The Grubers

This is a high-level path for exiting the modern American nuclear family and returning to the historical and biblical pattern of a multi-generational household.

Step 1 – Understand God’s dream Discover God’s dream for this world as first spoken in Genesis 1:28 and then unraveled throughout the Bible and history. This step is a lot of study, heart wrestling, praying, talking with others further along in the journey.

Step 2 – Slay our dragons and exit captivity Exit nuclear family and all the ways it hooks us into the ways of this world. Exit family generational sin patterns.

Step 3 – Pioneer The household Identify our family’s unique mandate in God’s grand story. This is the thing worth dying for. Move our home from consumers to producers, start the economy. Expand from dynasty to household (or household to dynasty if needed). Dynasty is the blood line. This is Abraham-Isaac-Jacob-Joseph. Household is the larger community led by the dynasty. Abraham’s household consisted of the the 300 men he took to war.

Step 4 – Make Generational Handoff.

Crafting a Family Mission

The rest of this relates to steps 2 and 3 above.

Why – what is your ultimate purpose? In corporate speak this is often called a vision.This is what we use as a family: To know and walk with God together in families and communities Everything below is a derivative of this.

Our Mission – A proper family mission should be big enough to span multiple generations. At least 100 years if not more. This also means you have time to craft it. Don’t rush into something. Our family is still praying through our multi-generational mission. Our dream of our family’s life and kingdom work in our later years and in 100 years

This Generation’s Mission – We do know the work we need to do in this generation. We are the founders of a multi-generational household. That means we have founder’s work to do. For us our life’s work will consist of three things:

1. Create intergenerational family value system.

2. End generational sin patterns.

3. Move from wage based income to asset based income.

In our view most first generation household founders will have to focus on these three items. The first is crucial if you want your kids, grandkids, and beyond to value being part of an intergenerational household. It is the glue that connects the generations. The second is necessary to avoid unresolved family patterns destroying what you build. Don’t just think big moral failing type sins. For us, these focus on underlying fears that limit our willingness to take risks. In the third item you are creating the work that will further bind the generations. Think Abraham-Isaac-Jacob and the work and wealth they shared over generations. In modern times we think of this mostly with the ultra-wealthy. The Rockefellers are still around doing what Rockefellers do. Their shared family wealth helps pass the family identify down through the generations. It means something to be a Rockefeller.

Our Rules

These serve as the filter through which we decide our commitments. We are cautious about any commitment that doesn’t clearly advance these. These are the shared values that keep us focused on this mission. They each have a reason for being on this list. For instance, the first isn’t just a Christian cliche.

1. We demonstrate radical love towards God and others

2. We create excellence and order in our lives and the world around us

3. We commit the first of our time, assets, energy, and material resources to God’s dreams

4. We steward and grow the family storehouse of assets

5. We value learning and creating over passive consumption

6. We cultivate a community of dynastic households around us

7. We make bold plans

8. We live rhythmically in our years, months, and days

9. We develop spiritual discipline in our lives

10. We expand the kingdom through our family generations and not as individuals