Paradigm Shift: Fresh Wineskin for new Wine

What is a paradigm? and for what is a paradigm shift?

The Merriam-Webster Online dictionary defines it as "a philosophical and theoretical framework of a scientific school or discipline within which theories, laws, and generalizations and the experiments performed in support of them are formulated; broadly : a philosophical or theoretical framework of any kind.

Kuhn defines a paradigm as: “an entire constellation of beliefs, values and techniques, and so on, shared by the members of a given community”(Kuhn). This definition by Kuhn appears in the 1969 postscript to his original book, because originally the use of the term paradigm was not clearly defined. Besides this definition Kuhn mentioned another sense of use he had: a Paradigm also “denotes one sort of element in that constellation, the concrete puzzle-solutions which, employed as models or examples, can replace explicit rules as a basis for the solution of the remaining puzzles of normal science” [Ibid]. The term remains imprecise due to the different uses it is given.

So a paradigm is a view of reality that is a 'Gestalt' resulting from the three branches of philosophy; metaphysics, epistemology and ethics.

Those sounds so academic to discuss. But if we talk about new wine in a fresh wineskin, I can assume that most have a background on the well evangelized shifting or transforming from old to new testaments to the completed testament in this new and modern age.

From more than two decades ago, the system and administration of UM Philippines is almost the same untio now: Food-raising and fundraising, witnessing and campus mobilizations are the basic mission works and core members are fulltimers living in a center.

The GPF 2007 was a big boom to the world Family Fed leaders as it showed big gatherings of large people including VIP's, professors, educators, students, village leaders and others. It got the media, the politicians and civic attention of many But the backstage of it remains uncleaned as there were lots of unpaid accounts until now, finger-pointing on unfulfilled goals and unsmooth implementation or coordination by the continental leader to the many national level to local level leaders and hurt some.

Internally, our local leaders before and now have no changes. Before, no leader got a monthly stipend or salary while serving as a fulltimer in the center and the movement as a whole. By now those leaders have their own family and their blessed children have the right to academic education, health and proper development (a few of the national level leaders and VIP's were given a monthly salary by the CD. Most have none).

The centers serve as a learning and training center for spiritual, moral, physical, educational and even socio-economic foundation for the members. But it cannot house the fulltimers who have started their own conjugal and marital family for obvious reason. Hence, blessed families have to look for their own shelter, food and livelihood.

A decade ago, we could noticed that those shining and energetic leaders from the various centers have gone away. they have to find their livelihood for their family, for their children. And the centers were left to young and not so trained local leaders.

Up until now, the centers are doing food-raising, fund-raising and not so much but still witnessing and lecturing are seen. The target-goals in the annual action or game plans include the barangays mibilization, the VIP's, the SHSP programs, the summer training and so on. Recently they inlcude local GPF in their action plan. But all these action plans have no budget allocation that when calendar dictates for a project to fulfill, the action plan could remain a mere paper.

National budget if there is (mostly from comamndo and the tithes) is not disbursed down the line. It is centralized and only the HQ leader/s knows who got an allocation or where it goes. Affiliates have to operate by their own. If there are requests like Teachers' seminars or Prayer Breakfast Meetings, it all depends on piority and the availability of funds.

Moreover, if national projects like GPF mobilization is undertaken, all the local agenda are set aside. If there are new directions to come from above like chagnes of leadership, programs and projects are renewed and new things have to be done.

When I made my research about church management in Japan, there are many things new to me. Fulltimers have a monthly salary. Members are strictly supervised on their motnhly tithings and donations. Blessed chidlren have to drop a pair of coins in their Blessed Children's service.

Blessed children have their Jr STF Program separately. They have soccer teams, seminars, support to peace King and Queen cup tournaments and other activities.

Fulltimers are married and blessed members do not live inside the center. They go home to their own apartments or houses. Homemembers who are invited to give lectures during seminars are given per diem or allowances. Moreover homemembers are given assignments and are part of committees like doing the telephone calling at their own homes to remind families belonging to a team under him or her on their monthly and weekly activities and some urgnet news and developments. My wife did her job in here during night time from 8:00 to 9:30 in the evening. This looked like a service tithes of a homemember. Aside from this, there are emails that come to my inbox from the church. Announcements from CP, and other activities are well communicated. Fax messages too are religious from time to time. Not less than two fax messages in a week come from the church.

During big gathering like Dae Mo Nim's visit, large convention centers are full and crowded by members and associates.

Almost three decades now and still very few regional or local centers have a telephone. Cellphones are personal cellphones of leaders or members. Less than five local centers have their pc and internet in their centers. Most leaders have to go to computer cafe for P40 per hour internet service. Centers' monthly rental ranges from P5,000 to P20,000 per month. Other bills for maintenance and operation are not yet included.

With an average of 3 fulltimers per center , the local center can hardly stand by self-existence.

Japan churches through their leaders or members have lots business establishments like convenient stores, retaurants and others. Big companies are also great in Korea and Japan. But most were organized by TF before.

In Philippines only the Il Hwa business, the True World Travel are church-owned. Other business are ventures by former fulltimers who have employees also coming from the church. They are not under the church but private business owned by members. They just grow with more staff from non-members too. Some business companies helped the hq or local centers projects but not enough to finance one whole program.

Centers have ventured doing FR works in Hongkong, Singapore and other nearby Asian countries. But it cost much and needs well-exposed fundraiser. Centers have the potential to organize their own DTI registered business but the leaders are not prepared for this.

At this time, there are so many things to program in administering a center: General Programs like Witnessing, Educational Seminars and Lectures, HDH and Sunday Services, MFT and otehrs. But to keep and maintain the human resources in a center, there is a need to program the following from national down the line to the local center level:
1. Human Resource Development. This is one area where fulltimers and members should be look on their personal and social needs to keep and uphold their mission like their monthly salary, health allowances, traveling and transportation, proper training aside from spiritual aspects.
2. Second Generation Development. This should look on the blessed children including the children of fulltimers who have no enough resources for their blessed children. Day-care program for toddlers and children (like the huykuen style in Japan), Sports Club for elementary children from track and field, volleball, soccer, martial arts, etc.; Jr STF program for more than 12 years old and STF for more than 15 or 18.
3. Business venturing. This is a long-term program to help the financing of the providential projects and activites of the Family Fed. This can be assigned to homemembers with proper MOA and Understanding, feasiblity study and professional administration.
4. Property Acquisition. This is a legacy for a center to have its own property to use and maintain. A family needs a home. But a home needs a house of its own. As a family of God, there must be a house for a Family Fed.
5. Government Leadership. Time should calendar when can a DP and TP-centered leader lead a town, a city or province in the Philippine Government to substantiate the CIG. Leaders for local to provincial to national government positions should be trained as part of a goal. Family Party should be part of a vision from 2010; 2013; 2016 to 2019 and beyond that. Some among us maybe in the sp. world already at the time. And we leave nothing for the next generation to inhirit or continue.
6. Communication networking. This is an important tool to outreach members who are far from the national hq. Local members and members based in other coutnries have less avenue to know developments. Hence their external support are gone. The cyberspace is a great medium to reach out the world for one local center if not a national hq to seek the support of many if communication is given emphasis. Proper communication is a basic and healthy example of a cardinal principle on give-and-take between subject and object/s.

To be cont. Comments are welcome.