Just as there is an evolving shift within our society from operating from the physical to mental to spiritual, we will see the same in the economic sphere.  To start, Adam Smith in the “Wealth of Nations” said that the determinants of economic growth, or activity, were the factors of production – natural resources, labor and capital.  Here, there is no recognition of the impact of the mind and spirit on production leading to economic activity, or growth.

Knowledge has been considered a part of the process of economic growth, even by Adam Smith.  However, it has not been until the past 50 or so years that economic theory has focused on knowledge as a factor of production.  Paul Romer, a leading economist in the “New Growth Theory,” stresses that ideas, new and better, transformed into a change in technology contribute to economic growth like natural resources, labor and capital.

The original factors of production are considered scarce, or limited, which means that economic growth is limited at some point.  On other hand, ideas (innovative knowledge), is unlimited.  Human beings can generate unlimited new ideas.  In fact, we are designed in the image of God, so as He is the Creator, we are creators.  The key is to transform these ideas into technological change.  The world calls this the process of innovation.  We, as Christians, call this bringing heaven to earth.

So, knowledge as new and better ideas transformed into technological change leads to economic growth. The result – a world filled with unlimited economic growth potential because our ability to create new and better ideas is unlimited.  This changes our mental model from scarcity to abundance, want to wealth.  The question becomes how do we develop an economic system based on this premise?  This is the challenge of today.

Let’s tie this to the evolving societal shift in our primary mode of operation – physical to mental to spiritual.  We can see as knowledge has become more significant in the mix of economic growth, that organizations see unique intelligence, innovation, etc. key to their competitive advance.  It’s not that the importance of technological change due to innovation has not been recognized.  We understand its contribution to the Industrial Revolution, e.g., the steam engine.  However, the drive in making it prime in positioning a company continues to grow.  The intellect, or mental sphere, is now a central mode of operation in our economic systems.  We even have a phrase coining its importance, the “knowledge economy.”

Let’s take another look at knowledge.  There is knowledge derived from interacting with our physical environment, pulled from our intellect and emerged from our spirits.  Today, we focus on knowledge pulled from our intellect.  In the Vision Society, it will be knowledge emerging for our spirits.

In the Vision Society, we see the best source of knowledge coming from the spirit not the intellect.  We call this revelation knowledge. However, revelation knowledge shapes the development of our intellectual knowledge.  We still learn within and from our interaction with the physical environment and intellectual exercises, but the spirit serves as the navigation system.

As Christians, we understand that revelation knowledge comes from God depositing his knowledge in our human spirits through the Holy Spirit.  Our personal relationship with Jesus Christ is the channel. 

It will be revelation and relationship, which serves as anchors in the new economy.  Revelation leading the process of innovation, as well as the markets operating through relationships, which tie groups of people together closely or loosely.  We see these concepts evolving in areas in the science of networks, social networking, mass innovation, etc.

While we are still grappling with the picture of the new economy and how it will operate, there are many who have pieces of the ultimate picture.  Brett Johnson of The Institute is one of these visionaries.  In a Kingdom Economic Forum in Johannesburg, South Africa last year, he shared a comparison of characteristics between the old economy and the new economy.  The comparison is below.

Old Economy	New Economy
Self-reliance	Dependence on God
Logic	Obedience
Man, nature, self as source	God as source
Gaining, hoarding	Giving, flowing
Finite	Infinite
Greed, self serving	Serving greater good
Fear	Trust, generosity
Selling birthright	Persevering in long-term
Debt	Cash, capital, hard assets
Ownership	Stewardship
Protection	Freedom
Worry	Liberty
Running out	Running over
Storing	Flowing
Accumalting	Giving
Boosting myself	Blessing others
Temporal	Eternal
Scorns source (God)	Remembers source (God)
Elevation	Consecration
Meeting my needs	Serving God’s purpose
Mine to keep	God’s to direct
Control	Releasing
Postured to speak	Positioned to listen
Avarice deified	Avarice denied
Demanding	Grateful
Restlessness	Restful, calm
Striving	Surrender
Hurry, hustle	Rest
Wisdom of man	Wisdom of God
Insatiable	Contented
Calculation	Revelation
Immediate gratification	Delayed gratification
Personal legacy	God’s glory
Do as I please	Accountability
Natural	Supernatural
Lack	Abundance
Need	Wholeness
Own effort	Favor

Published in “Kingdom Economics,” (c) The Institute for Innovation, Integration & Impact, Inc. 2009, by Brett Johnson

Put in the Christian context, Brett compared the evolution from the old economy to the new economy as the Israelites moving from Egypt to the Wilderness to the Promised Land.

As the Vision Society becomes more prominent and its impact on the new economy evolves, we also need to consider the concept and purpose of wealth and money.  Check out my initial thoughts on the role of money in my blog article entitled, “Is Money the Answer to Fuel a New Economic Order?“