Short form:
The Conference recognizes that the chief
initiative and active responsibility in most world matters should be exercised
by the trustee members of the Conference acting as the General Service Board.
Long form:
On behalf of AA as a whole, our General Service
Conference has the principal responsibility for the maintenance of our world
services, and it traditionally has the final decision respecting large matters
of general policy and finance. But the Conference also recognizes that the
chief initiative and the active responsibility in most of these matters should
be exercised primarily by the Trustee members of the Conference when they act
among themselves as the General Service Board of Alcoholics Anonymous.
Questions in service and in life
·
When delegating chief initiative and active
responsibility, do I trust and let go of the results, until it is my time to assess
them formally?
·
When receiving delegation, do I take the chief initiative
and active responsibility for such matters?
·
When receiving delegation, do I recognise that the
final decision concerning general policy (and finance) lies with the ultimate
authority?
Questions in life
·
When I am asked for help, do I seek guidance
from God on how to respond?
·
When I identify an opportunity for service, do I
take up that opportunity or do I leave it to others?
·
Can I delegate where necessary, or do I exhaust myself
by doing everything myself?
·
Do I feel guilty for things beyond my active
responsibility?
·
Do I worry?
·
Do I make an effort to discharge all my duties, or
do I let my duties build up?
Quotations
'Just as the AA groups find themselves unable to act
decisively respecting world service affairs unless they delegate a great amount
of active authority and responsibility to their Conference, so must the
Conference in turn delegate a liberal administrative authority to the General
Service Board, in order that its Trustees may act freely and effectively in the
absence of the Conference itself.' (Introduction to Twelve Concepts for World
Service by Bill W.)
'While the Trustees must always operate under the close
observation, guidance and sometimes the direction of the Conference, it is
nevertheless true that nobody but the Trustees and their wholly-owned service
corporations could possibly pass judgment upon and handle the very large number
of transactions now involved in our total world service operation. In view of
this very large responsibility, they must therefore be given a correspondingly
large grant of authority and leadership with which to discharge it. We should
quite understand, too, that the conduct of our world services is primarily a
matter of policy and business. Of course our objective is always a spiritual
one, but this service aim can only be achieved by means of an effective
business operation. Our Trustees must function almost exactly like the
directors of any large business corporation. They must have ample authority to
really manage and conduct AA's business.' (Introduction to Twelve Concepts for
World Service by Bill W.)
'God has the ultimate responsibility for our service while
we have the active responsibility for carrying the message.' (Dennis F.)
'This is one of my favourite concepts of service, because it
relieves me of the need to worry. The sixth concept of service clearly
delineates the lines of responsibility between my Maker and me. I have the
responsibility to carry the message, and God has the ultimate responsibility
for my service. God gets people sober; I don't.' (Dennis F.)
It is the same principle in my home and work life. As long
as I make the efforts to do what God places in front of me to do, I am
fulfilling my relationship with God by taking active responsibility for my life
a day at a time. I then release the results of these actions to God, who has
ultimate responsibility for all the assignments He gives me. I no longer need
to worry about money or any concern as long as I give service in my job.'
(Dennis F.)
'When God gives me responsibility, he also gives me the
authority or ability to carry out that responsibility. Just as I am not tempted
beyond my prayer power, so I am not given burdens without the God-given resources
to accomplish them. Bill now describes how the corporate structure of AA is
built on the same principle: authority must have equal responsibility. I need
to follow this principle in my service relationships with others: I need to
give authority to those I give assignments to accomplish if I am to permit them
to be of service.' (Dennis F.)
'Either God has the ultimate responsibility for me, or he
doesn't. If he doesn't, then I do. And if I have the ultimate responsibility
for myself, I can tell you right now that I'm not going to make it. That is why
I find this concept of service so reassuring.' (Dennis F.)
'The implications of letting go of the ultimate
responsibility for what goes on, extends to other people. If I don't have to
hang on to every detail myself, I don't have to hang on to every detail for you
either. I can extend to you the same freedom that God gives to me. You have the
same right to be happy that I do. You have your own Higher Power, and He has
the ultimate responsibility for your life.' (Dennis F.)
'The great obsession of this abnormal drinker in living is
to try to control life so I can enjoy it. While I am enjoying life, I am not
controlling it. This paradox not only applies to alcohol. It applies to living.'
(Dennis F.)
'This is the source of my self worth, which I can state in
three words when I'm down on myself: God needs me.' (Dennis F.)
'When I carry the message, I am his mouth, his legs, his
arms and his hands. If he wanted to send a message of sobriety another way, he
would have sent somebody else. But God needs me so he sends me. He sends each
one of us because each one of us has a unique message to give that no one else
can.' (Dennis F.)