Vision Society and a New Economy

Vision Society and a New Economy
By Lauri Elliott www.lauri-elliott.com

Just as there is an evolving shift within our society from operating from the physical to mental to spiritual, we will see the same in the economic sphere. To start, Adam Smith in the “Wealth of Nations” said that the determinants of economic growth, or activity, were the factors of production - natural resources, labor and capital. In his description, there is no recognition of the impact of the mind and spirit on production leading to economic activity, or growth.

Knowledge has long been considered an integral part of the process for economic growth. However, it has not been until the past 50 or so years that economic theory has focused on knowledge as a major factor for production. Paul Romer, a leading economist in the “New Growth Theory,” stresses that ideas, new and better, transformed into a change in technology contribute to economic growth like natural resources, labor and capital.

The original factors of production are considered scarce, or limited, which means that economic growth is limited at some point. On other hand, ideas (innovative knowledge), is unlimited. Human beings can generate unlimited new ideas. In fact, we are designed in the image of God, so as He is the Creator, we are creators. The key is to transform these ideas into technological change. The world calls this the process of innovation. We, as Christians, call this bringing heaven to earth.

So, knowledge as new and better ideas transformed into technological change leads to economic growth. The result - a world filled with unlimited economic growth potential because our ability to create new and better ideas is unlimited. This changes our mental model from scarcity to abundance, want to wealth. The question becomes how do we develop an economic system based on this premise? This is the challenge of today.

Let’s tie this to the evolving societal shift in our primary mode of operation - physical to mental to spiritual. We can see as knowledge has become more significant in the mix of economic growth, that organizations see unique intelligence, innovation, etc. key to their competitive advance. It’s not that the importance of technological change due to innovation has not been recognized. We understand its contribution to the Industrial Revolution, e.g., the steam engine. However, the drive in making it prime in positioning a company continues to grow. The intellect, or mental sphere, is now a central mode of operation in our economic systems. We even have a phrase coining its importance, the “knowledge economy.”

Let’s take another look at knowledge. There is knowledge derived from interacting with our physical environment, pulled from our intellect and emerged from our spirits. Today, we focus on knowledge pulled from our intellect. In the Vision Society, it will be knowledge emerging from our spirits, by His Spirit. This is divine revelation.

Put in the Christian context, Brett compared the evolution from the old economy to the new economy as the Israelites moving from Egypt to the Wilderness to the Promised Land. As Christians, we understand that revelation knowledge comes from God depositing his knowledge in our human spirits through the Holy Spirit. Our personal relationship with Jesus Christ is the channel.

It will be revelation and relationship, which serves as anchors in the new economy. Revelation will lead the process of innovation. Revelation will also lead to divine collaboration through varied relationships that will expand market potential. We see many concepts evolving, including the areas of network science, social networking, mass media and innovation, etc.

While we are still grappling with the picture of the new economy and how it will operate, there are many who have pieces of the ultimate picture. Brett Johnson of The Institute is one of these visionaries. In a Kingdom Economic Forum in Johannesburg, South Africa last year, he shared a comparison of characteristics between the old economy and the new economy. The comparison is below.

Old Economy



New Economy
Self-reliance Dependence on God
Logic Obedience
Man, nature, self as source God as source
Gaining, hoarding Giving, flowing
Finite Infinite
Greed, self serving Serving greater good
Fear Trust, generosity
Selling birthright Persevering in long-term
Debt Cash, capital, hard assets
Ownership Stewardship
Protection Freedom
Worry Liberty
Running out Running over
Storing Flowing
Accumalting Giving
Boosting myself Blessing others
Temporal Eternal
Scorns source (God) Remembers source (God)
Elevation Consecration
Meeting my needs Serving God’s purpose
Mine to keep God’s to direct
Control Releasing
Postured to speak Positioned to listen
Avarice deified Avarice denied
Demanding Grateful
Restlessness Restful, calm
Striving Surrender
Hurry, hustle Rest
Wisdom of man Wisdom of God
Insatiable Contented
Calculation Revelation
Immediate gratification Delayed gratification
Personal legacy God’s glory
Do as I please Accountability
Natural Supernatural
Lack Abundance
Need Wholeness
Own effort Favor

Published in “Kingdom Economics,” (c) The Institute for Innovation, Integration & Impact, Inc. 2009, by Brett Johnson

Put in the Christian context, Brett compared the evolution from the old economy to the new economy as the Israelites moving from Egypt to the Wilderness to the Promised Land.

What Has God Promised you?

What Has God Promised you?
By John Paul Jackson www.streamsministries.com

Thousands of years before Jesus’ birth, a young man named Joseph knew that one day, he was going to rise to a position of great authority. The problem? He was a slave who had just been accused of rape.

A few years later, a middle-aged man named Moses knew he was going to free more than one million slaves — in a short period of time, without a war. The problem? The people he had come to save hated him because, up until that point, his efforts had produced nothing but heartache for them.

Blind faith

Throughout Scripture, an extraordinary pattern emerges. Nearly every story is filled with incredible hardship; staggering odds; and shake-you-to-the-core, this-isn’t-going-to-work situations. But the people in these stories became heroes and heroines of the faith. How? They had one thing going for them: Instead of giving up, they clung to what God had promised them.

They knew what God had told them, and they didn’t forget it. They took Him at His word. Even when they were at the lowest they had ever been before, they refused to let go of what He had said.

You are the God who heals, so come and heal. You are the God who delivers, so come and deliver. You are the God who brings peace; we need Your peace! You are the God who is all-powerful, omnipotent — come and show it!

We believe You are these things, so come and be these things in our lives. O God, we believe Your name! We believe that Your acts, Your name and Your glory are inseparable! If You don’t do what Your name is, then You are not Your name. Your name depicts who You are, so You will do these things because You are who You are. O God, come and do what You have promised!

No matter who we are, where we live, what we’ve accomplished or what we’ve lost, we have a promise that God is waiting to fulfill. And He will fulfill that promise — if we don’t give up. If He’s told us He will do something, then it’s already done. So in a way we can’t give up, because we’re guaranteed to accomplish what He said.

Taking God at His word

It is time to fully believe what Isaiah wrote concerning God’s word:

“For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven,

And do not return there, But water the earth,

And make it bring forth and bud, That it may give seed to the sower

And bread to the eater,

So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;

It shall not return to Me void,

But it shall accomplish what I please,

And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.”

— Isaiah 55:10–11

With this promise of success in mind, I want to put this question to you: What has God told you?

Are there promises that you are overlooking? Is there something — today — that He is asking you to remember? If He told you He would do something, then it is as good as done.

We need to view our circumstances in light of the whole picture. When we read about the champions in the Bible, we’re not seeing their trepidation, the trembling, the everyday decisions to be brave. We don’t see the “human” parts, but they were there as much as they are here with us. Your story could be just as inspiring as theirs . . . if you don’t give up.

Today, take some time to remember what your Father has told you. If He is asking you to do something, do it, and don’t be afraid. It is as good as done.

When a Leader Sins

By Francis Frangipane www.frangipane.org

Transferred Guilt
When church leaders serve the living Christ in love, aggressive faith, and prayerful humility, the people who live in harmony with their anointing become rich in the presence of God. Conversely, when a leader scandalizes a congregation by committing a major sin or is led into Christ-denying doctrinal deception, the heartache of his downfall is also absorbed into the perception and attitudes of those in relationship with him.

This precept, that a leader's sin carries negative consequences, is seen in other positions of authority as well. Do you remember how you felt when you heard the details of former President Clinton's affair with Monica Lewinsky? Or consider the distress that crushes a family when a father or mother commits serious sin and ends up going to jail. Unless it is remedied, the impact of these events is similar to that of a curse upon one's life.

The Bible speaks of God "visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me" (Ex. 20:5). The oppressive consequence of serious sin is actually passed from the fathers to the children, and then beyond from one generation to the next. This oppression must be discerned and atoned for, or it’s effect will work against us trans-generationally.

"Guilt on the People"
David ordered Joab to take a census of Israel. Joab begged the king, "Why does my lord want to do this? Why should he bring guilt on Israel?" (1 Chr 21:3 NIV). God forbade taking an unauthorized census. It could represent a shift in a leader’s heart from trusting God to trusting the strength and numbers of his people. David sinned, yet his actions brought "guilt on Israel," and a plague struck killing tens of thousands.

People positioned in places of authority sometimes think they are "special" and the rules of integrity do not apply to them. Yet, the fact is, there are more rules, not less. Leaders are to be judged by a stricter judgment. This is because the failure of a leader has greater consequences. For us in the church, the recent failures of Ted Haggard, Todd Bentley and others has opened a sewer from hell, pouring into the larger church a multitude of contaminating influences.

In the Old Testament the Lord provided a means to deal with both the leader's sin and its subsequent effect on those under that leader’s authority. Thus, the Lord says, "If the anointed priest sins so as to bring guilt on the people, then let him offer to the Lord a bull without defect as a sin offering" (Lev 4:3).

"Guilt on the people" is the effect of the leader’s sin upon them. This resulting mixture of fear, shame, apprehension and anger is now the people’s sin. It is a state of being that exists outside of the blessedness of a right relationship with God. The "guilt on the people" does not mean that they have sinned in the manner of the leader, but that their reaction to the leader’s sin has them positioned in an "unblessable state" of being. This "unblessed state," be it from anger or heartache, as legitimate as these things seem, is now a "guilt on the people" which must be acknowledged and atoned for.

Demons Haunt the Scene of Past Transgressions
As much as they wish it were otherwise, wounded congregations often carry a discernible cloud of heaviness upon them. For years, the influence of their wounding surfaces in conversations, attitudes of cynicism or in fearful anticipations. Worse, their shared, unremedied pain becomes a bee hive of demonic exploitation, where human attitudes of mistrust, anger and confusion remain vulnerable to demonic manipulation.

The Amplified Bible, speaking of the effects, or the dwelling place, of unexpiated sin, gives us an insight into this demonic infestation. It reads, "the shades of the dead are there [specters haunting the scene of past transgressions]" (Prov 9:18).

That understanding, that "specters haunt . . . the scene of past transgressions," tells us that when we pass through the disappointment and heartache caused by another's sin, if we do not find a way to forgive and to react as Christ, our human reactions can become a magnet for ongoing warfare and oppression. Thus, to move into a future God can bless, we must be cleansed of the unredeemed past.

What is especially unfortunate is that the unredeemed past can be transferred to individuals who join a church, yet were never partakers of the original wounding. New believers come to churches where mistrust of leadership has residence. Soon, through the osmosis of human relationships, the same fears, mistrust and suspicions that were resident in the old Christians can surface in the life of the new Christian. Simply replacing pastors will not bring healing; what needs replacing is the cloud of heaviness that remains in that church. For, not only did the fallen leader need forgiveness, cleansing and renewal in Christ but, as we stated, what was transferred to the people must be cleansed as well.

Perhaps we are tempted to think, "So what? Leaders come and go. I walk with God. Their fall doesn't affect me." Individually, you may indeed be blessed; but you will never know the descent of the Lord's corporate blessing on a church until you experience renewal.

If we fail to deal with the effect fallen leadership has had on us, it is possible that our future relationships with church leaders will be colored with fear and suspicion. Remember, the Lord's promise is that He will raise up,"Shepherds over [His people] and they will tend them; and they will not be afraid any longer, nor be terrified, nor will any be missing" (Jer 23:4). Unless we are cleansed of the effect of our negative experience, the filter of our mistrust might disqualify us from seeing godly leaders when the Lord brings us to them.

You see, there is a corporate blessing coming to the church which is greater than the individual blessing. The corporate blessing carries a unique reward for those who overcome offenses and persevere in faith for each other and their leaders. This is the Pentecost anointing that was in the 120 who were able to overcome the failings of the original twelve. Here, in the corporate blessing, is where God pours out His Spirit and touches multitudes, turns cities, and empowers His people with the life of heaven.

On a local level, your leaders may be godly, but each time a national leader fell, for some the "mistrust level" toward all church leaders increased. The cumulative effect of moral failure, both on a national and local level, has smothered the fire in many Christian hearts. If you are a pastor and you are wondering why people have not responded to your teaching as you hoped, it is possible they are carrying woundedness from a previous leader in a former church. Among church attenders, this woundedness has been translated into a polite, yet numbing attitude of suspicion. They may not hear you because they have distanced themselves from the memory of pain; and distance hinders hearing.

The Cure
The antidote for a leader's sin in the Old Testament was to "offer to the Lord a bull without defect as a sin offering." Of course, we have a Sacrifice for sins greater than the blood of bulls and goats. Indeed, one of the great graces of the Christian faith is that, as we yield to God, as we forgive others, He promises to cleanse us as well. His love makes all things new. We can be delivered from being hardened wineskins.

Thus, to facilitate this new grace, let me speak for all leaders who have failed you. Forgive us. For every leader who has stumbled badly, remember there are a hundred still climbing the mountain of God. So, release that man or woman who misused their spiritual authority or betrayed the solemn responsibilities entrusted to them and fell in sin. Again, I ask you to forgive leaders who have fallen or failed your expectations.

Let us also take up our positions to intercede for our leaders. God never intended that congregations would not participate in their leaders protection and inspiration. Your leadership reflects, at least in part, the answer to your prayers. Pastors without prayer support are uniquely vulnerable to the battle. If you haven't given your heart to intercession, perhaps it is time to stand in the gap for the leaders in your church.

As followers of mankind’s Redeemer, God invites us to the ever renewing work of His grace. Yes, let us structure greater safeguards and accountability for those in leadership, for their sakes and ours. But let us also remember, though the Lord visits the iniquity of the fathers on the children, He also shows His "lovingkindness to thousands" who love Him (Ex. 20:6). Let us surrender our heartache to the Lord and release ourselves from the pain caused when a leader sinned.

Wonderful Wonder

Wonderful Wonder

Jesus’ own sense of wonder surfaced whenever He saw others who walked in innocence and purity. One of the few times Jesus said “behold”—or, as we would term it, “wow”—was when He first met Nathanael, a man who later became one of His disciples. “Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!” Jesus exclaimed in John 1:47 (King James Version).

What did Jesus see in Nathanael? He saw a man without deceit. The Message version of the Bible translates Jesus as saying, “There's a real Israelite, not a false bone in his body.” Jesus saw his innocence and loved it.

Innocence is a quality we are born with and then slowly lose through the experiences of our life. Every time we have one of those bitter experiences, as we call them, a part of our purity erodes away. The way we think and perceive things in the spirit withers as we become guarded, wary, mistrustful, and suspicious. When another bitter experience occurs in our life, another layer of grime is placed on our sense of wonder. Given enough time, we become unsure that we were ever innocent. Meanwhile, we look at everyone around us and see the worst.

Jesus, the same Man who saw and loved Nathanael’s purity, also allowed Judas Iscariot to be close to Him. Jesus’ own sense of wonder about who God was allowed Him to be true to Himself and love the unlovely. He was a friend to sinners without being tainted by them.

Innocence is always under the threat of attack. But purity isn’t about what others can do to us, it’s about who we want to be. We can remain pure in heart and remain watchful for unscrupulous and disrespectful people at the same time.

We are in control of our own sense of wonder. Jesus dealt with this idea when, in Mark 7:6, He defined what He considered hypocrisy to be: “This people honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me.” When our hearts are bitter, hard, callous, unfeeling, cynical, judgmental, angry, suspicious, closed, wary, distressful, jealous, skeptical, derisive, contemptuous, pessimistic, unbelieving, sarcastic, or scornful, we hurt ourselves—these things are corrosive to innocence. The damage we do to our own purity is far greater than the damage we can inflict on anyone else’s. Giving in to impurity grieves the Spirit of God. Our hardness grows as we protect ourselves from people and situations. We get hurt and we swear an unholy vow: “I’ll never let that happen to me again.” Immediately, we begin to insulate our hearts from taking another chance on someone or something. We close ourselves off relationally.

As we can see from Luke 9:46-48, Jesus always knew what people were feeling in their hearts:

Then a dispute arose among them as to which of them would be greatest. And Jesus, perceiving the thought of their heart, took a little child and set him by Him, and said to them, “Whoever receives this little child in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me. For he who is least among you all will be great.”

Unless we become child-like in innocence and purity, we won’t be able to see the wonders God wants to show us. Jesus wanted us to throw away our pride and self-protectionism and live a truly spiritual life.