What is an economy? An economy is a distribution or circulation of goods and services. When the distribution is healthy and the circulation is flowing, the economy is good. When no one is "enjoying" goods and services through "normal consumption", the economy is in "recession". The US economy is currently in recession because the circulation is poor due to various problems.How about the economy (oikonomia) in God's house? Are we enjoying the riches of Christ in our mingled spirit regularly and consistently? Is the circulation healthy? Are we receiving and supplying the riches in a good way?
"Stewards" (oikonomos) in the New Testament refers to those who distribute the riches of God. When there are many stewards in a given locality, the church life is enriching and booming. On the contrary, when we are short of people like this, the church life is stale and "receding". Stewards are people who are constituted with the riches of God through their daily enjoyment in their mingled spirit. They are "channels" of God's spiritual blessings for the building up (oikodomia) of the Body of Christ.
Since God's unique house is global, His economy is also global (Matthew 24:14, Acts 1:8, Romans 16:26, Revelation 11:15).
May the Lord raise up many stewards (oikonomos) to dispense the all-inclusive riches according to God's economy (oikonomia) for the building up (oikodomia) of this unique and universal Body of Christ.
Note:
oikonomia can be found in Ephesians 1:10, 3:2; Colossians 1:25
oikonomos can be found in 1 Corinthians 4:1-2; Titus 1:7; 1 Peter 4:10
oikodomia can be found in 1 Corinthians 14:5,12,26; Ephesians 4:12,16,29; 1 Timothy 1:4
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