Lifestyle of Servants
© Viv Grigg, 1981, revised 2000
Jesus, our Master tells us, Truly, truly, I say unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am there my servant will be also; if anyone serves me, the Father will honour him. (John 12:24-26).
We desire individually and corporately to develop intimacy with Christ and to walk in his footsteps. This means imitating his character and attitudes as we seek to live out his principles of self-denial, sacrifice and service in the context of the twentieth century slums of the world's great cities.
We seek to know our Lord more intimately through a life of
We desire to help in the establishment of multiplying movements of disciples congregated into indigenous fellowships and churches who minister according to the gifting and power of the spirit.
With the Bible as our rule for faith and practice, we affirm the following values. These are not rules but shared emphases:
Our primary commitment as communities is to go and preach the gospel (Mark 16:15), and to go and make disciples of all nations (Matthew 28:18-20). We recognize that this central thrust occurs in the midst of a wide diversity of ministry, gifts and calling. While our master was preaching, he also went about doing good (Acts 10:38), healing the sick and delivering from demons (Matthew 4:24), declaring the gospel by both word and deed.
While acknowledging the love of Jesus for all men, we choose to focus our love and discipling among the urban poor of the third world's great cities, seeking to follow Jesus' approach of preaching the gospel to the poor (Luke 4:18). We will only minister extensively among the rich and middle class if the poor are significantly helped as a result, and upon consensus of the mission team.
We choose to work in the power of the Holy Spirit, seeking to lead others into the fullness of the Spirit, and into the exercise of spiritual gifts and the expression of spiritual fruit. We look to Him as leader and administrator, the One who opens new communities, who ministers, who reveals God's will, who heals, and who delivers. We expect Him to work miraculously on our behalf.
We seek to live in harmony with all men, but in seeking peace we will be involved in reflecting into the structures of society the just nature of the God we seek. We will speak out for, defend and uplift the poor among whom we work. We will act in such areas by being as wise as serpents and harmless as doves, seeking to affect change by bringing repentance and reconciliation, though this may at times involve non-violent confrontations.
In establishing poor people's churches we will seek to avoid social dislocation by reaching whole communities. We seek also to establish technically-skilled and economically independent church leadership. We commit ourselves to encouraging middle class and rich Christians to give to the poor, as Paul did (2 Corinthians 8:3), in order that some level of equality be attained. We seek to uplift the economy of the poor by working where possible to get the production skills, the means of production and the control of production into the hands of the poor. This involves introducing appropriate technology, co-operatives, cottage industry (in preference to mass production), and profit sharing. Our intended model is that of holistic ministry and small, rather than large-scale, projects.
We are committed to biblical justice and equity and therefore renounce the abuses of both Capitalism and Marxism. We renounce the greed of the profit motive, the exploitation and dehumanization of humanity, and the exhausting of irreplaceable natural resources by Capitalism. We renounce the use of force, violence, the class struggle and bitterness inherent in Marxism. While for specific goals we may find ourselves aligned with various political groups, we are committed to none but the politics of the Kingdom of God.
Following Jesus' pattern, who "though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that by his poverty we might become rich" (2 Corinthians 8:9), we commit ourselves to live and work among the urban poor, to live as nearly as possible to their standard of living, while maintaining reasonable health and recognizing emotional, physical, cultural and family limitations. We intend always to master the language and culture of the people amongst whom we minister.
The Master not only chose poverty in birth, in life and death, he also calls his servants to such a lifestyle. We recognize our basic needs for food and clothing (I Timothy 6:6-8, Matthew 6:25-33), which may include tools of trade, children's toys, and other things. We recognize the just need inferred in the scriptures for each family to own its own home, though some, like the Master, may choose a mobile apostolic life with nowhere to lay one's head (Luke 9:58). In putting our treasure in heaven, we covet the unsearchable riches of Christ.
We desire to possess nothing that cannot be shared with those around us, regarding what we have not as our own, but rather as lent to us for a season. We will seek to exclude from both our personal and communal lives the cares of the world, the delight in riches and the desire for other things (Matthew 4:19 A.V). We will avoid the abundance of communal properties or wealth. Buildings, administration and ministry shall be developed in the simplest manner consistent with good health and efficient, well-pleasing work.
Renouncing possessions is an outworking of an inner simplifying of our lives which leads to the openness, gentleness, spontaneity, and serenity that marked the Master. In renouncing possessions we seek to simplify our external lives in order to more paradisely simplify our inner lives and focus on knowing our Lord.
Along with outward poverty, we desire an inner humility; along with servant works, we seek the spirit of a true servant. In caring little for this world where we are strangers and pilgrims, we set our hearts on that spiritual home where our treasure is being saved up, and on that glory which we shall share with him, provided we suffer with him. We encourage middle class Christians to such a simplicity of lifestyle. For some, it means earning less and using their time for the Kingdom. For others, it means earn much, consume little, hoard nothing, give generously and celebrate living. Such lifestyles are infinitely varied. We refuse to judge others in such areas.
We believe our whole lifestyle should become a true walking in the Spirit. We hold to the importance of spirit-directed self-discipline in the cultivation of spirituality, through regular meditation, study of the Word, worship, prayer and fasting. We recognize that without steadfastness in these disciplines our lives will be inadequate to cope with the stresses of living among the poor. Our first work is intercession, from which springs our ministry.
Our lives are to be a sign of joy among people. The center of our lifestyle is the daily celebration of His death and resurrection. Wherever we go, we seek to lead others into this celebration of the resurrected Lord, bringing the hope of Christ into slums without hope, the joy of Christ into slums of despair.
We rejoice, too, in suffering, knowing that suffering produces character (Romans 5:3-5; James 1:2-4). Celebration, rest and joy were built into the Scriptures in the concepts of the jubilee and Sabbaths. Knowing that joy flags under overwork, we will zealously keep free one day per week for rest outside of the slum areas. We will season our year with weeks for celebration and festivity, rest and retreat. The seventh year should be a year for rest, reflection, and recommitment.
We will read and review our lives at least monthly, rewriting our values and lifestyle yearly, in consultation with a spiritual advisor.
Jesus taught us not to be anxious about daily necessities, for he would provide if we seek his Kingdom (Matthew 6:25-34). We choose to live in this spirit of carefreeness, trust and joy. We expect that as we minister spiritually to others, God will provide for us physically in return (1 Corinthians 9:10-12).
We also recognize that in a twentieth century international context this requires responsible financial structuring by the sending churches and mission agencies through whom much of God's provisions are channelled. In general we trust God alone for our needs, while responsibly and graciously making our needs known to others where appropriate. In order to enter new areas, many will, at times, like Paul, work in secular careers to support themselves.
We choose to work together in communities of four to twelve brothers and sisters, working in pairs or family units, and coming together at least once every two weeks for a time of training, of fun, or of ministry to one another, a communal feast, a time of confession and of celebration of the death and resurrection of our Lord.
While guarding freedom of conscience and spirit-directed individual initiative, we choose a partial sharing of income, possessions and ministry goals.
We commit ourselves to submission to one another. Each of us has God-given and communally confirmed leadership roles. We commit ourselves to obedience to our brothers and sisters in these areas.
In all questions of importance, as far as possible, decisions should be made by consensus. If a community leader senses a profound lack of agreement on an important issue, let him reserve judgement and, in order to go forward, make a provisional decision, ready to return to it later (for standing still is disobedience for brothers and sisters advancing toward Christ). Those with responsibility for leadership must exercise authority but with humility. If a grave crisis arises in which there is a division of opinion, we will decide only after at least a day of prayer, humbling and fasting.
We recognize the importance of family life in the Scriptures, yet for the sake of the gospel, with an eye to His glory, and seeking a life of undivided devotion to Him, many of us will choose to remain single for some years, being under no compulsion but having our desires under control and not seeking marriage. Christ is our true companion and comfort, who does not weaken human affection but enables us to love more richly with his love all with whom we come in contact.
Some couples, for love of the poor, may remain childless for a period of time. Yet others will be willing to be separated from loved ones and children for periods of time. We count on the Lord's promise to repay a hundred fold for all such sacrifice and remember always the gift to us that God the Father made of his Son. Couples with children will need to wisely trust God for the well-being of their children.
We recognize these states as gifts from God and look with confidence to him to give the grace needed for this life. In thus accepting the demands of such a life we must ever be on guard against the temptation to self-centredness, coldness, or a lack of sympathy with the interests of others.
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