GROUND OF TRUTH BIBLE INSTITUTE

NO 1, ABODERIN STREET AGBAJE ORITA CHALLENGE IBADAN OYO STATE NIGERIA

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                                           HANDOUT

 

   

ADVANCED CHRISTIAN LEADERSHIP

(100 LEVEL)

CHURCH ADMINISTRTION

INTRODUCTION:  Church Administration is a subject one must approach very carefully and cautiously too to avoid contempt of its Builder.  Jesus Himself announced that He would build His church.  (Matt. 16:18) The statement implies that Jesus is the Sole Administrator of the church.

The church as it were, is the collection of the “Called Out” people.  It is the gathering of the blood washed believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. If these blood-washed people were not to gather together in fellowship to worship God, then may be there would not have been necessity for leadership.  The gathering together of these believers otherwise called Christians created the need for organization.  This emergence of organization gave birth to leadership for effective co-ordination. 

Since it has been established that Jesus is the builder of His church, then the administration of such church should be pattern after the style He used, as it littered the pages of the New Testament, especially the Gospels.

1Cor. 12:4 – 6 set out sections of the church, which the father, son and the Holy Ghost handle.  The Spirit is in charge of the Gifts.  The Father is in charge of operations.  The Lord, that is, Jesus Christ is charged with the responsibility of Administration.  What King James called “Administration” is the same thing called service and Ministration in the Amplified Bible:  Ministries in the New American Standard Bible and way to serve in the New Century Version.

Looking at the word very closely, we discovered that Administration, which implies management of affairs in the regular life, is not the same thing as in the church sense.  In the church sense, Administration means service, Ministration, Ministries and way to serve.

“But Jesus called them to (Him), and said to them, you know that those who are recognize as governing and are supposed to rule the Gentile (the Nations) Lord it over them  - ruling with absolute power holding them in subjection  - and their great men exercise authority and dominion over them. 

BUT THIS IS NOT TO BE SO AMONG YOU, insisted, whomever desires to be great among you must be your servant, and whomever wishes to be most important and first in rank among you must be the slave of all.  For even the son of man came not to have service rendered to Him, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransomed for (instead of many)” Mk. 10:42 – 45 (Amp.)

The above verses laid the principles that we all must follow in managing the affairs of His Church.  Jesus instructed that church Administration or leadership must not be patterned after the worldly system. 

Church administration is not intended to introduce or bring politics into the church, God forbid! Administration in the church are not to exercise power, authority and dominion as it is widely seen today.  They are to serve or minister.  They are not Lords they are slaves!

What is obtainable in the contemporary churches is at variance to the provisions of the word of God.  Church leaders are no more saving they are the ones being served.  They operate as if to say they are the owners of the church.  But this must not be so among us.

MEN SET TO SERVE IN THE CHURCH; “wherefore he said, when he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.  And he gave some, Apostles, and some Prophets, and some Evangelists. And some Pastors and Teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, FOR THE WORK OF THE MINISTRY (Administration), for the edifying of the body of Christ” Eph. 4:8, 11 – 12 (KJV).

The followings are those set aside for administration in the body of Christ:

 

                            Apostles

                            Prophets

                            Evangelists

                            Pastors

                            Teachers.

There are other people in the church as found in the Bible without having any of these offices that were involved in church administration.  Examples of such people are the seven men of honest report that were chosen from among the people. (Acts.6: 3,5 – 6). 

These were the first set of Deacons in the early church. Paul encouraged Titus to ordain people as Bishops – Overseer to over-see the flock, provided such people met the set standards.

  JESUS’ PATTERN OF CHURCH ADMINISTRATION

                                  Chief Servant

         Board of Trustees                                                 

                                                                              

                               Executive Council                                                                       

                                                                        Church Secretary

                              Int’l council of Elders

                                                     

                            Gen. Council of ministers

                                                     

                                                                                    Confidential Sec.

                               Gen. Workers Assembly       

                                                     

                                      General Assembly

CHIEF SERVANT; Jesus Christ filled this position as the Head of the church.  Everybody looked up to Him for instruction and direction.  He is directly and basically responsible unto His father.  Jesus said the son (Jesus) could do nothing except what He sees the father doing. (Jn.5: 19).  He came to fulfill the will of His Father.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES; There were Moses and Elijah discussing with Jesus about His death.  Even though Jesus told Apostles the reason why He was born, yet none of them was bold or informed enough to discuss with Him on this very crucial matter except Moses and Elijah on the mount of transfiguration.  (Lk.9: 28 – 31).

The board of trustees should be a policy making body for the church. They are saddled with the fulfillment of the vision of the ministry.  They can counsel the chief servant on matters relating to the overall vision of the ministry.  The people who should belong here must be people of proven integrity in the Lord. 

They must be people with wealth of experience in the ministry. Sometime, it is advisable to have somebody who seniors the chief servant on the field as a member of the board, possibly to checkmate the excesses of the chief servant if there will be any.

Peter, James and John were very close enough to hear the discussion between these three great men of God.  One may conclude that they are part of the Board of trustees.  It all depends on each individual.

EXECUTIVE COUNCIL; Peter, James, John and the Jesus Christ formed the Executive council of Jesus’ ministry. These men were with Him on the mount of transfiguration.(Lk.9:28 –31, Matt.17:1).  In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus created an interesting picture of His ministry.

 He brought the eleven with Him to the garden. Out of the eleven He carved out three- Peter, James and John and brought them a little farther into the garden.  He asked these three men to stop at a point and He moved forward, at a stone’s throw distance to pray.

Every crucial assignment and outings must involve these people.  When Jesus was going to heal the daughter of Jarius.  He took with Him these three.

SECRETARY TO THE CHURCH; There was somebody among the twelve who was very close to the breasts of Jesus Christ.  This disciple understood the heart beat of Jesus more than anybody did.  And the disciple is known as John the beloved. (Jn.13: 22 –26; 21:20).  It was a little wonder than that Jesus, at the point of His death asked him to take care of His biological mother.

Jesus appointed John the beloved as His personal secretary to the church in the book of Revelation (Rev. 1:1, 4 – 3:22).

 

INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL OF ELDERS;

Mk.3: 13 –15.  Jesus chose the twelve that they might be with Him, that He might send them forth to preach.  These twelve formed the pillar of Jesus International ministry.  A church must have some ordained experienced ministers who will be in position to spread the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ forth – beyond their territorial boundaries.

 

GENERAL COUNCIL OF MINISTERS:

LK.10: 1 – 12, 16 – 20.  The General Council of Ministers consists of the ordained seventy, which Jesus sent out o go and preach.  All of these people were on full – time appointment judging from the instructions the master gave them.  He told them to take nothing with them for their journey. It is necessary for such a body to be constituted in the church for easy and well co-coordinated outreaches, church planting and missions.

CONFIDENTIAL SECRETARY:  Lk.1: 1 –4, Acts.1: 1 Dr. Luke was taking records of all that Jesus taught and did. He set everything in order, from the very beginning of Jesus ‘ life till time Jesus was taken up and also about the beginning of the church.

The public did not know he was recording all the proceedings.  There must be a confidential secretary, who will be in charge of the operations of the ministry.  He/she will work directly with the Pastor of the ministry.

 

GENERAL WORKERS ASSEMBLY: 

The general workers assembly formed the work force of the church a inception. There were the people that were baptized of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost numbering 120.  From these 120, people like Stephen and Philip emerged.  The general workers assembly should embrace everybody, who renders one service or the other in the ministry, such as Ushers, Choristers, Sunday school teachers, Prayer Victors all leaders, all ministers, all officers e.t.c.

 

GENERAL ASSEMBLY;

The General Assembly is the multitude of the disciples.  These people were also relevant in the scheme of things  in Jesus’ ministry .  Jesus recognized them.  Many times, the needs of these multitudes  will move Him to preach  or wrought miracles. 

In the early Church, when there was murmuring, the Apostles had to call the multitude of disciples and addressed them, even instructing the multitude to select seven men from among them that would be ordained .as Deacons. (Acts.6: 1-6).  Any ministry that fails to recognize the General Assembly’s voice will experience crisis, and as a matter of fact, such ministry will not grow.