7. THE MATTER OF YOKES & EQUITY:
Mosaic Law, (Deut. 22:10), prohibited the binding together of unlike domesticated animals for the purpose of labor. This is the principle of yoking or joining, with the emphasis being on the importance of equality when it came to labor or work-related matters. The principle of joining like things is intended to ensure commonality, equity, and outcomes without frustration. When applied to the work environment, being unequally yoked can have negative outcomes. Our current ministry model practices inequality of yoke when we join compensated staff with volunteer staff, not in eventbased activities, but in ongoing operational roles and duties. This creates:
- Unequally Yoked In Commitment = Not Equally Invested And 2 Masters Syndrome.
- Unequally Yoked In Chronos = Not Equally Allotted According To Time.
- Unequally Yoked In Compensation = Not Equally Rewarded.
If we are to get optimal productivity/results from everyone, we must be equally yoked together in the ploughing of the ministry. Once again, we see a breeching of the rules.
8. SOLUTION: LET’S DO GOD’S BUSINESS! (Luke 2:49)
a. How Business Is Conducted: (Luke 16:8)
- Business Must Have AFounder: Who Started The Business?
- Business Must Have AVision: Where Is The Business Going?
- Business Must Have AMission: Why Does Business Exist & What Problem(s) Has The Business Been Established To Solve?
- Business Must HaveValues: What Does The Business Stand For Or Hold To?
- Business Must BeStructured: How Is The Business Governed? Who Reports To Who? How Does The Business Operate? Who Does What?
- Business Must Have ACulture: What Is The Business Ethos/Environment?
- Business Must HaveWorkers: Who Are Qualified People In The Business?
- Business Must Know ItsProduct(s): What Is The Business Offering, Selling? Goods & Services, What Problem Is The Business Solving?
- Business Must Have ACatchment: Who & Where Is The Business’ Market? Who Is The Business Servicing Or Selling To?
- Business Must BeProfitable: What Are The Earnings Of The Business After Expenses?
- Business MustCompensateIts Workers: How Does The Business Reward Its Qualified People? (Ps. 23:4 = Thy Rod & Thy Staff = Governance & People)
- Business Must BeSustainable: How Long Does The Business Intend To Last?
KEY: If our vision is God-given and God-ordained we must play by the rules to achieve it!
b. Question: Is This Ministry A Legitimate Business?
- Do we conduct business and not adhere to our structures?
- Do we conduct business and not qualify our workers?
- Do we conduct business and not know our product(s)?
- Do we conduct business and not pay our workers?
- Do we conduct business and not be profitable?
c. Our Commitment:
- Let us break the stronghold of church as a time or place!
- Let us cease doing Church and commence doing Business!
- Let us see ourselves as fully engaged in The Business Of God!
d. Do We Know Our Competition?
- Our competitors are the major influencers of the disciplines of the world.
- Their mindset and business practices are a minimum standard for us to have if we are ever going to compete, (Daniel 1:20).
- Our competition is Kingdom against kingdom, (Matt. 24:7).
- In the end the Kingdom of God will rise above all, (Isa. 2:2; Rev. 11:15).
