CHURH ADMINISTRATION book review

SUMMERY CHURH ADMINISTRATION: EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP FOR MINISTRY

            God is orderly and expects His people to be orderly. Church administration is an important aspect of ministry. It is what enables people to do all what God expects for them to do. It must be thought through and developed because it doesn’t happen over night.

Charles A. Tidwell established his premise early in his book Church Administration: Effective Leadership for Ministry by stating that “… a well-administered organism is required by the very nature of the church and is likely to be more usable under God than a disorderly organism”[1] He lays a great foundation for why God expects his church to be orderly. Today’s churches are in need of good organization. The resources of the church are limited and a poor example of previous and current churches send the wrong message to new churches.

            As a church proclaiming the Gospel, educating and nurturing believers, ministering to personal needs and worship to God must be organized. Helter-skelter efforts and energies have a lot of action but little results. Where is the church going? What is it’s focus? This must be established and the machinery in place to make it happen.

            To fully understand Church administration it must be defined. Tidwell defines church administration as “the leadership which equips the church to be the church and do the work of the church. It is the guidance provided by church leaders as they lead the church to use its spiritual, human, physical, and financial resources to move the church toward reaching its objectives and fulfilling its avowed purpose. It is enabling the children of God who comprise the church to become and to do what they can become and do.”[2] This encompasses well all the aspects of church administration. Not only is it necessary to administer physical needs and resources, but it is necessary to administer the spiritual, human, and financial.

            In Exodus 18:13-27 Moses is told by his father in law Jethro not to judge all people because he will wear away. Jethro wisely instructed Moses how to effectively establish a system that would allow him to only deal with the major issues. Moses’ meekness was displayed as he accepted his father in law’s advice and established a system by which he was set free from the long lines of people waiting to see him. Although he still had his work cut out for him, he was no longer killing himself to get the job done.

            Pastors, evangelists, missionaries, and all other Christian workers must learn from this example. Nobody can do everything! Everyone must learn to train leaders and use the strengths of others. Never be a loner in the ministry.

            This book had a lot of practical information that will be a useful reference in ministry. The only part I did not like about Tidwell’s book is his emphasis on committees. It seems like most administration books think a lot about committees. Committees are fine as long as they do not usurp authority over the pastor or leadership

            All this about church administration is wonderful but the most important factor is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit will enable you to be organized but more important that organization is His presence in your church. A well organized machine without the Holy Spirit is like a tractor without a driver. It may plant seed for a time, but soon it will be stopped and sit idle and useless.

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[1] Tidwell page 12

[2] Tidwell page 27