“And God appointed in the church . . . gifts of . . . administrating.” (I Cor 12:28)
“But all things should be done decently and in order.” (I Cor 14:40)
When God revealed to Joseph the years of plenty and years of famine for Egypt, Joseph proceeded to advise Pharaoh to set up a system in which they gathered and stored grain for seven years to have food in time of famine. Pharaoh then hired Joseph to run that system. This is the gift of administration.
When Moses was overwhelmed with people who came to him for judgment, Jethro, his father-in-law, advised him to put people under him to hear the easy cases and let only the difficult cases come to him. This is the gift of administration.
When Nehemiah was rebuilding the wall around Jerusalem, he divided the task into smaller pieces and assigned specific people to specific pieces of the wall. He then oversaw the entire task and dealt with various distractions and difficulties. This is the gift of administration.
People with the gift of administration coordinate the work of the church to ensure that the church accomplishes the work of the kingdom in an efficient and effective way. These people manage resources – including other people. They set up efficient systems and structures. They take a vision and break it into manageable goals and practical steps in order to make that vision a reality. Church planters need these people. Pastors need these people. Ministry leaders need these people.
Those with the gift of administration are focused on the task of the mission. They are wise in how they handle work. They care about details, structures, organization, and managing people.
They are a type of leader. They lead and manage the processes of accomplishing the mission. They can be upfront leaders but often they lead behind the scenes. They may not make the final decisions but often advise the decision-makers on the best course of action. If you are a decision-maker, you need to listen to these people. They will save you much difficulty.
Importance of Administration
These are the strategic planners and organizers of the church.
Strengths
- organization
- strategic planning
- attention to detail
- ability to delegate
- efficiency
- management
- wisdom
Weaknesses
- can be too focused on numbers
- can miss people in the midst of the task
- can sometimes fail to take steps of faith because those steps don’t seem efficient
Examples of People with this Gift
Joseph, Jethro, Nehemiah, Daniel, the deacons in Acts 6 who oversaw the care of the widows, John Wesley, Larry Burkett, Ron Blue
Good Roles for People with this Gift
elder, advisor, planner, organizer, strategy coordinator, treasurer, ministry leader
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