January 2, 2005
GN 1108 FD/MM/FM
for the CS Board Criteria
By the CS International Board, January 2005
FD/MM/FM
This compilation of ideas and tips is being provided to aid you, the CS monitor and your fellow Home shepherds, as you help your Home to fulfill the CS board criteria. (You would be expected to counsel with the other shepherds of your Home, and as needed with your Home's managers, as you go about putting these points into practice. The other Home shepherds would also help to carry out these suggestions, as part of the responsibility of the Home shepherding body.)
It's very important to note that you are not required to fulfill or enact all of these practical suggestions. Some are obviously taken from the Word or the Charter, and those should be implemented, while others are just suggestions. It's our hope that this checklist will provide you with practical ideas of how to make the CS board criteria come alive and flourish in your Home, and these suggestions reflect practical methods by which you can meet the CS board criteria. However‚ this listing is not the all-in-all. The Lord may give you and your Home members other ideas or ways in which your Home is able to meet the CS board criteria, and that's just fine. Please do not feel obligated to fulfill all the points on this list, or to carry them out exactly as noted in this compilation. Some might work for you; others might not.
It's equally important to understand that you, as the CS monitor, do not have to be the one to personally tend to or fulfill all of the suggestions the Lord leads you to enact. This list is long, and you'll need to enlist the help of others in order to fulfill the CS board criteria. It would be wise to solicit the help of others in your Home to carry out many of these suggestions. You aren't required to follow this list explicitly, but it was created to help save you time, give you new ideas, and possibly make it easier for you to delegate some tasks to others and to recruit help in the Home to keep the spiritual and obedience level high. It remains your responsibility, as the CS monitor (along with the other Home shepherds), to ensure that the criterion of the CS board is fulfilled faithfully and diligently by your Home, and that all adult members feel responsible to do their part in accordance with Home accountability.
You will notice that while most of the points on this list are related to some aspect of spiritual shepherding, some of the points on this list are partially spiritual and partially physical; others relate more to a practical aspect of fulfilling a spiritual criterion point. Your Home's Steering Council may decide to delegate the more physical responsibilities and needs to the Home managers to organize and follow up on, which is just fine. Your Home's Steering Council is responsible to determine how to best fulfill the CS board criteria, and that includes divvying up these suggestions between the Home shepherds and Home managers, as the Lord leads.
We pray this compilation is a blessing to you!
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.
Regularly ask the Lord personally, and during your Home shepherd meetings, about the personal happiness of the individuals within your Home, and the overall spiritual state of your Home. If your Home is going through a "dry spell," ask the Lord how to bring more of the excitement and life of the spirit into your Home.
Set a good example yourself of being communicative‚ affectionate‚ outgoing in your concern for others, and interested in people's needs‚ victories, and battles; sharing others' joy and sorrow, praying for others' projects and acknowledging their value‚ having a happy countenance, etc.
For people to feel happy and challenged, they have to feel needed and that they are making a difference in the Home. Pray about how you and the other Home shepherds can bring out the best in your personnel, and what ministries and responsibilities will draw out their talents and full potential. (In practical matters, the Home managers should be seeking the Lord for similar guidance.)
Have and encourage faith to delegate responsibility to Home members.
Pump people power. In conjunction with the Home managers, encourage and challenge people to take initiative and make a commitment to excellence and adopt a good work ethic.
Keep an eye on people's workloads to ensure that nobody is feeling overloaded, stressed‚ or carrying too heavy a workload. If this seems to be the case consistently, counsel with the Home managers about how to remedy the situation.
In conjunction with the Home managers, and with the help of others within your Home, schedule proactive initiatives and fun activities that build unity. For example, inspirational meetings, Loving Jesus/praise times, game nights, dance nights, heart sharing/united prayer times, etc. (These activities do not need to be planned by you personally, but you can ensure that someone plans them, and possibly oversee the plans to a degree until your Home's activity team is more trained and experienced.)
Keep the "affection revolution" alive in your Home by reminding people, or appointing someone or someone(s) on a rotational basis, to occasionally bring to the attention of the Home the need to give hugs and simple affection in passing, at united meetings, etc.
In counsel with the Steering Council, keep your Home members informed and abreast of what's going on in the Home and any other news they would appreciate knowing, as much as possible. Give explanations when needed, to avoid people drawing wrong conclusions.
Let Home members be involved in the decision-making of the Home by asking them to be involved in praying and hearing from the Lord as often as possible.
Keep track of your Home members' birthdays, and pray and ask the Lord how to make that day special for them. (Some examples of things you could do‚ as a Home‚ for someone's birthday are: receive a prophecy for them; give them a little gift; arrange for them to have some extra time off; plan a special dinner, snack, time of appreciation, or activity in their honor, etc.)
Keep in mind the needs of singles who may experience loneliness or sadness in missing loved ones, their family‚ etc., during times such as Christmas‚ birthdays‚ or other holidays.
Be a sample of and encourage verbal appreciation of Home members. (Ideas: Write notes of appreciation‚ receive prophecies of encouragement, be affectionate‚ organize—or have others organize—activities of appreciation for Home members. Appreciation evenings could alternate focusing on certain Home members, such as your teachers and CC workers, your cooks, witnessers‚ etc.)
As much as possible, be impartial in your affection and interaction with all Home members. (It's natural that you will spend more time with some people in the Home if you work more closely with them or are training them, but as much as possible, try to give attention and affection impartially.)
Provide a means or opportunities for Home members to get to know each other personally, their backgrounds, prayer requests for family situations or loved ones. Keep each other updated regularly in order to cultivate a loving atmosphere where everyone supports each other in prayer, and rejoices together in the victories.
Encourage members to reach out from time to time to everyone in the Home, not only those who are their "friends" or who they feel most comfortable interacting with. Encourage members to form bonds of friendship so that cliques are avoided and people don't feel left out. (Some practical suggestions for getting to know others better could be: going on walks or having get-out together, doing projects together, going out witnessing together, cooking a meal together, planning an activity together, playing a game or some other recreational pastime together, or spending an evening relaxing and getting to know each other.)
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.
If your Home or individuals within your Home are in disunity, gossiping, sowing division or doubts, harboring bitterness, or speaking negatively about others, leadership, or the Word, you are responsible (in communication and prayer with the other Home shepherds) to do something about it. Here are some things you can do—and if you feel the need, you can contact your coach for help, counsel, and prayer:
Spend time in intercessory prayer, asking the Lord to work things out.
Ask the Lord to speak to you in prophecy about the problem‚ give you His mind, and tell you what steps to take to fix things.
Investigate the situation and hear from all parties involved. This may include meeting with the people involved to discuss and pray together to find workable solutions.
Study the Word on the issues‚ and refer those involved to the Word or give them a reading list. (If the problem of disunity is affecting the whole Home or a number of individuals, make sure the issues are also cleared up with all who are involved. It's advisable to study the Word‚ and have prayer of cleansing together.)
If someone(s) needs extra time for Word and prayer, try to arrange it.
Ask the Lord for P&P questions to assign to the individual(s). Ask them if they would mind sharing their prophecies with you, so that you can know what the Lord is asking of them and help them to follow through and obey, and help them to see other sides of the situation that they might need further help on.
Encourage the individual(s) to ask for united prayer, either with the Home shepherds, a few people that the member feels comfortable with‚ or the whole Home.
If it's a Home problem‚ get everyone involved in praying and finding the solutions.
If the situation warrants it, and you have employed the above methods without success‚ it might be helpful to give the Home member(s) in question an official warning that their behavior is heading toward Home Censure, or whatever Charter discipline is appropriate‚ in order to help them grasp the need for change in their life. (This warning would of course be given before you apply the appropriate Charter discipline, and you would want to give the individual a reasonable amount of time to improve and show signs of progress. You will have to seek the Lord about how much time to give a person to manifest change after giving them an official warning.)
If you feel, and the Lord confirms, that you and the other Home shepherds have done all you can to help a Home member and he or she hasn't changed or made progress and the situation warrants it and isn't improving, then apply appropriate discipline as needed, according to the Charter procedures, with the vote of your Home members (e.g., Home Censure, recommending that the individuals be moved to a different status, etc.).
Engender unity with other Homes by sharing of your abundance, striving to maintain open communication, having regular fellowships‚ working on projects together as the Lord leads, etc.
If problems arise between your Home and another Home, or if your Home is in disunity with another Home, contact the Home shepherds of the Home in question, pray, go to the Word, hear from the Lord, counsel, meet if necessary, and do whatever it takes to work things out. You can contact your coach for help, counsel, and prayer.
In counsel with the Steering Council, ensure that a representative from your Home attends City Council meetings, as much as possible, and that the notes and proposals are shared with all Home members. (See "Required Meetings and Activities," D.)
Ensure that someone is following through on the "homework" given at City Council meetings—for example, any P&Ps assigned, things your Home needs to vote on, etc.
Encourage Home members to be supportive of whatever area goals, board initiatives, or City Council agreements are decided upon.
Ensure that your Home makes available any input you receive from your shepherds or boards (via messages, communications, seminars, meetings, etc.) that the Home members need to be aware of.
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.
If you haven't done so in a while, ask the Lord to speak in prophecy about your Home team. Check in with Him every few months to receive His confirmation on whether all aspects of the "winning team" He's asking you to build are present. Do you need more personnel? Does the Lord want you to expand and up your numbers, lower your numbers, or make any other adjustments in the makeup of your Home's personnel? This is a Home decision, of course, but it's important to bring such questions before the Lord from time to time, whether by assigning the questions to individuals or coming before the Lord unitedly as a shepherding body or the whole Home, so you can be assured that you're hitting the mark.
Live communally in spirit and in practice.
Ask the Lord to speak in prophecy about how you are doing in living communally, practicing Acts 2:44-45, and being a sample of unity as a Home. Review the Word on this topic‚ then ask the Lord what areas you need to improve in, and how you can live the Word more fully in this area. You could consider doing this once in every six–month review period, either unitedly as a Home, or by assigning the question to individuals within the Home, and then reading the prophecies or appropriate excerpts of the prophecies unitedly after they are received.
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.
Faithfully "pray in" your Home's needs.
Keep a running prayer list posted that is available to all.
Be faithful to praise the Lord and share the good news with all Home members when the Lord supplies something you've been praying for or provides special blessings.
Think "outside the box" by praying and seeking ways for the Lord to supply what you need. Don't get stuck on just one or two methods; keep looking for new ways to stretch your faith and discover additional avenues to bring in the Lord's abundant supply.
If anyone in your Home holds a System job‚ regularly bring it before the Lord and ask for His counsel in prophecy to determine the type of fruit it is bearing, the effect it's having on the person who has the job and your Home overall, and if it is still within His will. Encourage the member who holds the System job to do the same.
Study the Word on the topic of faith for a better standard, faith for finances, and faith to provision needs for Home improvements.
Pray for the Home needs list unitedly. Counsel together as a shepherding body or Home and ask the Lord for ideas of how He wants to supply, such as by making your needs known to contacts and friends‚ through provisioning, etc. Check the items off as the Lord supplies, and give Him all the thanks and praise!
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."
Be well versed in the Charter guidelines (or see to it that someone in your Home is) regarding common potting, exceptions for designated gifts‚ personal possessions/assets, voting procedures for financial matters, etc.
Encourage people to pray, hear from the Lord, and follow the Charter guidelines about the personal gifts—financial and material—they receive, and how to use/share them.
Encourage the desire to "common pot" by ensuring that every Home member's physical needs are being met, and that there isn't a gap that creates the "haves" and the "have–nots."
Share individual's needs or even members' hearts' desires, wants and wishes with the other Home members. Encourage prayer together for the Lord's supply, and for each one to pray about any way they may be able to fill the needs of another—for instance, if one Home member has an item that they're not using‚ which is needed by another Home member, or if one Home member has a provisioning contact who they could ask to help another Home member, etc.
Encourage regular times within the Home when your members forsake unneeded items or things they have in excess, so as to avoid accumulation of items that aren't needed or aren't being used, and to help supply the needs of others, either within the Home or other Homes.
When provisioning or other supply comes in, consider people's specific needs when distributing the items.
Be mindful of sensitivities that can arise over financial matters, which if not shepherded, can result in disunity. When disagreements or "issues" arise over finances, particularly having to do with day-to-day decisions made by the business/finance deacon, prayerfully counsel with those involved and ensure that the situation is clarified and any misunderstandings are sorted out and the decisions and reasoning are explained to the Home, as needed.
If new members join your Home, find out early on what concerns they have regarding their personal belongings/assets that they're bringing to the Home, and discuss and pray about any issues or concerns that they may have, in order to eliminate any barriers in your Home to living Acts 2:44-45 fully.
Do united Word studies, as needed, on the topics of Acts 2:44-45, God's financial plan‚ the benefits of communal living and common potting, etc.
If an individual or family in your Home is raising money to move to another Home or field, ensure (in counsel with the Home managers) that the Home decides and agrees together on the specifics (as per the Charter procedures)—such as what percentage of the finances raised by the individual/family can be kept by them, what percentage they would contribute to the Home's common pot, whether the Home will pledge an additional contribution to their need, and the length of time for any such arrangements. Keep records of these decisions in actual percentages and figures to refer to as needed.
In conjunction with the Home managers, get together with all of your Home members and agree on a standard policy regarding personal finances. The ideal, when feasible, is to designate some personal funds from your Home budget for each person in the Home, for personal needs, entertainment, and recreation. If possible, parents should also be allotted some funds for their children, for their needs, recreation, outings, etc. Some suggestions of ways you could work out a fair distribution of personal funds are:
Decide that all personal donations and personal income gets turned in to a common pot and is distributed each month amongst all Home members. (Of course‚ keeping in mind the need to give offerings from an abundance to WS or others in need.)
Budget and put aside a certain amount of finances for all Home members each month, and then distribute it fairly as personal funds. (This plan should ideally include setting aside funds for the children as well, although a child would probably not need the same amount as adults.)
Agree that a certain percentage of the Home's income‚ or a set amount each month‚ or a certain percentage above the monthly agreed-upon budget‚ would be divided between Home members as personal funds.
Provide time when people can distribute tools or engage in fundraising, with the funds brought in being distributed evenly for personal funds. ("Evenly" would mean that those who stayed back to teach the children, cook, etc., would also qualify for an equal share of the funds raised.)
A Home activity fund could be set aside for group outings or excursions.
Take good care of your Home members; as much as possible, ensure that their needs are met.
In conjunction with the other Home shepherds and Home managers, do your best to see that your Home members' personal (spiritual and physical) needs are met.
Does everyone in your Home have opportunity to get their 1½ hours of Word and 30 minutes of prayer vigil each day?
Does everyone in your Home have sufficient time off and regular rest/free days (which‚ according to the Charter‚ should be not less than one rest day every two weeks, but ideally one rest day per week)?
If you have families in your Home‚ do the parents have regular opportunities to attend Home devotions, meetings, activities, etc.?
Do parents have adequate time without their children for rest and relaxation?
Does your Home have a well-balanced schedule? Is the workload balanced? Or are some Home members consistently overloaded and working too hard?
Do Home members have opportunities for sex and fellowship/dating with Family members of the opposite sex, if so desired, as per the rules of the Charter?
Do your Home members have sufficient time for regular vigorous exercise, appropriate for their needs and age? (Get-out is an easy thing for people to let slip, so you may want to check up on people to ensure that they are fulfilling the minimum Charter requirements for exercise.)
Are your Home members' medical and dental needs being met?
Elect or appoint someone(s) to be the "Home caretaker" who would be mindful of the homeyness‚ cleanliness, comfort, and cozy atmosphere of the Home. This person could be mindful of such things as:
That everyone in your Home has adequate and comfortable living quarters (proper lighting, heating/cooling, ventilation, comfortable beds, etc.).
That there are as few obstacles as possible to Home members getting sufficient sleep (such as cramped living conditions, uncomfortable beds, avoidable noise, unhealthy schedules, etc.).
That the Home is doing everything possible to ensure that Home members are in good health.
That Home members have special needs met, such as pregnant or nursing mothers, older members, those with delicate health or afflictions, special dietary needs, etc.
Making sure that sick individuals are cared for, have their needs met, are abiding by your Home or area's guidelines concerning sickness/isolation so as to not pass on sickness to others in the Home or in surrounding Homes.
Researching childhood sicknesses or other more serious ailments or afflictions that Home members contract.
Encouraging those who are sick to hear from the Lord about their sickness, why they're sick, and what steps they need to take to receive healing, etc. Or helping the sick individual to get this counsel from the Lord via other channels, if they are too sick to hear from the Lord themselves.
That your Home has a pleasant place with adequate seating and sufficient lighting for meals, meetings, devotions, united activities, etc.
Make a list of Home needs which would improve the quality of your Home life and sample—from the essentials such as proper lighting to decorative items such as indoor plants, nice curtains, etc.
Ensure that your Home's meals are well-balanced and nutritious.
Review the guidelines in the Word regarding nutritious and healthy eating.
Avoid junk or processed foods—have a review of the Word on this topic with the Home when needed; for instance, if provisioning regularly comes in with unhealthy or junk food.
Encourage the kitchen overseer to ask Home members regularly if they have any suggestions for their meal plan, requests‚ etc.
Make sure the kitchen overseer knows of any special food needs of any individuals, or anything individuals can't eat for a legitimate reason, and do what you can to make replacements available and to meet specific needs.
Practice good stewardship of the material blessings the Lord has given your Home.
Appoint stewards over your Home's material possessions/assets—such as your vehicle(s), computer(s)‚ Home library‚ video machine/TV, camera‚ etc. (You could consider having individuals in the Home be responsible for the materials that relate to their ministry.)
Shepherd and help individuals who aren't good stewards and, as a last resort, if they continue to be unfaithful, then limit their privileges‚ with the Home's agreement.
Encourage Home members to ask the Lord why things were damaged or broken while in their use.
Hold a Home Council meeting to discuss and agree together on the consequences for damage to communal property, such as vehicles, kitchen appliances, computers‚ video equipment, handyman tools, etc., as a result of carelessness, disobedience‚ or unfaithfulness.
If possible, have a handyman in the Home who can fix things and devote time to Home/equipment maintenance. If you don't have one, invite someone to your Home with these skills, train an existing Home member, or work out with a neighboring Home to enlist the help of their handyman.
If your Home has a problem with bad stewardship, study the Word unitedly on the topic, discuss your application of the Word, and agree on a plan of both Home training and consequences for poor stewardship to help everyone grow in this area.
Have united prayer, as a Home, to be better stewards and to not take for granted and misuse or abuse the material blessings the Lord has given you.
Regularly ask the Lord to speak in prophecy about your Home's overall standard of stewardship. You could hear from the Lord in your Home meetings or by assigning the questions to individuals within the Home, and then you can read the prophecies unitedly, if appropriate. Ask the Lord to tell you how you're doing, what areas you need to improve in, and if your Home is the sample and testimony of good stewardship that it needs to be.
Discuss, as a Home, ways to up the standard of your Home and improve your physical sample.
Elect and appoint stewards over different areas of your Home and property—such as the yard and garden, the kitchen, and the living room. Schedule time for Home members to work on the upkeep of those areas.
Give to those in need.
Discuss, as a Home, your "giving policy" to others in need. This could be to WS, needy Homes in the area, missionaries on far-flung fields‚ etc.
When The Grapevine comes out, look over the "help wanted" requests. Discuss together as a Home if the Lord has blessed you with enough to send a gift(s), even if a small one.
Read faith-building Word, testimonies, and true-life stories on the subject of giving, trusting God for supply, and take action. Be willing to "saw the limb off" if the Lord confirms that you should give an offering to others, even if you don't have an "abundance."
Give not only financially but of abundant provisioning that the Lord supplies. See if Family Homes have a need first; if not, then give to the poor.
Treat the members of your Home and those outside your Home according to the principles of the Law of Love.
Talk to, shepherd, and get involved with individuals in your Home, in counsel with the other Home shepherds, when problems arise that concern the general application of the Law of Love (e.g., selfishness, exclusivity, angry outbursts, unfruitful cliques, if people in the Home aren't on speaking terms, generation gap problems, etc.).
Do a Word study for devotions on the general application of the Law of Love. Discuss with your Home members practical ways in which you can be more loving to one another and to members of other Homes.
Have an open forum on the topic of your Home members' interactions with non-Family members‚ and how to apply the principles of the Law of Love in your sample‚ actions‚ and words with those you meet while out witnessing‚ doing business‚ or just in passing.
Treat the members and children of your Home and other Homes according to the principles of the One Wife vision.
With the help of the CP monitor, regularly evaluate how you're doing as a Home in living the One Wife vision‚ ensuring that there are no rifts between individuals, families‚ and children.
Ask the Lord questions like: Do we treat the children in our Home as our own, even if they're not our flesh children? Do we do enough things together as a One Wife Family, instead of each family within the Home being exclusive and private? What things should we do to actively promote the spirit of the One Wife vision?
Some things that help cultivate the One Wife spirit are:
Having a united discipline standard for the children and teens.
Agreeing together as a Home on other sensitive issues such as food issues, System input, etc.
Take notes of your Home's decisions as a result of such meetings and post the united standard and keep it on file for reference.
Ensuring the children in the Home are treated equally, as much as possible, when it comes to having their needs met. Keep an eye on "extras" too, such as special snacks, birthday presents, special outings, etc., so that all the children are receiving the Lord's blessings and feel loved and included.
If some children receive gifts from their relatives, either System or Family relatives, pray and counsel about ways to help any children who don't receive such gifts not to feel left out.
Encouraging all of the Home members—including the singles—to get involved with the care of the children and pour into them, even if it's not their full-time ministry.
Ensuring that single parents have their needs met. Some things that single parents may especially appreciate could be the following:
A role model of the opposite sex who tunes into and pays special attention to their children.
Help on family days, parent times, outings.
Someone to take the children on family day for a while so the single parent can get their Word time.
Being invited out by another family or singles to a child–geared activity or event.
Help provided in the areas of their children's development that the single parent is not able to cover or provide.
An offer to take their kids for a while so that the single parent can have some time off, extra Word time, recreation, etc.
A partner to accompany them in taking their kids out, going on an excursion, celebrating their children's birthdays, etc.
Extra encouragement.
Plenty of affection.
Acknowledgement and appreciation of the sacrifices and big job they face as a single parent.
A prayer partner to go to when they're encountering difficulties with their children.
Someone to counsel and pray with concerning discipline issues; if needed, someone who the parent could take their child to if they need help in administering discipline.
Someone to counsel and pray with concerning medical decisions, and accompany them in getting medical care for their children.
Encourage prayerful and loving discussion so that child-related issues don't hinder the unity of the Home.
Be aware of and endeavor to meet the particular needs of all Home members, according to each individual's needs. (A list of ideas were noted above specifically targeting the needs of single parents, as a sample. However, there are many other categories of people who may have particular needs in a Home, such as those who are older, menopausal women, young/new parents, singles, young people‚ YAs, married couples, those who are physically weaker or ill‚ etc. According to the personnel makeup of your Home, please assess the needs of your members, and do your best to fill each one's needs and lighten their burdens.)
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.)
Ask the Lord regularly to speak to your Home in prophecy concerning how He sees your Home regarding living the One Wife vision; then share the messages with the whole Home. Are you closed‚ selfish, and unaccommodating? Or are you open, giving, and welcoming of others? The issue of whether or not you have many children or a single parent in your Home is not the core of the matter‚ because maybe there are legitimate reasons why you do or you don't; it's your mindsets and attitudes as a Home that are important. So ask the Lord how you're faring, and if there are any ways that you can—as a Home—be more unselfish and giving.
If you read a want ad from a large family or a single parent, or hear of their need via another platform, and you have room in your Home for them, pray about whether the Lord wants you to consider inviting them to your Home. This is ultimately a Home decision, but you can present the idea to the Home for discussion‚ prayer, and a vote. Don't discount the idea without prayerfully considering it and hearing from the Lord about it. (This counsel would also apply to older people, those who might have weaker health‚ etc.)
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.
If possible, ensure that you have enough copies of the GNs to go around to all Home members (either by photocopying or printing out extra copies, etc.), so that your Home members can be students of the Word, reread the GNs, mark the points that stand out to them, and write down pertinent quotes and P&P questions that come to mind, etc.
Keep a detailed record (ideally on computer) of the messages the Lord has given to your Home in prophecy regarding your Home's spiritual standard, application of the New Wine, instruction on how you can progress spiritually, etc. You can then review these messages from time to time to see how you're doing in applying and obeying the counsel the Lord has given you as a Home.
Keep a list of the GNs from the past six months, and review their principles regularly to make sure you are continuing to apply and live and grow in the New Wine as a Home.
Keep a record of the goals and deadlines you make as a Home related to the challenges in the New Wine‚ and review them regularly to see if you're progressing.
When reading the Word unitedly, take time to discuss pertinent parts together, or ask if people have questions after a section has been read.
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.
Encourage your Home members in their use of the new weapons, by making tools such as key promise boxes, praise quotes, Dictaphones or some type of recording device for prophecies, tapes, transcribers, and other such aids readily available in your Home‚ and creating opportunities to use the new weapons on a regular basis. Some ideas are:
Maintain an updated Home prayer list, as well as updated answers to prayer, to make it easy for people to do their prayer vigils.
Ensure that Home members are able to do their daily 30-minute prayer vigils. If doing this individually is a weakness in the Home, consider options such as united vigils, prayer vigil partners, etc.
Have united praise times, and encourage people to use the weapon of praise daily.
Have a Home memory project and a review system.
Encourage Home members to share their memory work and review system ideas with each other.
Schedule intimate Loving Jesus inspiration times (age–appropriate‚ of course).
Invest time in planning monthly prayer days‚ to keep them upbeat and alive. Consider one or two Home members each taking a turn to lead each month's prayer day, to provide variety‚ new ideas‚ and to share the responsibility.
Regularly hear from the Lord unitedly as a Home. Encourage Home members to receive public prophecies.
Have united activities which encourage Home members to learn about the many spirit helpers that help the Family and their job descriptions. Home members could also share who their spirit helpers are and excerpts of messages received from them, so that everyone can get to know those in the realm of the spirit better.
Regularly ask the Lord how your Home is doing in your use of the new weapons. Ask Him what areas you are weaker in as a Home, and which new weapons He would like you to exercise more and become more proficient in using.
If your Home is weak in the use of a certain new weapon, study the Word on it as a Home and make a united push to use that weapon more.
Be a living sample personally of actively using the new weapons. For example‚ praise in public, give public prophecies, talk about things the Lord showed you in prophecy, talk about your spirit helpers, memorize and use the keys, etc., and encourage others to do the same.
Pray and ask the Lord for a way to effectively evaluate the progress your Home is making in the use of the new weapons. Then ask Him to give you ideas of how to keep moving forward. For example, you could assign a new weapon to each Home member for a time, and ask them to pray about ways to bring that weapon into greater use within the Home.
Periodically pray and ask the Lord to speak about how you, as Home shepherds, can encourage Home members and prod them to stretch their faith and use the new weapons more.
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.
Keep and update an ongoing checklist with all of the official assignments and P&P questions that come out in the GNs, and make it available to Home members. As each assignment is completed, either as a Home, or once all of the individuals in the Home have done the assignment personally, mark the date of completion. (This will be especially helpful when the Home review rolls around and you need to know how your Home has done in following through on the assignments in the GNs.)
Remind your Home members of the official personal assignments and P&P questions in the GNs, and encourage them to complete them. Decide, as a Home, on a reasonable deadline for the completion of the assignments, and remind your Home members if they forget.
When there are P&P or discussion assignments for the Home to do unitedly, provide the time for them to be done, and ensure that they are completed.
Organize united meetings and/or devotions to focus on a specific GN. Discuss it and apply it to your lives.
Encourage your Home members to share their prophecies with you and the other Home shepherds, so that you can see how the Lord is speaking to them, which will help you in your shepherding of them, and so that you know how to pray for them.
You or your fellow Home shepherds could (with Home members' permission) compile the personal prophecies received by Home members when praying about GN assignments (with anything too personal edited out), to read anonymously at a united devotions, for further application of the Word. Or you could decide ahead of time that each Home member brings their personal prophecy or excerpts of it to devotions, and everyone can share what the Lord showed them, and ask for prayer if needed.
Your Home could decide to use one of its weekly united devotions or a portion of your monthly prayer day for hearing from the Lord on P&P assignments from GNs.
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.
Ask the Lord regularly as shepherds, or ask the Lord unitedly as a Home such questions as: Is our Home portraying an overall sample of the unique qualities of the Family? Are we a sample of full-time discipleship? If not‚ how could we stand to improve? In what ways are we as a Home failing in our sample? How could we be doing better and living the Word more fully in our Home life? Then find time when you can discuss how you can apply what the Lord shows you to do in order to improve in this area of your Home.
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.
Pray about and decide as a Home on guidelines regarding System input, using the guidelines of the Word, specifically the new "Shooting Straight" GN series (Parts 9-11), as your basis of judgment. Discuss and nail down topics such as:
Guidelines for Internet usage, movies, System music, TV and sports viewing, novel reading, computer games, etc.
"Hanging out" with System friends.
Elect a book committee in your Home‚ preferably including one Steering Council member, to assess and pray about books that Home members wish to read. Ensure that System books (which are not instructional textbooks/manuals or on the recommended book list) receive the vote of the Home or book committee, as per the Charter guidelines (See GN 1033, "Charter Amendments 2003," point 16, "Book Reading." Also see "Issues, Part 14," ML #3442, GN 1026.)
Elect a committee that generally monitors the overall System influences/worldly input that come into your Home.
Discuss with the Home whether System input (through any and all avenues) and worldly knowledge are too prominent in Home members' conversations. Powwow ways to bring more of the Lord's Spirit, the Word, and spiritually edifying topics into your conversations.
Download, print out, or somehow make available Heaven's Library online-only books, other recommended books, and book reviews posted on the MO site for Home members.
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.
If Home members visit relatives (if they aren't in the Family or are less-than-favorable), do the following:
Abide by the guidelines and counsel put forth in the "Shooting Straight" series regarding family reunions and relative visits. (Note: Coming soon!)
Encourage those who return from relative trips to take extra time in the Word, have prayer if needed, and share their heart with you (or the other Home shepherds) if they feel the trip weakened them in any way, brought doubts into their mind, etc. They should ask the Lord if this is the case‚ as they could very well not be aware of the spiritual weakening that they suffered.
Monitor the influence from former members and System relatives who visit your Home or come in contact with your Home members‚ by regularly counseling with those Home members‚ as well as the other Home shepherds‚ and asking the Lord if the situation is bearing bad fruit. Regularly assess the spiritual effect such contact has on your Home and members. If it's not bearing good fruit, shepherd the situation.
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).
Be well versed in the Charter guidelines regarding non-FD members residing in/visiting your Home, and all of the procedures that go along with it. Study the checklist in the Charter and follow those guidelines. (See "Definition of a Charter Home," C.3.)
If you have a non-FD member residing in your Home‚ review the situation every month, as per the counsel in "More on The Shakeup" (ML #3262, GN 863). Confirm whether or not the situation is still the Lord's highest will. If not, take steps to change the situation.
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.)
As Home shepherds, regularly assess whether the spiritual requirements of each board's criteria are being fulfilled in the Home. Some questions to ask yourselves could be:
Are we devoting sufficient time to spiritually shepherding our individual Home members?
Are we devoting sufficient time to praying and seeking the Lord about the overall spiritual state of the Home as a body, and taking the steps the Lord shows us?
Are we well versed in all of the boards' spiritual criteria? Are any being neglected or in need of extra attention? If so, are we taking steps to correct the situation?
Have we delegated responsibility to others in the Home who are capable of fulfilling some aspect of a board's spiritual criteria? (For example, your Home's teacher may be a good shepherd to your MCs and OCs. In such a case, you would likely want to pray about delegating the responsibility of shepherding the MCs and OCs to your Home's teacher. Your responsibility would then be to touch base with the teacher and ensure that sufficient shepherding is being given, but you wouldn't have to do the shepherding yourself.)
Regularly ask the Lord to speak to you in prophecy about how you're doing as Home shepherds. Ask Him if there are areas you are shying away from, such as problems in the Home you are hesitant to get involved in and take care of through hands-on shepherding. Ask the Lord if there is anything more you should be doing to help the members of your Home to progress spiritually.
If you have YAs in your Home, ensure that you are doing what you can to supply their particular needs for challenge‚ training, and fellowship.
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.
Ensure that your Home members (ages 18 and over) have the opportunity to spend a sufficient amount of personal time with someone they feel comfortable opening their hearts to.
Have a checklist/planner to ensure that everyone in your Home has personal time, as often as it is needed or possible. (See "Required Meetings and Activities," H., J.)
Prayerfully handle what is shared with you during talk times and keep these personal matters confidential, as much as possible. You may need to counsel and pray with the other Home shepherds about something someone has shared with you; however, you should not disclose people's problems to Home members or others who should not be privy to them.
Write down important points that people share with you so that you can take necessary action to show Home members that you care, doing any necessary follow-up or responding to Home members' questions, etc. (See "Required Meetings and Activities," J.)
Schedule and devote time every week (personally and with the other Home shepherds) to intercessory prayer for your Home members, and specifically regarding any battles they may be going through.
In counsel with the Steering Council, assess your Home members' growth and needs, and create changes when needed. For example, placing an individual in another ministry, initiating room changes that are more accommodating for the individual or that would provide a needed change, giving someone more responsibility in the Home, etc.
Assist individuals going through difficult times—such as spiritual attacks, emotional upheavals, separations, health problems—by encouraging such individuals to ask for prayer any time they need it, giving them reading lists, personal prophecies of encouragement, providing a reading partner if they have a hard time focusing on the Word, making sure they are not alone on their rest days, etc.
Ensure that any Home member(s) on Probationary Status is obeying the Probationary Status guidelines. Make it as easy as possible for them to do so. If there is an area party/activity (where problems with breaking of PS guidelines could occur), it may be wise to talk to the person on PS beforehand so that they will be on guard and not overstep their boundaries. It may also be beneficial to inform the Home shepherds or organizers of the party/activity so that others can provide safeguards and help the member on PS to be good.
Ensure that any Home member(s) on Probationary Status is reading through the appropriate reading list and is given needed encouragement, spiritual shepherding, and oversight. It may be good to give the member(s) on PS opportunity for extra Word time and personal talk time so they get the most out of the period of lesson learning.
Monitor the consumption of alcohol at parties, events, etc. If an individual has a weakness along the lines of drinking too much alcohol, help safeguard and shepherd them.
Have an open forum or Home meeting to discuss safeguards against overdrinking, if this is a problem or needs to be addressed. (See GN 1033, "Charter Amendments 2003: Temporary Suspension of Alcohol Rules," for the definition of "overdrinking.")
If someone in your Home is battling or having spiritual problems:
Don't overreact or become alarmed.
Use the weapon of intercessory prayer on their behalf.
Have faith that the Lord will help the person get the victory.
Give people the benefit of the doubt, and be nonjudgmental. Don't get critical or label people as a result of their problems.
Ask the Lord why the person is battling and what can be done to help him; get the Lord's mind on the matter and the individual.
Do what the Lord shows you to do to help the individual.
Formulate and assign P&P questions for individual(s) who are battling, if needed.
Take time to study the individual's personal prophecies and pray about any further questions or counsel you should give.
Encourage the individual to follow through on the counsel the Lord gave them personally.
Don't carry their burdens yourself—commit them to the Lord and let Him give you peace that He's in control and will work in their lives and hearts as you do your part. Study the Word on the topic of "casting your cares on Him," "faith and trust," and "letting the Lord work" if you find yourself feeling overly burdened with individuals' problems.
Seek the counsel of your coach when needed.
Learn how to use prophecy wisely in shepherding. Reread and study the "Understanding Prophecy" GN series. (See MLs #3275, 3304, 3310, 3343; GNs 875-876, 905, 913-914, 937.)
Encourage open lines of communication with your Home members on personal issues regarding the Law of Love, so that they feel comfortable coming to you for counsel and prayer when needed.
Encourage your Home members to regularly assess how they're doing in living the Law of Love, by asking the Lord to speak to them in prophecy about it.
Study the "Law of Love" and "Shooting Straight" GN segments on the Law of Love (Law of Love series in Lifelines 25; ML #3162, 3260, 3341, 3499‚ 3500‚ 3505; Lifelines 25, GN 861, 935, 1086, 1087, 1094), and any other pertinent Letters (such as "Golden Victories" and the "Leaping the Hurdles" GNs) or excerpts from the Word and the Charter‚ so you can be well educated on the how–tos of implementing the Law of Love, giving counsel to Home members concerning it, and shepherding problematic Law of Love situations. Don't rely on your "memory" of what the GNs said; go back and study them when Law of Love difficulties arise in the Home.
Talk to, shepherd, and get involved with individuals in your Home, in counsel with the other Home shepherds, when problems arise that concern misuse of the sexual aspects of the Law of Love (e.g., dishonesty between husbands/wives about sexual activities outside of their marriage, married people not abiding by the agreements they've made in their marriage, individuals being pushy or aggressive in their affection or when asking for dates, obvious and unchecked jealousy problems, inappropriate sexual behavior around children/JETTs/teens‚ etc.).
If individuals within your Home continue to misuse the Law of Love, after you've done all you can to shepherd the individuals through talking with them‚ praying with them‚ praying and hearing from the Lord about how to shepherd them, giving them Word studies, assigning them P&P questions to ask the Lord, etc., you can ask your coach for counsel. It's your responsibility, along with the other Home shepherds, to pray about appropriate disciplinary measures (such as Home Censure) and to enact such measures with the agreement of your Home according to the procedures outlined in the Charter of placing a member on Home Censure. If you feel that the behavior warrants more serious discipline, such as Probationary Status or withdrawal of FD membership, you can write your coach and shepherding desk.
If you have a new disciple in your Home, ensure that they are getting the additional required Word time and the training and spiritual input and shepherding that they need. (See GN 1033, "Charter Amendments 2003," Word Requirements.)
Appoint someone in the Home to be responsible to tune into your new disciples and their specific needs.
Check that your new disciples are completing the Charter–required reading assignments and basic memory work during their first six months in the Family. (See "Word Rules," A.1.)
After six months of living in a Family Home and having completed the Charter-required reading material, bring your new disciples before the Home's voting members to be voted in as a Family disciple with voting rights.
Ensure that your new disciples, once voted in as Family disciples with voting rights, sign the Statement of Commitment for New Disciples Form (in the Charter).
Ensure that your new disciples take their second HIV test at the end of their first six months in the Family, and send in a written statement, signed by the new disciple and witnessed by a Home shepherd, to the regional desk declaring the outcome of the HIV test.
Ensure that your new disciples have completed reading the "New Disciple Basic Course" and the "Living the Lord's Law of Love" GN series (Lifelines 25), and have been cleared by their second HIV test (at the end of their first six months in the Family) before having sex with Family members.
If you have 17-year-olds in your Home, ensure that they are given time to study the Charter member [FD] contract and sign it (within one month of their 18th birthday).
If you have nationals in your Home who are newer to the Family, or who are unable to benefit from Family pubs which are not translated into the local language (such as the CCHBs, Marvelous Marriage, Raise 'em Right, etc.) do what you can to ensure that their needs are being met—whether it be encouraging those nationals to learn English, or giving them training and input in the care of their children or counsel in their marriage (if they are a new couple), etc.
Keep a six-month log or record of what types of shepherding each Home member has received. For example‚ which individuals in your Home (and how often) have received reading assignments, prophecies of counsel, instruction and encouragement, P&P questions to ask the Lord, had talk times, had united prayer‚ received loving correction, received some discipline according to the Charter‚ etc.
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.
If your Home doesn't clearly understand the concept of Home accountability, reread "New Year's Challenge for 2004," "Forward, Always Forward," and "Forming Fruitful Teams," and discuss what it means as a Home. (See MLs #3468‚ 3479, 3496; GNs 1054, 1067, Post-it GN 13.)
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.
Encourage Home members to be their brothers' keeper by humbly and lovingly mentioning things to fellow Home members when the Lord confirms that they should do so.
Teach your Home members to confirm with the Lord whether they should mention something to a fellow Home member, and to ask the Lord for counsel about their presentation‚ the specifics of what to say, and any counsel for them personally, so they can avoid being self-righteous, critical, discouraging, etc.
Shepherd and counsel those who have a tendency to be self–righteous or legalistic in their presentation with others; help them learn how to take the humble seat and how to present their points so that they are more easily received by others.
Encourage Home members to be thankful and appreciative when a fellow Home member points something out to them. Remind your Home members that such safeguards, when given and received in the right spirit, can help them to become a stronger disciple, and can strengthen the overall sample, standard, and fruitfulness of the Home.
Teach Home members to go to the Lord to receive His confirmation, encouragement, and insight when someone has given them a tip or some counsel.
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.
Have a working knowledge of the Charter regarding Home voting procedures, what things should be voted on and by whom, etc.
Regularly ask the Lord (with the other Home shepherds, and in counsel with the Home managers) how you're doing in counseling with your Home. Are you making too many decisions on your own, without the approval of the Home? Or are you faithfully getting their input, keeping them informed and involved, and including them in decisions which the Home should be involved with?
Ask your fellow Home shepherds to safeguard you from trying to carry too much of the load. Be open to receive help from others; be willing to delegate freely.
Demonstrate openness to receive points for the Home Council agenda.
Keep a running list of points brought up by Home members to be discussed in a Home Council meeting, and ensure that these points are brought up to the Home Council for discussion and voted on within the 15-day Charter time limit.
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.)
Have a checklist (or some form of accountability) where Home members can indicate whether they are meeting the Charter requirements of 1½ hours of quality Word time daily and 30 minutes of intercessory prayer daily.
Ensure that new disciples get two and a half hours of Word daily, as per the Charter requirements.
If someone in your Home is consistently not able to meet the Word Revolution requirements, take steps to rectify the situation. Rework the schedule‚ as needed, so that all Home members have sufficient time allotted to meet this Word/prayer vigil requirement.
Some things you can do to assist your Home members in the Word realm are:
Balance united devotions with personal study halls.
Help those in your Home organize their Word time‚ if needed, so that they're using their allotted time wisely.
Encourage Home members to be on time for devotions‚ praise meetings, united times of intercessory prayer, etc.
Regularly ask if people are having quality Word time.
Ensure that your Home's united devotions are feeding and planned in advance, perhaps on a rotational basis by those in the Home, to encourage everyone's participation and training in leading devotions.
As a Home, study a variety of Word from the current GNs and Word specifically suited to your Home's needs.
Have adequate translation, either by making the pubs available in the appropriate language‚ or by having someone give a running translation for anyone who doesn't understand the language in which devotions is being led, or however else the Lord shows you would work best.
Make devotional material or a list of what was read unitedly available for those who aren't able to attend devotions, due to being with the children‚ or being engaged in an unavoidable appointment.
Create a list of Word topics that those leading devotions can choose from.
Assign someone to evenly distribute the new GNs/pubs that come in and post the WS mailing slips where all Home voting members can view them. You could create reading teams that share copies of GNs or other pubs.
Encourage Home members to have a reading list or Word projects they're working through during their personal Word time. Assist them with this, if they need help.
Encourage memorization and review of key promises and Bible verses.
Encourage people to have a prophecy book or a prophecy file on computer, and record daily personal prophecies.
Encourage "quiet zones" in the house during the times of united or private reading. Make signs to use if needed.
Encourage Home members to be diligent and studious during their Word time, not allowing distracting thoughts, projects or little "to-dos" to eat away at the time they have for quality Word time, or to steal their focus and full concentration that should be given to the Word.
Ensure that the Home Word library is complete, tidy‚ and organized so as to encourage use and be timesaving.
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.
If there is a problem on the Home level, hear from the Lord about it, research the Word on the topic, and dedicate some devotions slots to reading about that specific problem. Do whatever the Lord shows you to do‚ such as have discussion, communion, united prayer, etc.
Don't shy away from Home problems. If your Home has NWOs and weaknesses, it's your responsibility, in counsel with the other Home shepherds, to do something about it. If problems continue and you've done everything the Lord showed you to do, but without much success, contact your coach.
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.
Be honest and open with your Home by sharing your lessons, weaknesses, and prayer requests with your Home members. Emanate a spirit of receptivity‚ and show yourself approachable and open. Humbly and sincerely apologize if mistakes are made or your weaknesses are manifested.
Schedule Steering Council and Home shepherd meetings to share your hearts with each other and to give each other the help and shepherding and prayer you need.
Pump "people power" by regularly requesting the input and ideas of your Home members—either their suggestions for the shepherding of the Home, or suggestions for how they feel you can do a better job as their shepherds. (Idea: Have an "ideas" or "input" box, an easy avenue for people to write up and submit their suggestions, or schedule an evening for people to write up their ideas and suggestions, giving Home members advance notice so they have time to give the matter some thought.)
Regularly ask members of your Home and those you work with for any input they have on your shepherding, presentation, and conduct.
Regularly ask the Lord how you are doing in your shepherding, and for any counsel He may have for you regarding changes you need to enact in your own life and shepherding mode of operation.
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.
Schedule shepherding meetings weekly, preferably with an agenda planned in advance. Set yourself a reminder on your calendar, planner, or computer.
Ask the criteria monitors in your Home who aren't on the Steering Council to submit points for you to counsel about in your Home shepherd or Home managers or Steering Council meetings, or the criteria monitors could write up the points they'd like to bring up for discussion.
Ensure that your Steering Council (Home shepherds and Home managers) communicates regularly with the criteria monitors who are not on the Steering Council to guarantee that proper attention is being given to each board pillar within the Home, and that the criteria monitors are not "in competition" with one another, bringing conflict and mixed signals into the Home.
Don't immediately jump into discussion of problems and agenda points when you begin your meetings. Spend time thanking and praising the Lord for His guidance‚ solutions‚ protection‚ provision, and victories won since your last meeting.
Commit each agenda point to the Lord in prayer, preferably before moving on to the next point.
Keep a log of any significant meeting notes, pertinent decisions made, prophecies received, etc. Be faithful to confirm all your decisions with the Lord.
Have a plan for follow-through of all decisions, and regularly check on progress made. For instance, you could begin each meeting with a review of the previous week's assignments‚ to see where things stand regarding what you've already discussed, agreed upon, and brought to the Lord.
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.
Schedule and note the dates for your Charter-required meetings/events on your calendar, planner‚ or computer.
Have a workable plan in place for collecting and keeping track of Home Council or other meeting agenda points—either a person in the Home who is responsible to collect them, or a "Home Council" agenda box, or some other avenue that works. If someone is responsible for this, then the meeting agenda points can be circulated within the Home in advance so that everyone has time to think and pray about the topics that will be discussed in the upcoming meeting.
Ensure that all Home members have access to all-Home messages/communications‚ memos from boards, etc. Read such communications together, if appropriate.
Ensure that Home Councils and other required meetings are conducted in the spirit of prayer‚ with the chairperson of the meeting giving everyone the opportunity to speak up, encouraging input and suggestions, especially from those who may be shy or less outspoken.
Have a central place where all decisions made at Home Council meetings are kept (perhaps a folder on a computer) for easy reference, which can easily be reviewed or given to new Home members, etc.
Have regular Loving Jesus inspirations and/or times when you get together as a Home to wield the undefeatable weapon of praise.
Ask your Home members how often they would like to have Loving Jesus/praise times together as a Home. Then ensure that they happen by delegating the planning of it, as needed.
Ask the Lord for a plan for each of your praise meetings and Loving Jesus meetings that brings variety to the events (or encourage those planning such events to ask Him).
Have united times of intercessory prayer, devotions‚ and spiritual feeding from the Word together not less than four times per week.
Get the input of your Home members on what days and at what time they would like to have united devotions, and how often and on which days and at what times they would like to have united times of intercessory prayer. You could combine your times of reading the Word and prayer, or you could choose to have times of intercessory prayer vigil above the four required feeding and devotional united times together.
Ensure that these times of united spiritual feeding and intercessory prayer happen, by delegating the planning of them as needed.
Bring variety into your devotions and times of intercessory prayer through selecting different individuals or teams of two to lead the devotions or prayer time. Encourage those people to ask the Lord for and receive in prophecy new and fresh ways to praise, pray, and apply the Word.
Note: We've put check boxes next to each suggestion listed, in the event that Home shepherds/managers wish to note what spiritual/practical aspects each will focus on.
Copyright © 2004 by The Family International
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