Introduction
Examining the Essential Need for Administration
Does Administration Help or HinderMinistry? Church Administration Policies
Organizational Charts
Church Budgets
Church Governments
Church Risk and Sexual Abuse
Conclusion
Bibliography
Church Administration Assessment Final
Introduction
Assessing the need for church administration has both a spiritually led rationale in accordance with the Holy scripture as mandated by the followers of Jesus Christ to the first Christian churches and a pragmatic assumption that any organizational leadership includes the responsibility of good business administration policies. Therefore, this assessment of church administration takes into account these as well as other different aspects as outlined in this academic document that follows according to the Grace International Church.
Examining the Essential Need for Administration
The teachings of the New Testament in Paul's letters to the followers of Jesus in Corinth directed assemblage behave itself according to the peaceful and orderliness of God as a framework for both the stability and the growth of any body of believers. The business side of becoming the strengthened church In his letter to the followers of Jesus in Corinth, the looked to its unity as well as active participation through the Spirit of Jesus according to His Father's "mission on earth" and therefore requires "administration principles, structures and policies." These policies include Church Administration and Development (CAD) working with Legal Services and Finance and Planning." The fundamental assessment view of underpins the pragmatic aspects of holding those people in charge of the national and local activities of the church accountable that the mission of the church remains the focus as prescribed by scripture that in doing so these activities all remain framed in the Christian ethics of the denomination interpretation of the scriptures. Administrative policies therefore, provide both denominational leaders and the congregation with guidelines for teaching the Word of God and for training administrative applications for doing so. By doing so, the guidelines inform about the relationships among congregational assemblages as well as between different congregations with directives for superintendent leaders within the offices of the national and individual churches.
Does Administration Help or Hinder Ministry?
Just as Paul led the different early Christians assemblies as shown in the letters as gospels of the new testament, the church today needs administrative guidance. Without such direction, that defines the mission of the church then misrepresentation and even unscrupulous individuals would have carte blanch to falsifying precepts of the church. With administration guidelines, "the denomination's administrative systems that exist to equip and superintend all parts of the denomination in pursuing that mission." In other words, the administration of the church perpetuates the "appropriate form and focus to the Spirit's gracious gifts as outlined in Luke 5:33-39.
Church administrative guidelines therefore, provide the denomination with intentional approaches for the task of ministering the Word of God "with a spirit of reverence and humility, acknowledging its inherent limitations and imperfections" Therefore, assessing the value of church administrative principles contributing to the ministry of God's work remains a standing and desirable tool.
Church Administration Policies
Its mission binds the church administration policies. The objectives of the church administration therefore include conformation connected to the scriptural examples of structuring the church "under the new covenant of grace" that teaches and models through ethical precepts of openness, service, humility, as well as accountability at all levels of the church leadership. There exists in the policies clear lines as well as limitations for balancing accountability connected with leadership empowerment along with the ability for inviting and serving the creative work of the Spirit in a flexible manner. In doing so, the guiding principles aim at protecting the assemblage denomination as well as the congregation members from any spiritual harm not of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The administrative principles further include maintaining the appropriate unification between doctrine and church practice to the congregations wherever assembled geographically and among ethnic cultures. In doing this, the administrative policies intentionally "Allow the denomination and member congregations to adapt quickly and responsibly to changing circumstances in order to advance the church's disciple making work in a rapidly changing world" toward the continual transformation of the church leadership in reforming and renewing according to the changing needs of the world while keeping the directives of the Lord Jesus and His Father in Heaven. Assessing the principles of the administrative guidelines of the church looks again at the fundamental logic of the ethical focus in the description of the principles.
Organizational Charts
In the Grace Community International Church, the organizational chart is simple as drawn from the guidance of the scripture for administering the church leadership gifts as imparted by the Holy Spirit. Thus, the role of the Elder - man or woman when appointed to service becomes the "spiritual overseer within a congregation and/or in a denominational office." The Elder is the official clergy of the church. Elders include pastors and assistant pastors. Ministry leaders, while not recognized as clergy, remain an appointed man or woman serving the leadership position of a particular ministry such as youth, elder, and the homebound sick within each congregation assemblage. While the ministry leaders are not recognized as clergy they nonetheless remain a principal spiritual as well as administrative head of the particular ministry as part of the entire congregation.
Church Budgets
The senior pastor as part of the support of the Elder of the church prepares the annual budget according to each congregation connected working with the church finance committee assigned by the Elder. Revisions to the annual budget are the sole responsibility of the senior pastor and finance committee. Expenditures occurring outside the approved annual budget fall under the review of the finance committee as well as the
annual reports and quarterly budget reviews as prepared by the finance committee."
Church Governments/Church Risk and Sexual Abuse
Aside from the individual congregation leadership, the Grace Community church governments have an international body as well as a United States national governing body. For the advancement of the general GCI mission there exists the international leadership offices for the current GCI pastor general who serves as chair of the advisory council of elders (ACE) who in turn, gives leadership advise as necessary to the pastor general. The ACE also "provides input in the formulation of ecclesiastical direction for the denomination internationally." The pastor general through the counsel of the ACE both appoint and direct a doctrinal advisory team. This appointed group serves as consultancy for the pastor general and the ACE concerning all doctrinal matters. This function includes reviewing the GCI Statement of Beliefs as well as any other literature pertaining to doctrine. Theological education, Christian leadership experience, as well as current GCI responsibilities all play a role in the consideration of who gets appointed to the doctrinal advisory committee.
On the matter of Church Risk and Sexual Abuse, there exists no specific directive of such a category. The administration does have a stringent grievance process that works to in the Christian spirit of forgiveness. Without prejudice, the GCI abides by the laws of the land in all things as dictated by the scripture. In this, any needed actions within the local, state, national, or international laws dictate the actions of the church accordingly.
Conclusion
As stated in the introduction, assessing the need for church administration has both a spiritually led rationale in accordance with the Holy scripture as mandated by the followers of Jesus Christ to the first Christian churches and a pragmatic assumption that any organizational leadership includes the responsibility of good business administration policies for the Grace Communion International Church. The logistics, the foundation of ethos connected to the church mission following the teaching of Jesus Christ according to the direction of His Father in Heaven assessed in this document reveal the importance of an administrative body held responsible for the spiritual and temporal shepherding of the members of this denomination. The administration of this church proves effective in its governing body as connected to the details of the assignments, duties, positions, and responsibilities of the administration process.
References
Grace Communion International Church Administration Manual. 2011.
