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Standard Operating Procedures

There are a diversity of gifts, yet the same spirit, and there are a diversity of services, yet the same Lord, and there are diversity of operations, yet it is the same God which operates all in all. Yet to each is given a manifestation of the spirit toward being expedient (1 Corinthians 12:6-7). 

Operating procedures are established detailed written instructions, for designated principles and processes, that are followed routinely to produce a desired result. The thought process behind a standard operating procedure is that consistent results will occur as people follow the processes. The International Quality Standard ISO 9001 essentially requires the determination of processes (documented as standard operating procedures) used in any manufacturing process that could affect the quality of a product. Quality Management teams in organizations have been writing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for years to help workers produce quality products that help the company compete and be profitable in the market place.


There are a variety of operations, a diversity of them, v.6. God is a God of operations and He gives insight into being expedient and being expedient is providing an easy and quick way to solve a problem or to do something.[1] Look at the ten commandments, what are they if not operating procedures for God's people? If we adopt them and practice them they become a standard of operating. The first five books of the bible, called the Torah, the term Torah means instructions, offered a way of life for those who followed it. The Torah gave instructions or procedures on how to love God and to do His will. When properly followed the goal was to produce a result of loving God with all heart, mind, soul, and strength. Jesus said this was the greatest commandment or principle.
"God had chosen his people and freed them from slavery only because he loved them. In turn, he had one fundamental requirement of Israel, that they love God with the totality of their being (Deut. 6:5). This commandment to love was established with a commentary and explanation. As to how the commandment to love might be fulfilled, the first five commandments indicated the nature of the relationship with God, which would be an expression of love for God. The second five commandments go further and indicate love for God also has implications for one's relationships with fellow human beings."[2]
Operating procedures produce a quality result efficiently and when practiced become a standard of operating. Every organization has operating procedures, even if they exist in oral form or in the minds of the leadership only, they do exist. Some think that the lack of written operating procedures or instructions improve relationships and provide freedom within that organization, but in actuality it creates conflict. The lack of standard operating procedures creates an organization that is reactive, trying to "react" to the next move. As there is no process to measure and improve, the organization is not expedient; not providing an easy and quick way to do something. Reactive leaders are ineffective, they measure performance based on how people react to their oral instructions or lack of, with failure to react seen as disobedience.

Sometimes we forget this greatest principle of love, it is human nature to get caught up in the details, in the duty of producing results or following rules or processes. If we take the people out of the equation then we break the greatest commandments to God. Loving God and others fulfills the law, because it is about loving and following the law not one or the other. Without love following the rules is nothing and love perfects us into following the rules not the other way around. Does not punishing people for "breaking the rules" without providing proper instruction violate a greater principle of God? God gives instructions on how to operate within His will, for God not to give instruction and to punish for not following instruction would be unimaginable, yet we do the same when we fail to give proper instruction. 

The law is good as it exposes our weaknesses, without such there would be no sin nor rules, just winging it. Without proper instruction God would not be a good father, yet we tend to discipline as such.[3] When we violate greater principles in the name of lesser ones we do not understand His procedures and we are not operating to his standards. As there are a diversity of gifts there are also a diversity of operations, these operations are different and operate differently but it is the same God which operates all in all, the principles of God are the same. Like the law to God's people, standard operating procedures establish how we should act or live in organizations. He has made known to us through the written word of God and His spirit, helping us to be expedient in our operations.

"which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words" (1 Corinthians 2:13).


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