LC: DAD'S FOREWORD
         About three weeks before Dad's Homegoing, he spent three days reading the Charter, making his corrections, suggestions and additions. He then wrote the following note on his copy of the Charter and gave it to those of us who were working on it.

         Wow! It's humongous! It took me 3 days just to proofread! Thanks! ILY! Terrific!--Almost terrifying!--Ha! PTL!! Tough!--But needed. It certainly is strict and specific!--I'd like to write a foreword explaining the need and the Scriptural basis and precedents. OK?--Thanks! GBY!

         In the days following, during Dad's regular class time with the Home, he went on to say the following about the Charter:

         Do you want to know what I think about this Charter? I agree that it's needed. In the long run, every government and even every major denomination found out they had to have a constitution or a charter, some body of law that governs them. That's what our Charter is, it's a constitution. It's our body of laws that you refer to when you have a problem. Our Family leadership felt we needed to have a basic body of laws so that when the Homes have a problem on any particular subject they can look it up and find out what the rule is.
         Every government, every denomination, every organization always winds up in the long run finding out that they've got to have a body of laws to which the people can refer: "This is what we stand for. This is the way we see it. This is what we think is the right thing to do."--And now we've got it.
         Your leaders have worked very hard to go through the MO Letters to find out what I've said about this or what the Lord said about that, and they've included it in the Charter. Our Charter is a summation of the way we should run our Homes and conduct ourselves, our rules.--The Revolutionary Rules! We've had them before, but they were briefer; they only covered one page when I wrote them! Ha!--Well, I must admit the Family was a lot smaller and less difficult to govern then.
         This Charter should be helpful to our Family when they have problems. It should help make it easier for them to find solutions. Just about everything is covered in that Charter! I don't know anything they didn't cover.

         A few days later he said:

         We don't expect everybody to understand everything that's in the Charter, but it's there to refer to if there are any matters of controversy. But I do think we are going to have to require every shepherd to be familiar with it because they need to enact it, and the over-shepherds need to act as judges, helping to judge situations as they arise.

         Selected quotes from Dad (received in prophecy), since the implementation of the Love Charter:

         Every rule in the Charter was based on "What would be the most loving thing to do?" Every person, every leader, every shepherd, no matter what the rule must ask himself, "Am I applying and administering this rule in love?" No matter how loving the rules were intended to be, if it's not administered in love, it has lost its usefulness. It is null and void. You have lost the Spirit. You do not have the Lord's love. The most important thing is love.
         They need to study the Charter and understand the spirit of the Charter. It's a Love Charter! The only way it can bring forth the fruit that the Lord wanted it to bring forth is if it's put into practice in love and humility with everybody choosing to serve one another in love.
         I also know that there are many sides to all stories, and you've covered this with the Charter. You've made it possible for all people to be judged fairly, against the same standard, no question; everybody knows what is expected. They also know if they cross over those lines, that there are rules and judgements in place. This is fair. It's equitable. So use it! Tell those that question you just to do what the Charter says to do.
         From this Side I see how much went into the Charter. How many helpers helped you to create it. How much wisdom they poured forth through you. How much guidance was given. These matters are covered, so use them. Use them as they are written.
         That's the greatest thing, learning to love others and work with them in love. That's what the Charter is all about. It is not about rules and laws and rights, it's about love! It's about the Lord's love for folks, and their love for one another.
         If these who sin are not judged in some way, corrected and chastened, it chips away the truth of the Charter, the veracity of it, the strength of it, it begins to lose its effect, for people must see that it is equitable.
         Now [with the Charter] it is all even. It is fair. It is judged in love, but judged nevertheless.
         You shepherds must have conviction to do that which is right. You must uphold the standard, the Word--not a false standard, but the standard of the Word, the standard laid out in the Charter, the standard of love based on the Word of God. People will respect you if you stand for the Word and if you show them love.


Copyright (c) 1998 by The Family