Church Administration.

Pr David Hernández Sosa

SUBJECT. CHURCH ADMINISTRATION

TEACHER. DAVID HERNÁNDEZ SOSA
MEXICAN BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINAR

INTRODUCTION
Administration is an intelligently planned process so that, through projects and
goals, the procedures to be followed are developed in an orderly manner. In the
pastoral, as well as in the church, fundamental principles of stewardship-
administration are designed to fulfill the goals and objectives that have been set.
The Bible tells us about these processes and developments. From the Patriarchs
and Moses in the OT, to the NT in the case of Jesus and the apostles. The pastor,
as well as the leadership, plan according to the will of God.

GOALS
1. Achieve understanding of the steps to follow in planning the work and
development of the church.
2. Develop a sense of comprehensive stewardship, in order to discipline
yourself in achieving goals.
3. Understand the concept of delegating, according to Jethro's principles.
4. Execute the processes in a timely manner to meet the objectives.
5. Evaluate in light of pastoral practice, what is urgent and what is important

PROCEDURE
<Study and participation in class
<Pastoral administration project
<Application of vision, mission and goals in the work carried out
<Reading of the book “A Life with Purpose” and synthesis of it at the end of the
course

What is the church?

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It is a group of believers regenerated by Christ Jesus who gather in a certain place
to minister to each other, pray together, praise the Lord, read the Word, break
bread, etc. In a nutshell; It is that group that practices the functions of the church
according to Acts 2:42-47
I. New Testament term that originates the word church.
-Ekklesía: Call an assembly
-Jesus was the first to use the term. Matt 16-18
-In its broadest meaning: “It is the total company of regenerates of all
times in heaven and on earth.
-The church as a body. Ephesians 4:15-16

II. What is the church of Christ in the administrative sense?

-It is a group that depends on the Holy Spirit
-Depends on the Word of God
-It is an institution that uses the human resources it has and are
developed within the local church

III. Fundamentals of Bible Administration.

-In creation, God shows his administrative skill. Gen 1, planning,
executing, organizing and evaluating each creative stage.
-Moses and the delegation of authority. Ex 18:13-22
-Election of the apostles. Mark 3:13-221

IV. The church is a truly manageable enterprise. Why is this concept

affirmed?
-Has material goods
-Has financial resources
-Has human resources. The lifeblood of church administration. (Talents
are discovered, trained, employed, and sent.
-It has systems. (Manuals, procedures, regulations, constitutions. The
norm of the process is always the word...

ETYMOLOGICAL AND HISTORICAL STUDY OF THE TERM CHURCH

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 The early writers of the early church used either of these two Hebrew words,
“edhad and qahal,” to refer to the gathering of the people of Israel. It was used
most frequently in historical books, to refer to the people or assembly of the
children of Israel. Professor L. Berkhof says that after the exile, the Greek-
speaking Jews translated the word kahal as ekklesía= those called out and
designated with it the congregation of Israel as an assembly.
There are two words used in the NT to refer to a congregation: sunagogé and
ekklesía. The lexicons of Tayher and Pabon say that the term =sunagogue means
to gather in an assembly, to designate the place where the Jews congregated, the
synagogue.
The word ekklesía is a verbal noun. The verb ekkaleo means or gives the idea of
a group taken out or called. Mat 16:18 shows us the meaning “On this rock I will
build (Oikodomeso) my church (ekklesía)” The possessive adjective “My” next to
the name church makes Christ the founder and owner of the church.
Dr A. Strong defines it as follows: “The church of Christ, in its widest meaning, is
the entire company of regenerates of all times and ages in heaven and on earth.”
Koinonia is the Greek term that describes the spiritual and physical unity of
the church.
One of the characteristics of the early church was its perseverance in the
doctrine of the apostles, in communion with each other, the Christian participates in
that communion from his conversion. It is a social and spiritual community. The
phrase; “the communion of saints” identifies the church as a body in full
communion, Christ the head, the body of the church.
What is the church of Christ in the administrative sense?
The church is the group of Christians and non-Christians whose doctrinal and
practical development depends on the Bible and the Holy Spirit, through the
participation and use of all human and material resources.
The Bible, as an inexhaustible source of wisdom, abounds in information and
examples about organization and order in administrative matters. In creation, God
demonstrates his administrative skill by planning, executing, organizing and
evaluating each creative stage carried out. Nothing escapes his divine control; he
lacks and has nothing in excess. It is the result of good administration that has
everything planned, ready at the indicated time.
In the Exodus, examples of excellent administration are also seen, such as
Moses trying to single-handedly attend to the activities and problems of all the
people. His father-in-law Jethro recommends that he select men of virtue to

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delegate to them and share responsibilities with them in the midst of a hectic
community.
Another important lesson is the organization of the camp and tabernacle. Each
tribe was located in its corresponding place, both when they were detained,
establishing the camp, as well as when they had to march. There was a well-
established order, no one did anything that had not been indicated to them, and
those who had to do a job or movement did so exactly. The tabernacle was
designed according to the ordained plan.
The priestly service was carried out in shifts and according to the order of the
manual contained in the book of Leviticus. In worship, on march, or in war, the
people moved at command as one man.

The church is founded on administrative bases

The administrator par excellence; Christ laid the foundations for a universal
organization. The technique of concentrated action is seen in the fact that,
although the Lord preached and called the multitudes, he chose a small group of
twelve people to commission the continuity of the work that he had started.
Paul in 1 Cor 4:3-5 emphasizes that the servant of God must be a good
administrator “It is required of administrators that each one be found faithful.” In
this passage three facts are established:
1. To be an administrator of the mysteries of God it is necessary to be an
administrator.
2. The church with all its divine and human factors is an administrable body.
3. The quintessential requirement to participate in administration is fidelity.

The church is a company that can be managed wisely

A company, as described by Professor Reyes Ponce, is made up of three

elements:
a) Material goods. To carry out its multiple activities, the church acquires real
estate, buildings, furniture, equipment and materials. God's people have
always possessed this type of belongings; Solomon's temple is an example
of this, and the few possessions that the early church obtained.
b) Human resource. Human resources are the vital part of the church and
constitute the primary factor in administration. Although it is said that dealing

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 with people is the most difficult task...in all areas, dealing with God's people
with all their difficulties, applying the techniques of a true Christian leader is
a special and inspiring experience. Gifts and talents are discovered, they
are trained and engaged in the work... it is a crowning work of every servant
of God (pastor).
c) Systems. The church has management manuals and descriptions of
functions, constitutions, regulations, etc., but the basis of its walk,
government and discipline is the Bible.

NT OFFICERS AND ECCLESIASTICAL GOVERNMENT

Church government is based on the NT

Through the centuries there have been groups opposed to all types of
ecclesiastical government, arguing that when organizational rules or hierarchies
are established, the expression of the Holy Spirit is hindered, not following the will
of God but that of men.
Experience has shown on different occasions that the only freedom that lasts
and bears fruit is that which arises from a balanced organization, where human
rights are respected, order and justice reign. Order liberates, anarchism captivates.
Anarchism and disorder have led the masses to frustration and ruin. Prov 11:14
says “Where there is no wise direction, the people will fall; but in the multitude of
counselors there is wisdom…security.” This is a truth that must be taken into
account in all leadership, so as not to suffer the attacks of bad leadership that
becomes anarchist and despotic.
The church has no need for bad leadership. The NT establishes the foundation
for good leadership and good equitable administration. Of course, one does not
expect to find every detail of an administrative program in the Bible, but one should
depend on it for the establishment of officers, norms, objectives and plans. Trust in
the leading of the Holy Spirit.

Church officials according to the NT

An exegetical and comparative study of Ephesians 4:11 illustrates Christ's
administrative technique in establishing officers, both ordinary and extraordinary;
“And he himself gave apostles; to others, prophets; to other evangelists; to others,
pastors and teachers.” The reason for these appointments is expressed in V,12, “in

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order to perfect the saints for the work of the ministry for the building up of the body
of Christ.”
Extraordinary officers.
<Apostles. An apostle (from the Greek apostles) was a delegate, a messenger, an
envoy with orders. In Luke 16:13 we read that Jesus called his disciples and chose
12 of them, whom he also called “disciples.”
This job is of utmost importance.
-It is mentioned 9 times in the NT
-They were constituted apostles for having been witnesses of the life of Christ.
John 15:27 and received his commission directly from him. Mk 3:14; Gal 1:1
-They laid the foundation of Christianity. Eph 2:20. No one can be considered an
apostle, unless it is taken in the sense of extension by the work performed, like
Barnabas. Acts14:14; Romans 16:7

<Prophets. In the writings of Aeschylos and other Greek writers; the prophet was
an interpreter of the oracles of the gods… it gives the idea of prediction and
divination. This term is used in the Old and New Testaments to describe the office
or ministry of certain people chosen by God to speak what he wanted to reveal.
The threefold objective of the prophetic ministry was to speak to men for
edification, exhortation, and consolation.

<Evangelists. The history of the word gospel is very interesting. Homer uses it in
the Odyssey; The term designates a reward or gift. It is used in the Septuagint,
2Sam 4:10. Later the term was used to refer to good news.
Ernest Williams sums it up like this; The ministry of the evangelists consisted of:
1. Preach and baptize
2. Sort elders.
3. Exercise discipline
4. Represent the apostles
5. Accompany the apostles
Ordinary officers
There are two classes of officers: Pastors and Deacons
>Shepherds. (Poimen). It is used in many places in the Bible designating a
shepherd of sheep. Using the word pastor in our Spanish translation, different
Greek terms were translated into it. Heb 13:7;17and 24. All three times the word

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(hegoumenos) appears, which is translated “those who direct you.” In 1 Cor 12:28
we find the word (Kuberneseis) which means governors or administrators.
The word pastor is interesting because in addition to the sense of administrative
authority, there is familiarity between the terms (pastor and pasture) which
illustrates the legitimate pastoral function.
After the pastors we have 4 important officers:
1. Seniors. That they were among the oldest and most experienced. They
constituted the presbytery.
2. Bishops. According to Thayer it means supervisor, or in charge of seeing
that things are done well.
3. Teachers. Suitable for teaching. This position could be occupied by
someone who had been chosen and trained for the purpose.
4. Deacons. He is described as a servant; They took care of material needs.
Acts 6:1-7
Three traditional types of ecclesiastical government
Congregational Government
Baptist churches and other congregational churches are governed by this type of
government. Strong, one of the Baptist theologians, says: Each local church is
directly subject to Christ, there is no jurisdiction of one church over another, but
they are all on the same level and are independent of each other.
This position is cited by Ernest S. Williams. It says that churches with
congregational government believe in cooperation between churches, they
associate voluntarily, without exercising authority over each other. The New
Testament basis for a local government is the following:
-Administrative meetings
-Elections and recognition of leaders
-Local authority
-Recommendation letters
-Personal testimony, etc.

Episcopal Government
In this system, certain recognized officials stand out, such as: bishops
(episkopos). The authority of bishops and district overseers is founded on the
practice of the early church, according to the NT
-The local churches were founded and supervised by the apostles.
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-Paul exercised superintendence over the churches of Asia and Europe
- The system of offerings and the institution of both disciplinary and ceremonial
actions are transcendental matters determined by the apostle at the regional level.
<The evangelical churches, and especially the Baptists, recognize the general
assembly as the maximum authority in administrative matters.

Presbyterial Government
This type of government differs from episcopal government and from democratic
ones. The presbyterial type elects ruling elders, who form the session for the
government of the local church.
For regional matters, Presbyterian churches have presbyteries and synods that
are also representative groups of higher authority.

DEVELOPING A PLAN ORIENTED TOWARDS DESIRED RESULTS

The question in any organization is. Why are we here and where are we going?
Making plans is a process, a process where many decisions are made. As plans
are made, needs are identified and defined, alternative actions are sought and the
best way to achieve the purpose for which the organization exists is selected.

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Planning helps a group or organization to act instead of react, to take the initiative,
to be proactive instead of waiting for things to happen.

The planning process answers certain essential questions.

1. What are we here for? What is our purpose and our mission.
2. Where are we going? What needs we want to satisfy and when we expect to
do so; that is, the goals.
3. How are we going to get there? What actions or strategies are we going to
follow to achieve the desired results is to fulfill the mission.
4. Who is responsible? Who directs, executes, supervises, evaluates, etc.
5. How many resources do we need and what type? Human, material,
physical, financial.

THREE TYPES OF PLANS

Essentially there are three types of plans that every company, organization or
institution needs: Long-term plans, short-term plans and operational plans.
<Long-term plans provide, among others, the following benefits:
a) They allow the organization to define and establish what its priorities are.
b) They provide the organization with sufficient time to adequately prepare to
achieve its objectives.
c) It allows you to anticipate some obstacles and consider how to overcome
them in a timely manner or have alternative strategies. Facilitates the
development of effective strategies to achieve the proposed goals.
<Short-term plans are the careful preparation of a project for a period of one to two
years. These plans allow us to dose the big dreams we have in such a way that
they can come true. The goals, the calendar of events and a well-prepared
financial budget arise from a well-structured short-term plan.
<Operational plans or action plans can be weekly, monthly or quarterly. They are
intended to carefully implement the project. It may be that, in the church, the pastor
needs to meet with his leadership once a month to see the results and evaluate.
An organization like a church may need weekly, biweekly, monthly, bimonthly, or
quarterly meetings. This will depend on the vision, structure and logistics of the
church.
There are medium-term plans that are structured between the short and long
range, and that help us evaluate and respond in a timely manner so that the short-
term plans are carried out, and the long-term plans are projected in a timely

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manner. clear, concise and precise manner. That is, with faith. When planning, you
always have to think about a plan A and a plan B in case something goes wrong.

PREPARATION OF PLANS

Ideally, long- and short-term plans should be prepared by the same people who
will participate in their execution. This tells us that not everyone participates in the
development of the plans. The number of people who carry out and project the
plans depends on the magnitude of the work you want to achieve.
Some of the tasks that are carried out when planning for the long term are:
-Develop and define well the mission and the desired results of the project to be
carried out.
-Do feasibility studies of the project.
-Propose broad and general goals, known as general objectives.
-Prepare monthly goals and operational or action strategies or plans.
-Evaluate the development of the plans, monthly, quarterly and annually according
to the project.
-Prepare a budget for human, physical and financial resources.

SOME PRINCIPLES FOR GOOD PLANNING

 Decide first where you are going and then think about how you are going to
get there. This is planning in light of desired results. The first thing is to
establish and define the needs that we want to satisfy and to what degree
we want to satisfy them. Then we define the results that we want to see
come true, and, based on that, plans are made. It is in the planning process
that we learn what human, physical and financial resources we will need.

 Seek the participation of the greatest number of people while preparing the
plans. People become interested in the development of plans when we take
them into account and make them participate in the project. The vision and
purpose of an organization. Start by sharing with others. In the church the
pastor must have the calm, serenity, and vision to share what God has
placed on his heart.

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 Determine priorities. Each organization has a limited number of resources;
time, money, leaders, spaces, etc. Therefore, resources must be used in the
most efficient and effective way.

COMMON LIST OF PRIORITIES

1. Keep the goal in sight. No person is completely objective, each member of a

planning group brings their ideas, experiences and “this is how we did it
before”.
2. Keep it simple. Planning can become very technical, sophisticated and
elaborate, as occurs at the business and government level. There is a lot to
learn about it, however; we must keep a simple and simple system.
3. Danger “we have always done it this way.” Someone said; allow the past to
speak to the present, but do not allow the future to be trapped by the limits
of the past. An easy and dangerous way to make plans is to update the
plans we made the previous year without evaluating new conditions and
demands. Situations change, people change, opportunities change and new
needs appear to call us to be creative and responsible.
4. A little flexibility will be essential. Planners may discover that there are
certain circumstances, needs and conditions that must be taken into
account, and invite modifications to plans in order to make the best
contribution to the project. Those who make the plans must be mentally and
emotionally ready to make the changes that are necessary.
5. How are some people when it comes to making plans. The activist, the
extrovert, the adversary, the sprinter, the expert, the talker, the quiet one,
the peacemaker, the general, the agent etc. In any human group that meets
to make plans, you will find people with these attitudes.
However, when you have the agenda of issues that have to be addressed in
a planning process, the following elements must be considered: Patience,
creativity, decision, objectivity, cooperation. Let us remember that planning
is a process, and in the process we need a whole range of options and
possibilities for planning to happen in the best way.

PLANNING FOR RESULTS

Peter Druker proposed: “What a company needs is to establish a way by

which teamwork harmonizes the goals of individuals into a common well-

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 being; the vision and mission of the company. The only principle that can do
all this is management by objectives.
From Druker's proposal, several adaptations, variations and versions of
what has been known as planning and management by objectives emerged.
For ecclesiastical use we like to speak of “ministry by results” rather than
administration by objectives. Before starting to plan we must become aware
of three realities:
1. Recognize that we are not owners but stewards of the resources that
God gives us.
2. Be aware that the resources we have are more limited than our dreams.
3. We have to set priorities and then attend to them wisely under the
direction of the Lord.

BENEFITS OF USING A RESULTS PLAN

<It makes the task of giving direction easier.

<Guide to know what human and financial resources are needed.
<Provides a systematic approach to care and supervision.
<It facilitates the application of the principle of labor parity, benefits and rights.
<Reveal which participants achieve the goals and who they are.
<Allows the project to be known
<Provides members of the organization or church with a way to participate.
STAGE OF THE MINISTRY PROCESS FOR RESULTS

>Preparation stage. Review the vision and mission of the church. Review our
values and principles. Review the vision expressed, as well as the desired results.
Review our strengths. Develop two or three goals for each of the desired results.
>Implementation stage. Prepare operational objectives “the action plan” Objectives
are the small steps or activities that must be taken to achieve a goal. Review,
communicate and implement the strategic plan comprehensively. Daily, weekly and
monthly review of progress towards objectives.
>Evaluation or verification stage or results report. Review quarterly the progress of
the goals and the designated general budget. Based on these quarterly reports, the

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organization's CEO or church pastor prepares a cumulative report that summarizes
the work of all the organization's staff.

BARRIERS TO OVERCOME IN THE PLAN FOR RESULTS

-Learn to take the risk of living and working by faith in the power of the Lord.
-Remember that one of our principles is to please the Lord. Heb 11:6
-maintain a positive learning attitude and share what you have learned.
-Learn to move forward despite unexpected events.
-Learn that the benefits of having a plan outweigh the risks of not having one.
-Use time well in planning, evaluation meetings, etc.

Pr David Hdez Sosa

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