The gift of administration is the motivation to coordinate the gifts and ministries of others to accomplish God’s will in a given task or area of responsibility.
“But this is not to be so with you; on the contrary let him who is the greatest among you become as that youngest, and him who is the chief and leader as one who serves” (Luke 22:26).
Romans 12:8 “He that rules with diligence….”
Characteristics
1. Goal-oriented and more impersonal than the exhorter.
2. Has the ability to see the overall picture, clarify goals, and establish procedure to achieve the goals.
3. Has the ability to recognize gifts and match people with projects.
4. Had the ability to delegate authority.
5. Strength to endure reactions and counter-suggestions from workers in order to accomplish tasks quickly and efficiently.
6. Derives joy from a completed project that served its purpose.
7. Administrator tends to assume responsibility for a task if no structured leadership exists and the task is not being done or will wait for authority for proper timing.
8. Must be open to legitimate criticism and suggestions so as to win confidence of helpers.
9. Must take a ‘pastoral’ interest in those he is governing so that they are well provided for and relationships are kept intact.
10. Must retain the love, respect, and trust of his workers.
Fruit of the Spirit
Romans 12:14, Romans 12:8
Temptations to Avoid
1. Using people to accomplish selfish goals rather than those established by the Lord.
2. Using people to accomplish a legitimate ministry with a greater concern for their ‘usefulness’ rather than their value as people.
3. Overlooking major character flaws in those useful in achieving even God-ordained ministry.
4. Being impersonal, unapproachable, and insensitive toward those you are governing.
Problems and Misunderstandings
1. The ability and need to delegate may appear as laziness.
2. May appear callous.
3. Failure to explain reasons for tasks make cause workers to feel they are being abused.
4. Keeping projects on schedule may appear as insensitivity to the personal well-being of the workers.
Scriptural Examples
1. Yeshua, feeding the 5000, Mark 6:38-44, checked resources, plan of distribution, delegated responsibility to the 12
2. Nehemiah, Book of Nehemiah, special zeal for God’s people, sensed the overall problem and surveyed the needs, delegated authority, proceeded under opposition, made things easy for others and was not a burden
General Counsel and Application
Yeshua said that the children of the world are wiser in their own generation than the children of the light. This applies to administration.
In many ways, the church is archaic and inefficient in how it uses its people and resources to accomplish its mission. Pastors, for the most part, are not administrators and do not know how to release the potential of a congregation. Also, the church fails to allow the people to operate in their gifts and minister to the people. All pastors OUGHT to have a measure of the gift of ruling since they are called to function in a ‘governing’ capacity, 1 Timothy 3:5. It should be normal that there would be a governing ‘group’ in a church setting and therefore ‘one’ would have the gift of administration.
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©2013 Tentstake MInistries Publishing with The Keys to Church Harmony, 1983