What is the "gift economy" we operate in?

What is the "gift economy" our church operates in, including with respect to the ministry described on this website?

"Gift economy" is one of the new economic paradigms or models being explored by people. A longer look at our views about this, are here: https://exploringsecondandthirdtier.blogspot.com/2013/07/spectrum-of-economies-part-i.html

Please read that blog entry to more fully get the "Big Picture" in which we operate. The description below will make much more sense after you've read that blog entry. 

More specifically, a way we don't operate, is this: 

You decide what we have done for you is "worth" to you, and you are expected to donate or gift that amount of money to the church.

That's not the situation, on several counts.

First, there is no expectation of anything coming back from you to us. We do what we are called by Divine Guidance to do, for as much and as long as we are so guided. No one is expected to "reciprocate" in any way.

Also, we work completely as "unpaid volunteer." We do not keep track of hours, expenses, results, or any other parameters by which things are often monetized.

Also, we don't like to have people we work with, monetize the value of what they receive from us. That's not comfortable nor accurate nor authentic. There is no way to measure the "worth" of what anyone receives from us (or from anyone, for that matter.) We don't like to pretend that money is the measure of worth; we don't like to confine "worth" to numbers.

Also, we expect and experience, that various people all over the world, in a variety of relationships to us, are inspired internally, to free-will gift us with various kinds and amounts of resources needed for our thriving and flourishing in the world (as most expenses for us and others, do NOT take place in a gift economy. Grocers still expect money...) These gifts are ideally not "tied" to anything external. Ideally they are self-expression from the giver, given for the joy of self-expression, or simply as a natural part of the giver's life-activity.(That's all discussed at greater length in the companion article mentioned above: http://exploringsecondandthirdtier.blogspot.com/2013/07/spectrum-of-economies-part-i.html)

Also, our church has policies and criteria for what gifts we will accept; any gift tendered by anyone who regards it as "payment" in exchange for something, must be returned to the giver, as unacceptable because it comes from an "exchange" frame of reference or mindset.

It's important to understand that we don't regard monetized transactions as unspiritual, or as inappropriate for others. It's just that our Divine guidance is for us to operate within this other economic paradigm, as much as possible. So free-will gifts of money are just as welcome as free-will gifts of anything else. We are however out of the "transaction" and "exchange" or "payment for services" mentality usually involved when money goes from one person to another.

Hope that's clear. Perhaps you will find it exciting to explore and learn more about this cutting edge of humanity's evolution, the new economic paradigms!

Edited in August 17:

How does this work in practice? How does someone decide the amount of a free-will gift?

If you feel a desire to express your support or appreciation or admiration or even gratitude to our church, inspired by the good it does in the world, including through our ministries, and if you feel a desire to enable the church to continue its sacred work in the world, then we will be happy to accept such a free-will gift. 

Ideally, there would be no "because" or "reason" at all behind your giving; you would just be moved by your own Divine "calling" to give something to us (or to anyone else!)

The amount would be whatever you feel moved to give. It would not be an estimate of "value received" because that would turn it into a trade or exchange, an expression of an "estimate of worth," not an expression of appreciation and support, and not an amount that just spontaneously occurs to you.

It's kinda like if you spontaneously buy a gift for a friend; you spend whatever amount you feel moved to. You are not calculating what your friend is worth, or what the last favor your friend did for you is worth. "It's the thought that counts." 

In fact, whatever money is involved, is only part of the good feelings expressed. It is not a "tit for tat" that attempts to bring our "giving and receiving" into some value-balance. How can the value of what anyone gives to others be truly measured by money? 

These differences might not be important to you, but they are important to us spiritually, and they are important to us as we help the people who are inventing new ways for people to relate to each other beneficially. 


Edited in August 6: 

Here's an interesting exploration of moving away from "billable hours," asking "What is an Idea Worth?" The article examines the notion of equating time with money.

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/04/magazine/whats-an-idea-worth.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

Again, if you haven't read the complementary "Big Picture" explanation about all this new-economic thinking, please do:
http://exploringsecondandthirdtier.blogspot.com/2013/07/spectrum-of-economies-part-i.html

Edited in September 4:

Consistent with the analogies in that Big Picture explanation, our church does not operate as a solo isolated entity, financially-economically, engaging in measured, balanced transactional exchanges with others. We are part of a synergistic web of "sister/brother" individuals and organizations who "shine on" one another. As Divinely inspired, our expressions of who we are often involve sharing income and resources, and supporting one another in a variety of ways, the way close friends do, without measuring out balances and equal measures.

Again, there is nothing intrinsically "wrong" with exchanges/transactions, and we engage in some of those too, on some matters, but we are more interested in exploring and expanding humanity's options for relating to one another around resources needed for living. Thus we choose to live on the "creative edge" of the new economic options, expanding rather than contracting the possibilities available.