International Encourage Your Local Administrator's Week

As highly valued as the gift of Administration is to The Salvation Army (my brother says we'd readily trade 3 with the gift of tongues for 1 with the gift of administration!), I discovered last night that it is highly undervalued in the local corps setting. That, because it's not seen as "spiritual."

We're studying Spiritual Gifts in our cell group and one gift we looked at last night was the gift of Administration. We had plenty to say about the other "pastoral" gifts (as Wagner categorizes them together), but when it came to Administration- as a group, we had little to nothing to say (well, on to the next gift . . .).

Now Debbie has the gift, so I know this bothered her. She "checked out" of the conversation for a few and began to think and write her thoughts. Later she told me she had some insight: "The gift of Administration is undervalued in the local church because it's not 'spiritual.' " I agree. Yet, it is definitely highly valued and encouraged in a headquarters position (hence the trade reference above).

We were stationed at a DHQ position for 3 years. I toughed it out; Debbie thrived (we didn't work together). Her gift was appreciated and she received "high marks" for all the amazing things she accomplished in so short a time. I struggled because my gifts are not well suited for the desk job as I had.

Now in the local church setting, you need to get administrative things done, so I am very thankful and highly appreciative of Debbie's giftedness (I have often said she makes me look good!), but I don't think the corps people realize how important her behind the scene's work is. They easily see the stuff I do, but her work is often invisible (for instance, right now [Saturday AM] she's headed to the corps to prepare the building for Sunday- who knows that? And who notices that the building is clean and tidy for Sunday's activities?). Now, that's not to say she isn't gifted in other aspects of ministry as well- she is- very much so. It's just that people often cubby-hole her, and wrongly so. My assumption is that others gifted in Administration are in a similar boat. All because the gift is not seen as "spiritual."

So why do we call it a "Spiritual Gift?" Ah, because it is spiritual! It is a powerful gift given by Holy Spirit to those he can trust with it. These are they who rarely need the proverbial "pat on the back." They work well in the background. They need little visibility to be fulfilled. They do the detail work so that others (like me) can do their work without "messing administrative things up!"

I say we schedule a special week to encourage our Local Administrators in their neverending job. Know anyone who's so gifted? Well, the week of Sunday, April 10 is International Encourage Your Local Administrators Week!

Thank God for them! Get out there and encourage them!