setting things in order:

Notes for setting things in order: Church administration

1) One of the primary things that a Leader does is to set and maintain Biblical order.

a) The apostle Paul dispatched Titus and Timothy to bring order to the disorder that occurs.

Titus 1:5 NKJV

5 For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you—

c) The Apostle Paul is the person who is responsible for these churches. He has men that he has trained that can go to these disjointed congregations and put things in order. Remember what we quoted in the first class.

1 Corinthians 14:39–40 NKJV

39 Therefore, brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak with tongues. 40 Let all things be done decently and in order.

d) The Kingdom of God is a Theocracy Jesus is the head of the Church and all people who serve, serve under the direction and authority of Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 5:22–33 NKJV

22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. 24 Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. 25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, 26 that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, 27 that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. 28 So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. 30 For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. 31 “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” 32 This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. 33 Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

e) Since Christ is the head of the Church; we serve the people as an expression of our love. It is important to note that people grow at different rates. When you are dealing with people at varying levels of understanding. We cannot expect people to function beyond their ability to do so.

2) How did the Apostle Paul establish order?

a) Remember Titus and 1st Corinthians? The Apostle Paul sent Titus and Timothy to move in spiritual authority to re-establish order in the Church.

b) He established order himself when he established these churches, then he reminded them what proper order was.

c) Without unity without order, without order, there cannot be unity.

Psalm 133:1–3 NKJV

1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brethren to dwell together in unity! 2 It is like the precious oil upon the head, Running down on the beard, The beard of Aaron, Running down on the edge of his garments. 3 It is like the dew of Hermon, Descending upon the mountains of Zion; For there the Lord commanded the blessing— Life forevermore.

1 Corinthians 12:12–31 NKJV

12 For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free—and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. 14 For in fact the body is not one member but many. 15 If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 16 And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body,” is it therefore not of the body? 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? 18 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. 19 And if they were all one member, where would the body be? 20 But now indeed there are many members, yet one body. 21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.” 22 No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. 23 And those members of the body which we think to be less honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, 24 but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it, 25 that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. 26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it. 27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. 28 And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.

e) Biblical truth and principles guide everything we do. The reality is that we are handling God’s people that Jesus died for us at the center of all we do.

f) The fact that people grow in grace is at the core of all we do. When we are born again… we are called babes in Christ. Babes need to be taught. Just because someone has been in church a long time doesn't mean they are mature. Maturity is not measured by a calendar it is measured by the fruit it produces.

g) What is my point? We have to establish order. We do that with a team ( we will talk about how teams are built later) then we work with administrators to:

i) Establish precisely what order looks like.

ii) Develop a plan for deployment.

iii) Build the team for deployment.

iv) Deploy the team

v) Ases the fruit.

vi) Revise the plan if needed.

vii) Redeploy the plan.