The Economy of God, first published in 1968, is one of Witness Lee's principal works and is a compilation of messages he gave in the summer of 1964 in Los Angeles.

[1][page needed] The word "economy" is used with the intention of stressing the focal point of God's divine enterprise, which is to distribute, or dispense, Himself into man.

Another definition is the management or administration of the property of others and thus can be translated "stewardship" in contexts such as Luke 16:2-4 where οἰκονομία is seen from the perspective of a particular person.

(Note that οἰκονομία is often translated "dispensation" which commonly but erroneously is defined as a period of time or epoch.

"[4][page needed] Thus οἰκονομία can be defined as the distribution of goods to the members of a household for their possession and enjoyment.