CHRISTIAN MANAGEMENT IS BASED ON SERVICE, NOT EXPLOITATION

The need for well trained and highly qualified leaders in Christian organization is emerging as serious issue throughout the Christian community. Many Bible colleges, seminaries, pastors and leaders in both Christian organizations agreed that we need better prepared people to manage effectively organizations God has raised up to accomplish His work.

Unfortunately, while most pastors feel capable of providing spiritual leadership, not many feel adequately prepared to manage the organization. The reason for this being lack of resources on biblical management principles during training of most individuals.

Most often than not, Christian organization management team probably attended seminary or Bible college where the educational program emphasis such subjects as homiletics, ecclesiology, eschatology, hermeneutics, exegesis and others. All of these studies are certainly beneficial in helping teach and have an understanding of correct doctrine. Nevertheless, none of them is designed to prepare a person to manage or lead an organization. It is high time Christian organization begin to give more attention to management and leadership training without which no ministry or organization can be most efficient in productivity.

Perhaps you may ask what makes Christian management unique. It is unfortunate that most individual in the kingdom received their management philosophy and principles from the secular business world. Secular management is materialistic and humanistic in nature. It uses authority as a means of using, manipulating and controlling people. Secular textbooks define management as getting work done through others. Such concept which is highly appealing to man’s sinful nature simply gives leaders right to control and exploit men under them. Hence attempting to use such philosophy in accomplishing God’s work totally opposes God’s own principles.

Drawing from an incidence in the book of Matthew 20, verses twenty beginning, there was an instance when the mother of James and John (the two Zebedees) came seeking Jesus to allow her two sons sit next to him in His kingdom. The reply Jesus gave describes the philosophy on which Christian management principles must be founded;

 “But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto…” (Matt 20:25-28)

Leaders in the secular system often use authority to “exercise dominion” over others, but Christian leaders are to serve those under them by helping them to reach their maximum efficiency. It is good to know that the higher you go in Christian organization, the more you serve, no wonders we are called ministers. Therefore, from scriptural perspective, I consider the best definition for management (according to Myron) is meeting the needs of people as they work at accomplishing their jobs. As a manager gives himself to serving the needs of others under him, he will make amazing discoveries and people will voluntarily and eagerly meet his needs in return (1 Kings 12:7).