Church Organization and Pastoral Administration

Course Code: BMM02

Church Organization and Pastoral Administration

BD IV, Semester 1, 4 Credit Hours, College Paper

Course Objectives:

1. To help the students to understand various models and principles of church organization and administration.
2. To enable the students to envision Church as an alternative community and to re-imagine the governance and polity of the Church in Christ’s way.
3. To equip the students to lead the Church in its governance and administration with a deep sense of commitment to honesty, transparency, truthfulness, collegiality, integrity, democracy, humility, following the servant-hood model.
4. To encourage the students to understand their administrative responsibilities as part of their pastoral ministry, and to develop models, skills, and practices of administration that reflect the values of the Reign of God.
5. To help the students to understand the polity of the Church and the functions and responsibilities of the pastor as an administrator to exercise their responsibilities diligently and justly.
6. To provide the students with sufficient orientation to the legal issues, tax laws, and accounting principles that are relevant to exercise their responsibilities correctly and efficiently.
7. To inspire the students to evaluate critically the polity and administrative practices of the Church so as to transform the Church into an alternative community.

Method:

• Lectures.
• Special Lecture by Experts.
• Observations.

Course Requirements:

• Final Examination: 60%.
• Internal Assessment: 40%.

Course Outline:

I. Introduction

• Church’s call to be an alternative community and its implication for its governance and administration.
• Re-imagining concepts such as ‘Organization’, ‘Administration’, ‘Polity’, ‘Management’, ‘Constitution’, and ‘Leadership’ from the vision of Ekklesia.
• Pastoral Administration as a function of pastoral ministry.

II. Biblical-Theological Foundations

• Democratic and inclusive organizational and administrative systems for nurturing the community of faith and fulfilling the mission of the community: Jethro-Moses, Jesus, and the Apostles, Pentecost Community (Acts 2).
• Collective and non-hierarchical leadership that enables and mentors new leadership to emerge; Deborah, Elijah, John the Baptist, Jesus, Andrew, Barnabas, and Paul.
• A leadership model of servant-hood rejecting the dominant paradigm of domination and exclusion, and practicing integrity, honesty, and transparency: Jesus, Stephen, and the deacons (Acts 6, 7).
• Recognition of the inherent danger of human governance becoming abusive, tyrannical, unjust, and idolatrous, and the theological potential of the prophetic voice of dissent to transform our communities: Samuel, Nathan-Naboth, Vasthi, John the Baptist, Jesus.

III. Models of Church Polity in India

• An appraisal of various models:
  • Episcopal.
  • Presbyterian.
  • Congregational.
  • Pentecostal.
  • Charismatic.
• A critical appraisal of the way these forms of church polity operate in India.
• Implications of Church polity for the life of the local congregation.

IV. The Organizational Structures of the Local Congregation

• The General Body.
• The Executive Committee.
• The organs of the local congregation:
  • The Sunday School.
  • The Youth Group.
  • The Choir.
  • The Women’s Fellowship.
  • Other organs.
• Planning for the harmonious and effective functioning of the local congregation and its organs to fulfill its mission in the local community:
  • Defining the boundary for each organ.
  • Bringing clarity to the roles of the various offices.
  • Motivating the office bearers and the members of the congregation and its organs for Christian mission.

V. Office and Property Management

• Writing official letters on behalf of the congregation.
• Format for correspondence of various kinds.
• Maintaining a filing system.
• Office procedures.
• Procedures for sale and purchase of property.
• Formats for various types of agreements.
• Procedures for securing permission for construction and demolition of buildings.
• Opening and operating bank accounts.
• Taxes applicable to property and buildings and other assets.

VI. Discharging Administrative Roles and Responsibilities

• Procedures for convening and chairing committees and the General Body.
• The responsibilities and skills of a Chairperson.
• Maintenance of minutes of business meetings.
• Maintenance of church records.
• Maintenance of discipline in the congregation.
• Maintaining discipline among part-time and full-time workers of the church.
• Conducting church elections according to the constitution, rules, and bye-laws.

VII. Empowering the People of God

• Encouraging lay leadership and distributing responsibilities.
• Setting clear boundaries and encouraging direct communication.
• Encouraging accountability among members and leaders of the congregation.
• Taking individuals and groups into confidence.
• Fostering public relations.

VIII. Financial Stewardship – Planning and Management of Resources

• Stewardship of Money / Property.
• Integrity and Transparency in financial transactions.
• Budgeting.
• Managing financial accounts and Book-Keeping.
• Computer-assisted book-keeping.
• Rules and Regulations of the Church in Money and property Management.
• Tax Law.
• Management of Donations and Foreign Contributions and Remittance.
• Auditing.

IX. Legal Matters in Pastoral Administration

• Indian Constitution and Minority Rights.
• Laws applicable to Religious and Charitable Trusts and Registered Societies.
• Marriage Acts Applicable to Christians in India.
• Property Laws, Labor Laws, Education Rules, etc.
• Laws Relating to Conversion.
• Dealing with Local Administration – Police and the Bureaucracy.

X. Conflict Management in the Church

• Managing interpersonal and inter-family conflicts in the Church.
• Inter-community conflicts within and outside the Church.
• Principles of Mediation, Negotiation, and Arbitration.
• Dealing with Justice Issues in the Church.

XI. Towards Alternative Paradigms of Pastoral Leadership and Church Polity

Students are required to write a reflective paper critically evaluating the existing models of church organization and pastoral administration based on the vision of Ekklesia.

Bibliography

Essential Readings:

• Athyal, Jesudass, ed. To Minister or to Administer. Chennai: Academy, 1994.
• Barkenquast, How to Chair a Church Meeting. Philadelphia: Parish Life Press, 1982.
• Beveridge, W.E. Managing the Church. London: SCM Press, 1994.
• Covey, Stephen R. Principle-Centered Leadership. New York: Washington Square Press, 1966.
• Keshavan, Nair. Higher Standard of Leadership: Lessons from the Life of Gandhi. San Francisco: Bernett-Koehler Publishers, 2000.
• Schaller, Lyle E. Getting Things Done: Concepts and Skills for Leaders. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1986.
• Singh-Sengupta, Sunita. Women Leadership in Organization: Socio-Cultural Determin ants. New Delhi: Gyan Publishing House, 2003.
• Sinha, Jai B.P. Cultural Context of Leadership and Power. New Delhi: Sage Publishers, 1995.
• Singh, Sunil Kumar. Church Management in the Indian Context. Delhi: ISPCK, 1998.

Suggested Reading:

• Bartow, Donald W. Creative Churchmanship. New York: World Publishing Company, 1969.
• Beeson, Trevor, ed. Partnership in Ministry. London: A.R. Mowbray, 1964.
• Berkley, James D. Leadership Handbook. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1994.
• Blackaby, Henry. Spiritual Leadership: Moving People on to God’s Agenda. Nashville: Broadman and Holman Publishers, 2001.
• Bliss, Kathleen. Service and Status of Women in the Churches. London: SCM Press, 1952.
• Bockmuehl, Markus and M. Thompson, eds. A Vision for the Church: Studies in Earliest Christian Ecclesiology. Edinburgh: T&T Clark, 1997.
• Burns, James Macgregor. Leadership. New York: Harper and Row Publishers, 1979.
• Carter, Phyllis. Handbook of Parish Finance. London: Mowbrays, 1984.
• Christopher, Elizabeth M. Leadership Training: A Source Book of Activities. New Delhi: Viva Books, 1999.
• Come, Arnold B. Agents of Reconciliation. Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1960.
• Cyril S. Rodd, ed. Pastor’s Problems. Edinburgh: T and T Clark, 1985.
• D’Souza, Anthony. Leadership: A Trilogy on Leadership and Effective Management. Bombay: Better Yourself, 1995.
• Dobbins, Gaines S. Church Book: A Treasury of Materials and Methods. Nashville: Broadman Press, 1951.
• Engstrom, Ted W. Your Gift of Administration: How to Discover and Use it. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publisher, 1983.
• Haidar, Dipankar. Role of the Laity in the Ministry of the Church. Raghabpur-West Bengal: Raghabpur Seva Niketan, 2012.
• Harold, Rowdon, ed. Church Leaders Handbook. Carlisle: Paternoster Press, 2002.
• Hendrix, Olan. Management and the Christian Worker. Madras: Evangelical Literature Service, 1970.
• Hilter, Seward. Preface to Pastoral Theology. New York: Abingdon-Lokesbury Press, 1958.
• Hopewell, James F. Congregation: Stories and Structures. London: SCM Press, 1988.
• Hulme, William E. Pastors in Ministry: Guidelines for Seven Critical Issues. Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House, 1985.
• Krass, A.C. Applied Theology 1: Go and Make Disciples. London: SPCK, 1974.
• Lee, Harris W. Theology of Administration: A Biblical Basis for Organizing the Congregation. Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House, 1963.
• Mullen, Thomas J. Renewal of the Ministry. New York: Abingdon Press, 1963.
• Nouwen, Henri J.M. Creative Ministry. New York: Doubleday and Co., 1978.
• Rusbuldt, Richard E. Basic Leaders Skills: Handbook for Church Leaders. Valley Forge: Judson Press, 1981.
• Spence, Hartzell. Clergy and What They Do. New York: Franklin Watts Inc., 1961.
• Stogdill, Ralph M. Handbook of Leadership: A Survey of Theory & Research. New York: Macmillan Publishing Co., 1974.
• Stuekelberger, Christopher and J.N.K., eds. Responsible Leadership: Global Perspectives. Mugarribil Nairobi: Action Publishers, 2005.
• Switzer, David H. Preacher: Person: Developing a Pastoral Ministry. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1979.
• Thomas E. Kadel , ed. Growth in the Ministry. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1980.
• Thornton, Martin. Function of Theology. London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1968.
• Niertaly Weldoh E. Pastor: Personal Life and Duties. El Paso: Carib Baptist Publications, 1977.
• Pastoral Leadership. El Paso: Carib Baptist Publications, 2000.
• Walsh, John. Evangelization and Justice: New Insights for Christian Ministry. New York: Orbis Books, 1982.
• William S. Buchan, ed. Minister’s Manual. Edinburgh: Church of Scotland, 1947.
• Willimon, William H. Calling and Character: Virtues of the Ordained Life. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2000.
• Wright, Frank. Pastoral Nature of the Ministry. London: SCM Press, 1980.

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