There are many worthy ways of following the Lord, and most Christians are called to faithful service in marriage and in family life. By choosing not to marry, brothers in The Servants of the Word are free to devote the time, energy, and commitment typically invested in family life to other services and mission so badly needed to spread the Gospel. Christ Himself is our foremost example of one whose calling befitted from the special freedom possible in the single life of devotion. We call this "Living Single for the Lord". We do this by living out a common life, pooling our resources, but most of all being singlehearted for the Lord and his kingdom.

A Common Life

The body of Christ made manifest at Pentecost was most clearly a community of believers who shared a common life. They served one another, prayed and worshipped together, and most importantly, fostered faith for fellow Christians living in a hostile world.

The Servants of the Word share their daily life in the same way. Prayer is a first priority, with daily periods for individual and communal prayer as well as Scripture study. We also gather to chant the Psalms three times each day. Special times of retreat and prayer are a part of our weekly and annual schedule.

We share the morning and evening meal together and make time for other common activities, recreation and fellowship, to strengthen our experience as a community of brothers.

Simplicity of Possessions

Our desire is to have our hearts undivided in devotion to the Lord and to make all our resources available for His work. Our approach to material possession is guided by common decisions to meet the needs of each individual while making the most resources available for specific mission and outreach work. The guiding principle is good stewardship of the grace and resource God gives us.