Administration in the Church

Recently, I had the opportunity to complete a project entitled, Organizational Revitalization in the Local Church, to partially fulfill the requirements of becoming a nationally certified Church Business Administrator through the NACBA.  The following is an excerpt:

    

Though revitalization has become somewhat of a buzz word in today’s church culture, many times we make revitalization everything that it is not.  We use the concept of revitalization to mask a new program or church growth tactic for which we need the congregation to support.  After all, who would not want to be revitalized?  However, lest one think that they are on the cutting edge of creativity and church health trends, they must realize that the principle of revitalization has been around for a long time.  Revitalization is about us moving onto God’s agenda, not Him moving onto our agendas.

           

A technical definition of revitalization carries with it the notion of instilling new vigor, renewing hope, and redirecting or redefining purpose.  In essence it is the process of making someone or something which was once vital and is no longer, vital again.  Accordingly, Church revitalization is the process in which a Church is renewed in their determination to experience healthy and sustained spiritual, numerical, and organizational growth by refocusing on their God given mission as expressed through their obedience to Scripture. 

There are many places in Scripture in which revitalization is either implicitly understood or explicitly stated.  Organizational revitalization, in particular, has its roots in the fact that administration is a viable office within the church.  In Paul’s first letter to Corinth, chapter twelve, he outlines a list of spiritual gifts.  Among the variety of spiritual gifts that he lists, he mentions those with the gift of κυβερνήσεις (administration).  Those with the gift of administration “have the ability to govern and manage affairs in the church.”[1]  The Greek connotation of κυβερνήσεις sheds some light on this very important gift.  Very literally, this word describes the work of one who “steers a ship through the rocks and shoals to harbor.”[2]  It is through administration that the vision that God has laid on a pastor/leaders heart comes to fruition.  Practically speaking, administration is defined as the art and science of planning, organizing, leading, and controlling the work of others to achieve defined objectives and goals.  It involves the utilization of personnel, physical, and fiscal resources in order to meet desired outcomes.”[3]  It is impressive to think that among the apostles, prophets, teachers and miracle workers, found in this passage of Scripture, God thought it important enough to recognize the work and office of the administrator.  Obviously, regardless of the local church’s desire to pay particular attention to the administration of the Church, God has ordained it as a priority, enough to equip people with the gift thereof.  Are you a person that God has equipped with the gift of administration?  Your church needs you! 

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[1] W. Harold Mare, The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, ed. Frank E. Gaebelein (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1976) 10:266.

[2] William Barclay, The Letters to the Corinthians rev. ed. of The Daily Study Bible Series (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1975), 116.

[3] Robert Welch, Church Administration, (Broadman and Holman: Nashville, Tennessee, 2005), 4, 12.