Spiritual Gift of Administration

The spiritual gift of administration is a divine ability God gives to some to steer the body toward the accomplishment of God-given goals and directives by planning, organizing, and supervising others.  It is an enablement to understand what makes an organization function and the special ability to plan and execute procedures that accomplish the goals of the ministry. The church is an organization, and it must have leaders and organizers.

spiritual gift of administration

“In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.”  (Acts 6:1-4 NIV)

Getting Things Done

This gift is similar to the gift of leadership but also very different.  Where the gift of leadership sets the goals and essentially “plots the course” of the body, the gift of administration is the one actually doing the steering and coordinating the moving parts to meet those goals.  This gift digs into the details of goals and tasks and allocates resources appropriately to accomplish them.  Looking at the here and now, their end goal is to accomplish the task at hand and then await the next task.  Their exceptional organizational skills combined with the ability to motivate others makes them a key part of the church body.   Without them, long term goals would be set but the body would make little or slow progress towards accomplishing those goals.  They manage resources and identify those with other spiritual gifts who are needed for assistance.

As we read in the book of Acts, chapter 6, those with the gift of administration were key in providing care to the followers so those with other gifts of ministry could continue their work.  Those with the gift of administration are fulfilled spiritually by seeing the fruits of their labor benefiting the body and allowing other parts of the ministry to thrive because of their work.

Martin Luther on the Spiritual Gift of Administration

Martin Luther recognized the spiritual gift of administration as an important aspect of Christian discipleship. He believed that those with the gift of administration were called to use their organizational and managerial skills to serve the Church and the wider community.

Luther saw administration as a way for believers to use their talents and skills to promote the common good and to help build a more just and compassionate society. He believed that those with the gift of administration should work for the well-being of others and be committed to helping the Church and other organizations run smoothly and efficiently.

The Catholic Church on the Spiritual Gift of Administration

In the Catholic Church, the gift of administration is recognized as one of the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. This gift is also sometimes referred to as the gift of governance or leadership.

The Catechism of the Catholic Church explains that the gift of administration is a special grace given by the Holy Spirit to some members of the Church for the good of the whole community. It is a gift that enables individuals to organize and direct the activities of others for the common good.

The Catholic Church recognizes that the gift of administration is not just about managing resources or finances, but also about leading and inspiring others to work towards a shared goal. Those who possess this gift are called to use it to serve others and to help build up the Church.

The Church also emphasizes the importance of using the gift of administration in a way that is guided by love and compassion. It is not simply about being efficient or achieving goals, but about working in a way that is respectful of the dignity of all people and that fosters a spirit of unity and cooperation.

People with this Gift:

  • Develop strategies or plans to reach identified goals
  • Assist ministries to become more effective and efficient
  • Create order out of organizational chaos
  • Manage or coordinate a variety of responsibilities to accomplish a task
  • Organize people, tasks, or events—Project Managers

Bible References

Acts 6:1-7Disciples chosen to administer to the needs of the widows
1 Corinthians 12:28Paul mentions the gift of administration
Hebrews 13:7, 17Exhortations for your leaders
James 2:15-17Faith without works is “dead”

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References

  • Stanley, 83-97
  • Graham, 200-202

Other Gifts