th birthday)?

Do the members of your Home (age 18-20) abide by the Charter alcohol rules for their age group? (See "Food and Drink Rules," C.)

Do the members of your Home (age 21 and over) handle the lifting of the Charter alcohol rules wisely? (See "Charter Amendments 2003‚" "Temporary Suspension of Alcohol Rules," GN 1033.)

Do you feel that overall your Home members have received adequate shepherding through such things as reading assignments‚ prophecies of counsel, instruction and encouragement, being given questions to hear from the Lord in prophecy about, having personal talk times, having united prayer, receiving correction when needed?

Do you feel that sufficient shepherding, prayer, and counsel is given to help any Home members who need it, especially new disciples and young people, to learn to properly live the sexual freedoms of the Law of Love?

Is sufficient time, prayer‚ and counsel being devoted on the part of the Home shepherds toward meeting the spiritual needs of your Home overall, as well as the specific needs of the individual members?

Are Home members overall open to receiving shepherding from the Home shepherds?

Do Home members generally act as their brothers' keeper by being honest with one another, being willing to receive shepherding from one another as well as shepherd each other as needed, not covering up for one another, but rather being willing to speak the truth in love?

Informational

After trying other possible means of shepherding, has your Home found it necessary to use the disciplinary measures in the Charter, such as Home Censure?

Informational

Has your Home recommended anyone be moved to another category of membership that was more appropriate for their commitment level and/or lifestyle?

Does the Steering Council (Home shepherds and Home managers) work in unity and harmony with each other and the Home‚ actively soliciting input and counsel from Home members when making decisions?

Do you feel the Steering Council members (Home shepherds and Home managers) are open to receiving shepherding and safeguards from each other and other members of the Home regarding their personal sample or mode of operation?

How often do the Home shepherds meet for official meetings that include discussion, prayer, hearing from the Lord‚ etc.? (This is referring to meetings in which all of the Home shepherds are present, you begin with prayer‚ you have an agenda, you make decisions that are confirmed with the Lord in prophecy, etc. This does not refer to impromptu, unplanned, "hallway hit-up" type discussions.)

Signature of Home's voting members age 18 and over:

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:

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.

CS Home Review Questionnaire

For Family Discipleship Homes, January 2005

Name of CS board criteria monitor:

Names of other Home shepherd/s:

1. Manifest unity‚ the joy of the Lord, outgoing love‚ unselfish care and concern for others, and camaraderie as a Home.

Overall, is your Home in unity? Does your Home manifest a spirit of outgoing love and unselfish concern for others? In the early days of the Family, we had a "come and see" policy, because the sample of our communal living and striving toward common goals was such a powerful‚ convincing proof of the existence of a God of Love. Is your Home overall that kind of happy, loving, united, caring‚ communal sample?

[ ] Yes [ ] No

Overall‚ does your Home work in unity with other Homes in the area in things such as witnessing, ministering to contacts, sharing witnessing areas, provisioning, united ventures, etc.?

[ ] Yes [ ] No

[ ] N/A (We have no Homes in our immediate area to work with.)

Overall, have your Home members been walking in the fear of the Lord by consistently avoiding such things as gossiping, sowing division or doubts‚ harboring bitterness, or speaking negatively against Dad‚ Maria, Peter‚ the Word, leadership or the Family?

[ ] Yes [ ] No

Are your Home Council and other required meetings open, honest, fruitful platforms for helping to decide your Home's goals and guidelines?

[ ] Most of the time [ ] Sometimes [ ] Rarely

Does your Home take part in City Council meetings, and abide by and support the City Council decisions of your area (which a majority of the Homes have agreed upon)?

[ ] Most of the time [ ] Sometimes [ ] Rarely

[ ] N/A (We have no Homes in our immediate area to work with.)

2. Practice Jesus' teachings of forsaking all, living communally and by faith, and the principles of Acts 2:44-45 concerning finances and material possessions. Manifest faith in the Lord's ability to supply; be good stewards of what the Lord gives you; be generous.

(Note: Regarding designated gifts, solicited or unsolicited‚ please see the counsel in the Charter "Financial Rules‚" D.1-2.)

[ ] Yes [ ] No

[ ] N/A (No new disciple has joined our Home since the last review period.)

Is all Home and individual income faithfully and openly reported and put into one "common pot," which is managed by the Home Council, as per the Charter? (See new Charter amendments on pages 11-13.)

[ ] Yes, we common pot our income

[ ] No, we have split finances, quota systems, or separate financial arrangements among families/individuals

If you answered no, please explain the following:

what your other financial arrangements are
the reason for them (i.e., your Home is splitting, individuals are leaving the Home and are fundraising toward their move, etc.)
what time period your Home has agreed to practice the separate financial arrangements
explain any other reasons or relevant background

Does your Home strive to ensure that all Home members have their individual needs met, whether through provisioning or allotting finances toward such needs (medical, dental, scholastic‚ legal, etc.)?

[ ] Yes [ ] No

[ ] Often [ ] Sometimes [ ] Rarely

Is the spirit of your Home‚ overall, one of trust and faith in the Lord's ability to supply your Home's needs, whether financial or otherwise?

[ ] Yes [ ] No

As a Home, do you give financially to WS or special projects in your local area, other needy Homes, missionaries around the world‚ or Family individuals who are in hardship situations? (This is referring to offerings, not to your tithe or the 3%.)

[ ] Often (every month) [ ] Sometimes (every few months)

[ ] Not at all in this six-month review period

[ ] Often [ ] Sometimes

[ ] Not at all in this six-month review period

[ ] N/A

[ ] We're unable to provision due to security reasons.

[ ] We don't provision because all our needs are supplied through abundant finances.

[ ] We never have an abundance of goods over what our Home needs and uses.

[ ] If there is some other circumstance, please explain your Home's particular situation here.

Is the stewardship of the material belongings the Lord has given your Home acceptable to those in the Home‚ and is it an appropriate sample of faithfulness and diligence to others, whether Family members or outsiders?

[ ] Most of the time [ ] Sometimes [ ] Rarely

3. Live the Law of Love and the One Wife Vision.

[ ] Yes [ ] No

Overall, do you live the One Wife vision in your Home in regards to the children, avoiding the spirit of exclusive independent little families living "separately" under one roof?

[ ] Yes [ ] No

[ ] N/A (We have no children in our Home. Note: Children are defined in the Charter as 15 and under.)

Is your Home open to considering and praying about receiving single parents, large families‚ and older or weaker members, as the Lord leads?

[ ] Yes [ ] No

Do the single parents in your Home receive sufficient physical help and spiritual support in raising their children?

[ ] Most of the time [ ] Sometimes [ ] Rarely

[ ] N/A (We have no single parents in our Home.)

Do the singles in your Home (or those with more free time) help to care for the children of couples or single parents so that the parents are able to have free time, extra rest when needed, etc.?

[ ] Often [ ] Sometimes [ ] Rarely

[ ] N/A (We have no children in our Home.)

[ ] Most of the time [ ] Sometimes [ ] Rarely

4. Living the Words of David; having a spirit of obedience to the New Wine that is manifested in the Home through keeping the Word in first place, basing Home decisions on the Word‚ eagerly seeking the Lord's highest will, and making the sacrifices needed to stay on the cutting edge of discipleship.

[ ] Yes [ ] No

[ ] Most of the time [ ] Sometimes [ ] Rarely

Overall, are your Home members committed to doing their "personal best" to live the New Wine and grow in the spiritual aspects of their discipleship, and is that commitment manifested through such things as: using the gift of prophecy in their spiritual lives and daily decisions, being praiseful‚ talking about the Word, sharing lessons learned, quoting the key promises‚ being faithful prayer warriors, actively trying to find better ways to obey the Word, minimizing ungodly and unedifying influences and worldly input, etc.?

[ ] Yes [ ] No

Do your Home members overall use the new weapons, and are they improving in the use of them?

[ ] Yes [ ] No

Does your Home have an adequate, well–stocked, organized library (either paper or electronic) that is readily available to all?

[ ] Yes [ ] No

5. Be disciples. Stay true and uncompromised, be dropped out‚ do not manifest the world's spirit, attitudes, and materialism.

[ ] Yes [ ] No

Does your Home overall uphold a Word–based standard that your Home has voted upon regarding System input through such things as movies, Internet browsing, TV/sports viewing, novel reading‚ computer games and System music‚ etc.—that is, a standard that is sufficiently high that it is in accordance with the counsel in the "Shooting Straight" GN series (Parts 9-11), and that helps you hold on to the victories gained through the renewal of 2004?

[ ] Yes [ ] No

Have the members of your Home refrained from going on anti-Family websites (unless absolutely necessary for a bona fide reason*), and avoided unnecessary negative fellowship or communication with those who speak against the Word, who tear down your faith and weaken you spiritually?

[ ] Yes [ ] No

If no, please explain.

*A bona fide reason would be‚ for example, if you are a member of the PR board and need to monitor an anti-Family website as part of your official work for your board.

Does anyone in your Home have a System job for the sake of raising income?

[ ] Yes [ ] No

If so, who, what is the job, and how long has he/she had the job? __________

Does anyone in your Home have a System job for the sake of gaining a visa? ________

If so‚ who, and how long has he/she had the job? __________

How many hours does each System job require monthly? __________

Has your Home done the following in the last six months regarding any member who holds a System job, as was suggested in the "Conviction vs. Compromise" series?

a) Counseled, heard from the Lord, and voted as a Home about the System job?

[ ] Yes [ ] No

b) Made sure he/she received a confirmation from the Lord from two or three channels about this being the Lord's highest will for the individual?

[ ] Yes [ ] No

c) Have the Home shepherds adequately and consistently shepherded the person who has the System job?

[ ] Yes [ ] No

d) Have the Home shepherds monitored, prayed about‚ and asked the Lord about the fruit that the job has brought forth in the life of the individual and in the Home?

[ ] Yes [ ] No

a) Is the employed person fulfilling the Charter requirements, such as the Word and witnessing requirements, attending Home meetings, etc.?

[ ] Yes [ ] No

b) Does the employed person give the finances gained through the job to the Home's common pot‚ as per Acts 2:44-45 and the counsel contained on pages 14-15 of this GN that explains common potting?

[ ] Yes [ ] No

Informational

Since your last Home Review, have you had any non-FD individuals living in your Home for over 30 days?

[ ] Yes [ ] No

If yes, are they presently living in your Home?

Please list who they are, their age‚ how long they have been living (or lived) in your Home, and whether or not they are former members:

a) Did your Home receive authorization for this exception from the shepherding desk?

[ ] Yes (What is the time frame of the exception?)

[ ] No (Please explain.)

b) If it is a young person who has left the Family and is living in your Home, please explain briefly what progress has been made to help prepare him/her for life outside the Family:

Are your Home shepherds properly shepherding this situation so that the non-FD individual is not having a negative effect on the Home or its members?

[ ] Yes [ ] No

6. Create a winning team by lovingly and consistently giving and receiving shepherding from one another‚ and upholding the requirements for maintaining a spiritually strong Home.

Do your Home members accept and apply the concept of Home accountability, taking responsibility for your Home's decisions and the effects of those decisions, and for the overall sample, fruitfulness, spiritual state and progress of your Home and its members?

[ ] Yes [ ] No

Does your Home discuss, formulate‚ and vote on its decisions and policies in Home Council or other official Home meetings?

[ ] Most of the time [ ] Sometimes [ ] Rarely

Overall, does your Home provide ample time and opportunity for Home members to fulfill the requirement for 1½ hours of quality Word daily, as per "What Is Jesus Worth to You?" (ML #3433) and "Charter Amendments 2003" (GN 1033)?

[ ] Yes [ ] No

Does your Home provide the extra 7 hours of Word time each week for new disciples (a total of 17½ hours per week), as per the Charter requirements (GN 1033, "Charter Amendments 2003")?

[ ] Yes [ ] No

[ ] N/A (We have no new disciples.)

Overall, do your Home members have their 30 minutes of intercessory prayer time daily?

[ ] Yes [ ] No

How much does your Home use prophecy‚ either in the making of decisions, for resolving Home problems, for seeking how to implement the Word‚ or for personal encouragement of one another?

[ ] Frequently [ ] Sometimes [ ] Rarely

How often does your Home have united spiritual Word-based activities, such as vespers, fellowship based around the Word, lesson-sharing‚ praise meetings, Loving Jesus inspirations, etc.? (This refers to additional times of spiritual fellowship outside of the required four times weekly.)

[ ] Once every week or two [ ] Once a month [ ] Less than once a month

Does you regularly support each other in prayer by providing a way for the prayer requests of your Home and individual Home members, and other Homes' prayer requests, to be made known, and by encouraging your Home members to pray for those requests either individually or unitedly?

[ ] Yes [ ] No

Does your Home have united praise times, actively wielding the weapon of praise, often enough that you feel your Home is growing in the use of this weapon and generally has a praiseful atmosphere?

[ ] Yes [ ] No

Overall‚ has your Home had the required monthly prayer days?

[ ] Yes [ ] No

Overall, has your Home regularly had the four united times of prayer and reading the Word (commonly called united devotions) required on a weekly basis?

[ ] Yes [ ] No

How would you describe the overall quality of your Home's united devotions?

[ ] Inspiring and feeding [ ] Average [ ] Routine and rather boring

Does your Home give proper time and attention to doing what you can to help your YAs (18- to 20-year-olds) feel challenged and to supply their needs for fellowship, shepherding, and training?

[ ] Most of the time [ ] Sometimes [ ] Rarely

[ ] N/A (We have no YAs in our Home.)

Have the 18-year-olds in your Home signed the Charter member contract (required within one month of their 18th birthday)?

[ ] Yes [ ] No

Do the members of your Home (age 18-20) abide by the Charter alcohol rules for their age group? (See "Food and Drink Rules‚" C.)

[ ] Yes [ ] For the most part [ ] Rarely

[ ] N/A (We have no 18- to 20-year-olds.)

If you answered "for the most part" or "rarely," please explain here.

Do the members of your Home (age 21 and over) handle the lifting of the Charter alcohol rules wisely? (See "Charter Amendments 2003," "Temporary Suspension of Alcohol Rules," GN 1033.)

[ ] Yes [ ] For the most part [ ] Rarely

If you answered "for the most part" or "rarely," please explain here.

[ ] Most of the time [ ] Sometimes [ ] Rarely

Do you feel that sufficient shepherding, prayer, and counsel is given to help any Home members who need it, especially new disciples and young people‚ to learn to properly live the sexual freedoms of the Law of Love?

[ ] Most of the time [ ] Sometimes [ ] Rarely

Are Home members overall open to receiving shepherding from the Home shepherds?

[ ] Most of the time [ ] Sometimes [ ] Rarely

Do Home members generally act as their brothers' keeper by being honest with one another, being willing to receive shepherding from one another as well as shepherd each other as needed, not covering up for one another‚ but rather being willing to speak the truth in love?

[ ] Yes [ ] No

Informational

After trying other possible means of shepherding, has your Home found it necessary to use the disciplinary measures in the Charter, such as Home Censure?

[ ] Yes [ ] No, it hasn't been necessary

Informational

Has your Home recommended anyone be moved to another category of membership that was more appropriate for their commitment level and/or lifestyle?

[ ] Yes [ ] No, it hasn't been necessary

Does the Steering Council (Home shepherds and Home managers) work in unity and harmony with each other and the Home, actively soliciting input and counsel from Home members when making decisions?

[ ] Most of the time [ ] Sometimes [ ] Rarely

How often do the Home shepherds meet for official meetings that include discussion, prayer, hearing from the Lord, etc.? (This is referring to meetings in which all of the Home shepherds are present‚ you begin with prayer, you have an agenda‚ you make decisions that are confirmed with the Lord in prophecy, etc. This does not refer to impromptu, unplanned, "hallway hit-up" type discussions.)

[ ] At least once or twice a week

[ ] Twice a month

[ ] Less than twice a month

Signature of Home's voting members age 18 and over:

(End of file)