The spiritual gift of administration is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit mentioned in the Bible. It refers to the God-given ability to organize, direct, and implement plans to carry out the vision that God has given to the church.
The Greek word translated as “administration” in 1 Corinthians 12:28 is kubernesis, which means to steer or govern. It’s the same word used to describe a ship’s captain who guides the vessel to its destination. So the spiritual gift of administration involves leadership, guidance, organization, and oversight to accomplish God’s purposes through His church.
Some key points about the spiritual gift of administration:
1. It enables effective church leadership and management
The gift of administration allows certain Christians to lead, organize, and manage the various operations and ministries of the church. Administrators provide direction, make decisions, coordinate activities, and oversee the church’s affairs in order to help it function properly and achieve its mission.
The book of Acts shows the importance of administration in the early church. The apostles made sure needs were being met daily (Acts 6:1-7) and structured leadership to guide the growing church (Acts 14:23). Effective administration is key to any organization being able to carry out its purposes.
2. It involves planning and coordinating
Administrators are able to look at the big picture of what needs to be done for God’s kingdom purposes and break it down into manageable tasks and goals. They are organized, detail-oriented, and strategic in how they plan activities, projects, and events to make them orderly and successful.
In 1 Corinthians 14:40, Paul instructs the Corinthians to “Let all things be done decently and in order.” Administrators ensure things are done decently and orderly through proper management. They coordinate scheduling, resources, equipment, volunteers, finances – everything necessary to fulfill plans and objectives.
3. It motivates and leads others
While administrators oversee the coordination and execution of tasks, they also lead others to be involved in the work. They recruit, train, and schedule team members to carry out ministry duties. They motivate people to use their own spiritual gifts in serving. They provide vision to energize volunteers in performing roles.
Delegation is a key skill for administrators. Exodus 18:13-27 records how Jethro instructed Moses to delegate authority to other capable men, so the administrative load would not be entirely on Moses. Good administrators share the work to avoid burnout.
4. It requires making sound decisions
Administrators must be able to assess situations, evaluate options, and make wise decisions about courses of action. Their choices directly impact the church’s operations and ministries. They research options before deciding, consult others for input, and weigh pros and cons of various choices.
Acts 15 exemplifies the gift of administration in action when the Jerusalem Council made a unifying decision about Gentile believers. After discussion and investigation, James proposed a resolution that “pleased the whole gathering” (Acts 15:22). Godly administrators seek Spirit-led decisions.
5. It aims to steward resources responsibly
Church administrators are stewards of the resources, finances, equipment, and property God has provided for His work. Like the servants in the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30), they manage what the Master has entrusted to them – aiming for maximum output for the church’s growth and ministry influence.
Their oversight ensures wise stewardship of resources for advancing God’s Kingdom. Paul mentions the gift of administration right after the gift of giving in Romans 12:8, suggesting they work closely together. Administrators make sure gifts are used wisely.
6. It functions best with other gifts
Administration operates most effectively alongside other spiritual gifts like leadership, teaching, wisdom, discernment, helping, etc. Each gift provides unique value to the church. Administrators humbly recognize their role is to support and serve others’ gifts, not control or restrict them.
In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul compares the interdependence of spiritual gifts to the interworking of parts of the human body. Just as eyes and hands need each other, so administration needs to work alongside other gifts or problems can arise.
7. It should be exercised servant-heartedly
While administrators oversee church affairs, they must lead like Jesus led – humbly serving others, not abusing authority. As Mark 10:42-45 reminds, godly leaders are servants not dictators. They should exemplify the meek leadership modeled by Christ.
The administrator is not the head of the church but rather a member of Christ’s body submitting to Him as head (Colossians 1:18). Their service enables the church to function in orderly ways that bring glory to God.
8. It equips the church for greater ministry impact
The overarching goal of church administration is to free up and empower the church for more effective ministry. By providing structure, managing logistics, and establishing orderly systems, administrators remove hindrances that could limit outreach and discipleship.
In Acts 6, apostles delegated administrative responsibilities to focus on preaching and prayer. Streamlined operations better enabled the church’s witness. Likewise, today’s administrators eliminate distractions that could impede the Kingdom work.
9. All believers are called to stewardship and service
While some are uniquely gifted by the Holy Spirit as administrators, all believers are responsible to use their own gifts and abilities to serve God’s purposes. We are all stewards of the resources, capacities, and opportunities God provides us.
Whether leading ministries, teaching children, giving generously, evangelizing, or any endeavor, we should exercise our gifts faithfully as stewards, for God’s glory and Kingdom growth. Good administration facilitates this Kingdom stewardship.
10. The church needs the gift of administration
This spiritual gift benefits the church today as much as in the early church. Complex ministries and big church facilities require oversight to operate smoothly. Legal and financial requirements demand administrative attention. Outreach events and missions need organized leadership.
By God’s design, the body of Christ functions interdependently. The gift of administration brings order and efficiency so that church operations align with God’s purposes. Churches should welcome this gift in members who possess it.
In summary, the spiritual gift of administration is a God-given ability that enables certain Christians to provide leadership, organization, and oversight to the practical affairs of the church. This gift allows the church to function properly so that it can most effectively carry out the overall mission God has for it. Administrators serve a vital role, working alongside other gifts, to steward resources responsibly for God’s glory.