“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”
Ironically, the most powerful example of this in my life has been in a corporate setting and not in a church. These last 4 years have been filled with victory, defeat, soaring heights, and bitter disappointments. It has been simultaneously the most challenging and glorious season I have ever experienced. We are finally stepping into the realization of what an owner-to-team led conversion looks like. Our team is healthier and our mission/objectives clearer than they have ever been.
Friday, we celebrated as a team:
- The most financially successful 6 months in company history
- The momentum toward an even more successful second half of the year
- Testimonies of changed lives
- A healthy portion of proceeds were allocated to charities
- A healthy portion of proceeds were allocated to all team members who shared proportionately in the company’s financial success
- The remainder was left to strengthen reserves in retained earnings
We were together and shared everything in common as we broke bread, offered testimony, and shared in the Lord’s provision. There were many highlights of the day, including:
- Meeting the shortfall of an ex-team members funding requirements to start her full-time ministry life
- A new part-time member of the team telling us that living under our Kingdom-inspired values was changing the way he lived every aspect of his life
- A new leader noting that he had been in many corporate environments where senior leadership were given large bonuses, but he had never seen a company lavish every single employee in the way we were able to do on Friday
- An emerging leader pulled me aside to let me know how working in this “company” was changing their perspective on life and Christianity
Funny, for the first time in many, many years, God is cultivating this sort of Acts 2 existence in a budding home church fellowship that has been meeting in my home, as well. Interesting enough, last night we were in Mark talking about:
- Leadership
- Jesus establishing his headship
- Trying to invite the apostles into leadership
- Their clumsy handling of the mantle being passed to them
Sound familiar? This progression is the constant struggle of every leader I know. Most of our fellowship’s experience with leadership has been so poor that they were having a hard time applying the model they were seeing in Mark with contemporary life. I smiled and listened. I have seen and tasted something very different.
There is a way to life (even corporate life!) that is consistent and coherent with the Kingdom of God.
It is not only possible, it is the expectation and intended heritage for every one who believes.
God’s intentions for supervision lie beyond good management or even inspired leadership.
It looks a lot more like generative (life producing) governance (leadership). It is the manifestation of God’s Kingdom as intended for all those you have been given stewardship over. It is rich, fulfilling, and so uncommon that most can’t even fathom it on this side of eternity. It is possible, but elusive and incredibly opposed.
If the expression of your faith in life and work doesn’t feel very celebratory, check out the Rend Collective infectiously talking about the “Art of Celebration.” I am embarrassed to say that there was a time that their joy would have irritated me. Not any more. It is real, possible, and I want more.
Does your life in the Lord seem celebratory?
Is your leadership bringing life to those you lead?
What needs to change in your worldview and practical expression of your faith for your leadership to bring life to others?
Another picture of inviting others into joy… Josh Garrels “The Sea in Between“