The Gift of Administration

Is your church lacking people in leadership who have the gift of administration? When a church tries to function without one or more people in leadership who have the gift of administration there will be confusion, conflict, misunderstandings; and, often times, chaos and hurt feelings. Bottom line; it will be a dysfunctional church.

Some signs that your church needs people with this gift would be:

• A lack of resources available for members which are accurate and kept updated on a regular basis as things change in the body (i.e., ministry contact lists) 
• Literature composed, produced and printed with typos and errors. 
• Lack of proper communication to the entire membership regarding church needs, events, meetings, and announcements. 
• The same individuals doing all the work, all the time. 
• A lack of knowledge of the gifts of all of the members of the church and the inability to effectively use the members to most edify the body and bring Glory to God. 
• Members who feel invisible, unloved and insignificant. 

The gift of administration is really needed in the Christian community. Paul spoke many times about the church as a body with many essential parts, each being necessary for the body to function wholly. People with the gift of administration may well hold the key to pulling all the various parts together in harmony. Being able to absorb detail, organize and delegate are traits of this gift, and these qualities, when employed effectively, can be helpful in allowing the Holy Spirit’s work in one committee to compliment, rather than conflict with, the work of another. The instincts for what comes first and what follows, who can plug in where, and how to arrange things so that everything fits into the schedule or that everything gets done are sorely needed in a busy church environment. This is a wonderful spiritual gift to have.

With this gift you can help the church get in order and stay in order. That orderliness surely pleases God for he ordered the whole world.

The gift of Administration: the special ability that God gives for understanding clearly the immediate and long-range goals of a particular unit of the Body of Christ and the ability to devise and execute effective plans for the accomplishment of these goals. The ability to organize and guide human activities in such a way that Christ’s program is carried out.

As a spiritual gift, administration has to do with guiding the affairs of the church and kingdom. The person with this gift has management ability. The administrator accepts the goals set by others and devises and executes plans to accomplish these goals. A sense for organization is evident. Often a person with this gift is characterized as able to direct and motivate people and coordinate their activities. Often, but not always, people with the gift of administration also have the gift of leadership.

A person with this gift will take an organized approach to most undertakings, and this attribute can be valuable in planning, coordinating, directing, supervising, or in committee work. Some would refer to this type of individual as a “how to” person. One might expect a person with this gift to enjoy preparing agendas and reports to help a committee become more productive. Expect that careful attention will be paid to even small details in planning an activity. Someone with the gift of administration is characterized as one who takes satisfaction in a well-run organization.

When a church tries to function without one or more people in leadership with this gift, there will be confusion, conflict, misunderstandings; and, often times, chaos and hurt feelings.  If this is true in your church.  Pray!   Pray that God will send you those with this gift!

Rome is not the only guilty party! How far does Church Authority go?

Are you guilty? 

"But you are not to be called 'Rabbi,' for you have only one Master and you are all brothers." Matthew 23:8

In every generation, there are those of an officious spirit who aspire to leadership, demanding deference from their fellows. Such men insist upon unqualified subjection from their followers. Their interpretation of the Scriptures must not be challenged, their dictates are final. Everyone must believe precisely what they teach, and order all the details of his life by the rules of conduct which they prescribe--or else be branded as a heretic.

There have been, and still are, many such self-elevated little popes in Christendom, who deem themselves to be entitled to implicit credence and obedience, whose decisions must be accepted without question. They are nothing but arrogant usurpers, for Christ alone is the Master of Christians; and since all of His disciples are "brethren," they possess equal rights and privileges.

"Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father--He who is in Heaven." Matthew 23:9. This dehortation has ever been needed by God's people, for they are the most part simple and unsophisticated, trustful and easily imposed upon. In those verses, the Lord Jesus was enforcing the duty of private judgment, bidding believers to allow none to be the dictators of their faith, or lords of their lives.

No man is to be heeded in spiritual matters, any further than he can produce a plain and decisive, "Thus says the LORD" as the foundation of his appeal. To be in subjection to any ecclesiastical authority which is not warranted by Holy Writ, or to comply with the whims of men--is to renounce your Christian freedom. Allow none to have dominion over your mind and conscience. Be regulated only by the teaching of God's Word, and firmly refuse to be brought into bondage to "the commandments and doctrines of men." Instead, "Stand fast in the liberty with which Christ has made us free," yielding unreservedly to His authority alone.

God does not require the minds and consciences of His children to be enslaved by any ecclesiastical dominion. Each one has the right to exercise his own judgment.

"Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care . . . not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock." 1 Peter 5:2-3. Instead of lording it over God's heritage, preachers are to be "examples to the flock"--personal patterns of good works, holiness, and self-sacrifice; models of piety, humility, and charity.

Love of power has been as common a sin in the pulpit, as love of money, and many of the worst evils which have befallen Christendom, have issued from a lusting after dominion and ecclesiastical honors. Such is poor human nature, that good men find it hard to keep from being puffed up and misusing any measure of authority when it is committed unto them, and from not doing more harm than good with the same. Pastors are to make self-abnegation, and not self-exaltation, their constant aim.

The right of private judgment does not mean that each Christian may be a law unto himself, and still less lord over himself. We must beware of allowing liberty to degenerate into license! No, it means the right to form our own views from Scriptures, to be in bondage to no ecclesiastical authority, and to be subject unto God alone. Two extremes are to be guarded against:
1. slavery to human authority and tradition, and
2. the spirit of self-will and pride.

Private judgment does not mean private imagination, but a deliberate conviction based on Holy Writ! Though I must not resign my mind and conscience to others, or deliver my reason and faith over blindfold to any church--yet I ought to be very slow in rejecting the approved judgment of God's true servants. Self-conceit is to be rigidly restrained. Private judgment is to be exercised humbly, soberly, and impartially, with a willingness to receive light from any quarter.

Ponder the Word for yourself; but mortify the spirit of haughty self-sufficiency, and be ready to avail yourself of anything likely to afford you a better understanding of God's truth. Above all, daily beg the Holy Spirit to be your teacher! And always accord your brethren the same right and privilege, which you claim for yourself.

The Church?

"...and to become myself a learner before I could attempt to teach; and upon such points as these it would be the very reverse of wisdom to dogmatize."

"James Bannerman's 'The Church of Christ' is the most extensive, standard, solid, Reformed treatment of the doctrine of the church that has ever been written. It is indisputably the classic in its field. Every minister and elder should own a copy, and church members would also be much better informed if they perused it carefully. How many church problems would be alleviated if churches used Bannerman as their primary textbook for their understanding of what the church is and for their modus operandi! --Joel R. Beeke

Volume One of this two volume work (full title: The Church of Christ: a treatise on the nature, powers, ordinances, discipline, and government of the Christian Church) deals with the nature and power of the Church, containing a lengthy explanation of the Church in its relation to the state, which is arguably one of the best treatments of this topic available. From there it deals with matters in regard to which Church power is exercised (i.e. in regard to doctrine, ordinances, the instrumentality and time of public worship; with a discussion of holy days, Independency, and confessions). Volume Two continues where Volume One left off, providing a lengthy section on the sacraments, covering the parties in whom the right to exercise church power is vested, examining crucial points concerning Christian liberty, comparing the Popish, Prelatic, Independent, Congregational and Presbyterian systems, etc. Nine appendices deal with a wide range of practical topics including union between churches, Church/State relations, ordination, and valuable notes on the literature related to this subject.

Iain Murray, a prominent scholar and co-founder of the Reformed publishing house, The Banner of Truth Trust, has said of The Church of Christ that "for those who wish to study the doctrine of the Church in its several aspects as it was held by the majority of the Reformers, Puritans, Covenanters and leaders of 'The Third Reformation,' it will prove an invaluable textbook."

Here is part of the author's introduction.

It was with no ordinary feelings of doubt and distrust in my own powers, that I first set myself to cope with this high argument. With that measure of ability which God has given me, and which the Church has called upon me to exercise in the Chair in this College to which the Doctrine of the Church belongs, I have endeavoured to open up the general principles of a subject, almost entirely new in academic prelections, and especially arduous.

I have found the task to be one beset with difficulties neither few nor small. Not the least of these has been the entire absence of any adequate guide--or often of any guide at all--to aid me in shaping my course and forming my opinions with respect to many of the most difficult and delicate questions connected with my subject. I have been compelled to take up these opinions very much at my own hand, and to become myself a learner before I could attempt to teach ; and upon such points as these it would be the very reverse of wisdom to dogmatize.

I shall be more than rewarded for the time and labour spent upon this great and arduous subject, if I have been enabled, in however small a measure, to impart some knowledge of the truths, or to suggest some of the grand principles, or even to awaken some interest in the argument of a department in theology, a thorough acquaintance with which is so essential for those who hope to occupy, or who already fill, that honourable yet responsible place, held by those who are put in trust with the work of the ministry in the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ.

If you are a pastor or teacher, do not assume that you have cornered the market or have a full and complete grasp on this subject.  It is so important, when using the term "Church" from the pulpit or during a bible study, that you clearly define which "church" you are referring to when you are quoting passages or making dogmatic statements, i.e. local, universal, invisible, etc.  Your listeners will assume certain things and in most cases their assumptions will be incorrect.   As  lay person who engages in conversations after a teaching on "the church"; I can guarantee you that the people are confused.   In fact, there is always the possibility that some of you may be confused, as well.

If you are responsible for teaching others in any leadership capacity; I strongly recommend this 2 volume set.  You can read it online here:  http://ia700300.us.archive.org/4/items/churchofchristtr01bann/churchofchristtr01bann_djvu.txt

Some Words of Wisdom from Iain Murray

While studying church government, I came across a transcript from an address given by Iain Murray on the topic of "Eldership".  It can be read in its entirety by clicking HERE.  The following are a few excerpts that are worthy of reading (if one doesn't feel compelled to read the entire article).

As a second reason for taking up the subject let me suggest that a measure of uncertainty, such as I have personally experienced, may not be altogether a bad thing. It is written of Dr. George Matheson, the last-century Scottish preacher and hymn-writer, that when he was young, 'He was confident that he could establish the intellectual coherence of religious and scientific truth . . . But as time went on he seemed to lose his confidence'.  The consequence, we trust, was that the author of 'O Love that wilt not let me go' became a humbler Christian. Similarly, some of us were once too ready to think that we could resolve all questions of church order and government. Uncertainty, with humility of mind, is better for us than a wrong dogmatism. For anyone to be hesitant when Scripture is definite is a sin. But we have also to recognize the danger that we may be definite when Scripture itself allows a greater latitude of opinion or practice than we are prepared to do.

Murray then outlines the three different biblical understandings of New Testament eldership.and concludes by stating:

These, then, are the three best-known views. As we review them, there is one thing which can be said with certainty, we will never resolve which is right simply by reading the theological authorities and taking our side with the majority or the most orthodox. The truth is that some of the best-known names in the reformed churches to go no further will be found on opposing sides. There is no consensus. Even William Cunningham, commonly regarded as one of the clearest champions of 'divine right' Presbyterianism, could write to Charles Hodge:

I have never been able to make up my mind fully as to the precise grounds on which the office and functions of the ruling elder ought to be maintained and defended. For some time before I went to America I had come to lean pretty strongly to the view that all ecclesiastical office-bearers were presbyters, and that there were sufficiently clear indications in Scripture that there were two distinct classes of those presbyrers, viz, ministers and ruling elders; though not insensible to the difficulty attaching to this theory from the consideration that it fairly implies that wherever presbyters or bishops are spoken of in Scripture ruling elders are included. I have been a good deal shaken in my attachment to this theory by the views I have heard from you, but I have not yet been able to abandon it entirely.

If men of Cunningham's calibre were uncertain, it can surely only mean that each of the three views I have outlined has its own point of weakness.

He ends the address with a several General Observations.  The following are those which seem of the highest importance for men leading churches to consider:

We have covered enough ground to establish at least one thing clearly: the question of the eldership is by no means straightforward. The subject has been handled by a number of the most eminent teachers of the Church including Calvin, Owen, Thornwell, Hodge to name a few and none is decisive in establishing a clear scriptural case. They are all unconvincing at certain points and sometimes they are inconsistent in the very views they advance.

- - - - -

It has to be remembered that a great deal of the zeal manifested in the seventeenth century to establish uniformity in church government was driven by the belief that without it churches would be in a state of schism. But if Christ has imposed no one, unvarying form of government, and if schism is not a matter of external conformity, then that belief was a noble mistake. As A. A. Hodge writes:

- - - - -

If the church be an external society, then all deviation from that society is of the nature of schism; but if the Church be in its essence a great spiritual body, constituted by the indwelling of the Holy Ghost through all the ages and nations, uniting all to Christ, and if its organization is only accidental and temporary, and subject to change and variation, then deviation of organization, unless touched by the spirit of schism, is not detrimental to the Church . . . All claims that our Church is the one Church and only Church, are of the essence of schism; all pride and bigotry are of the essence of schism; all want of universal love, all jealousy, and all attempts to take advantage of others in controversy or in Church extension, are of the essence of schism.

- - - - -

This does not mean that matters of church government can be treated as unimportant. But it does warn us that all over-vigorous dogmatism, and all 'ultraism' for one 'orthodox' position on points of order, are more likely to distract churches with controversy than to do lasting good. In the winning of souls to Christ Scripture commends a higher duty to us. The supreme need is to see men and women belonging by faith to Christ himself and thus being united to the church which is 'the heavenly Jerusalem'. Apart from this, as Owen says, 'All contests about church-order . . . are vain, empty, fruitless.' 'If this only true notion of the catholic church were received, as it ought to be, it would cast contempt on all those contests about the church, or churches, which at this day so perplex the world. He who is first instated, by faith on the person and mediation of the Lord Jesus Christ, in this heavenly society, will be guided by the light and privileges of it into such ways of divine worship in churches here below as shall cause him to improve and grow in his interest in that above.

- - - - -

We should not deduce from this that it is not worth struggling about questions of church order neither Owen nor the Haldanes believed that but our endeavours should ever be moderated by the consciousness that much imperfection and some uncertainties belong to the order of all churches. So Calvin, while preaching on the eldership, could say: 'There is yet a great distance between us, and the order that was practised in the apostles time. And therefore let us pray God to confirm us, that he bring things to a better pass . . . seeing we are not only not in the middest way, but to speak truth have scarce begun.'

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It may surely be that one reason why God has permitted difficulties with the subject we have discussed, as with other subjects, is that we might have further cause to learn humility. 'While we wrangle here in the dark,' writes Baxter, 'we are dying and passing to the world that will decide all our controversies; and the safest passage thither is by peaceable holiness'.