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    Ever heard these phrases in a church setting:

• We don't know what direction this church is going... 
• Why doesn't anyone ever tell us anything around here?
• That's not the way we've always done things... 

If you're in full time ministry, you can imagine the people who most often voice those words (and your blood pressure might be on the rise as you do!).  Instead of viewing those questions and comments as a threat -- view them as an opportunity to contextualize the gospel in your community.  In other words, unleash someone in your church with the gift of administration to plan, project, and implement the work God has for your church.  

    Church administrators are a mysterious group... and I can prove it.  Ask several church members what "church administration" involves... and you will get a wide range of responses.  For the record, church administration is not a new trend -- it is a ministry that began with the very first group of believers.  The book of Acts gives a perfect look at administrators in action.  "Administration in Acts is far less about earning a union card, paying one's dues, and longevity in the community, than it is about being equipped and called by God (Salter)."

    Petersen, Thomas and Whitesel (editors), compiled a collection of essays from scholars to define the work of a church administrator (in Foundations of Church Administration).  Although the book reads much like a text for an undergraduate program, it contains several helpful tools for church leaders trying to get a handle on organizing a local church ministry.  The content of the book is best suited for volunteers who are called to oversee or shepherd a local church body.

    In Foundations of Church Administration  the authors say it best on the very first page, "Institutions require administration, the management of persons and machinery."  The problem is this: which management philosophy is best?  Thankfully, we are never required to adopt one kind of administrative style.  This is an important reminder from the authors:  

Nowhere in the New Testament are we told how to organize the church... The question is not whether administration is going to exist, but whether it's going to become an end in itself rather than a means for stability and advancement of communal life (p. 9-10)."  

    As one who feels "called" to church administration -- nothing is more exciting than creating structures and processes to increase the effectiveness of the church.  Of course, the problem with most administrators type (like me) is that we don't know when to stop "administrating" the church!  Whitesel (et al.) create boundaries and good practices to consider.  The reader is able to choose from a variety of topics on church administration.  The textbook style allows the reader the opportunity delve into those topics that best meet his or her needs.

    The only issue this author has with the text is the general conservative tone (that is, the church contexts presented in the book seem to best suit older, more established churches).  Many of the authors are attempting to appeal to an "academic" audience, and some of the writers take themselves a little too seriously.  Most of the material is worth plodding through to gain the insight contained in the individual chapters.

    Perhaps the best use for this material would be for the lead pastor to take select chapters and share it with different segments of his or her leadership team.  For instance, many churches are challenged in the area of human relations.  Whitesel (et al.) provide some solid guideline for hiring and firing staff, and should be distributed to members of a search committee.  Or, the final chapter on lifelong learning is great fodder for discussion at the board level to introduce the idea of continuing education (and why it is so important) to budget for it each year. 

    Foundations of Church Administration is a worthwhile read to brush up on some of the "nuts and bolts" of running a church -- AND it establishes administration as more than a necessary evil... but as a calling.   

Jason Hanselman
Senior Pastor
Caldwell Christian Church
15 years in church work, higher education, and ministry