gifts
As I have talked about continuously, there is often a tension between ministry (i.e., the ‘spiritual’ work of the church) and administration (i.e., the ‘business’ work of the church). I think the tension between ministry and administration is driven in-part by an underappreciation of the spiritual gift of administration.
Unfortunately, often in the work of the church there is an unspoken hierarchy where some roles and tasks are more important than others (i.e., preaching is more important than sweeping). But Scripture makes it clear that everyone has a different calling and a different spiritual gifting, one of which is the spiritual gift of administration. For instance,
Ephesians 4:11-13 says, “11 So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”
Romans 12:4-8 says, “4 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. 6 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; 7 if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; 8 if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead (administer), do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.”
1 Corinthians 12:28 says, “28 And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues[d]? Do all interpret? 31 Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.”
Here’s the thing: there is no hierarchy in calling or spiritual gifts.
For Protestants, we believe in the priesthood of all believers. In The Story of Christian Theology, Roger Olson says there are “three major Protestant principles identified as setting them apart from the church of Rome and its official theology: sola gratis et fides (salvation by grace through faith alone), sola scriptura (Scripture above all other authorities for Christian faith and practice) and the priesthood of all believers” (370). Olson states, “the priesthood of believers means two things. First, all true believers in Jesus Christ may go directly to God in supplication for others as well as for themselves. Second, no special spiritual status places ministers above the rest of God’s people to lord it over them” (392). The traditional Catholic perspective is that “priests alone are capable of absolving sins and of offering Christ anew in the sacrifice of the mass,” (438) where the priesthood of all believers emphasizes “every true Christian [is] a priest unto God without need of a spiritual mediator other than Jesus Christ” (390). Specifically, according to the English Reformer, Thomas Cranmer, “only Christ is our true priest who mediates between God and the believer in intercession, forgiveness, and imparting grace” (438). As Olson notes, “the inevitable tendency was for lay Christians to look up to spiritual authorities over them as mediators of grace…” (442). While the priesthood of all believers was rejected by the Catholic church at the Council of Trent stating, “if anyone says that all Christians are without exception are priests of the New Testament or are endowed with equal spiritual power it is apparent that he upsets the ecclesiastical hierarchy” (447), the Catechism of the Catholic Church recognizes the spiritual gift of administration (sometimes referred to as governance or leadership) as one of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. The priesthood of all believers is not meant to diminish the role of the priest, rather to democratize and elevate the role of the lay person.
More fundamentally, we believe in the unity of the body of Christ. 1 Corinthians 12:4-6 says, “there are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.” Everything the church does to serve the congregation and the community is ministry, including administration. There is no task in the church that is more or less important than the others; there is no hierarchy in ministry just as there is no hierarchy in the Trinity.
As church leaders, it is important to recognize the importance of administration work and the spiritual gift of administration. In (Ad)ministry: The Nuts and Bolts of Church Administration, Thomas Tumblin, says “when thinking about administy, we must acknowledge that some have more affinity to it than others. In fact, some have the spiritual gift of administration. They likely enjoy administry and seek to hone their administry skills with marked satisfaction. Others may be inclined to do almost anything but administry…[however], we are all created and gifted differently” (5).
Ultimately, everyone is called to ministry because God gave everyone different gifts which He uses to build His Kingdom. Pastors and church leaders are not more inherently spiritual than the rest of the congregation. The question is how pastors and church leaders can recognize and engage the spiritual and gifts of their congregation. In Smart Finances: A Pastors Guide to Budgets, Spreadsheets, and Other Things You Didn’t Learn in Seminary, George Hillman Jr. and John Reece pose the question, “how can you leverage the experienced accountant, the human resources director, the lawyer, the physician, the salesperson, the restaurateur, the corporate vice president, the computer programmer, the school principal, the military leader, or the engineer, in the work of your church” (174)?
References:
The Story of Christian Theology: Twenty Centuries of Tradition Reform by Roger E. Olson
(Ad)ministry: The Nuts and Bolts of Church Administration by Thomas Tumblin
