Team Work Exemplified

 Leaders are not supposed to accomplish all the work of the church alone or with a selected group of people only.  They have to be able to recognize people’s talents and broker them on their team.  Good teams use every talent, and gift, and enjoy both unity and diversity  Here is Paul’s philosophy of team building.

 1 Cor. 12: 4-6: “ There are diversity of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but the same God who works all in all.”

 Team, though made of a variety of gifts, roles and positions, they must pursue the same goals and objectives  They must appreciate their diversity and differences.  It is enriching and rewarding.

 1 Cor.12:7: “ But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all ”

 Everyone is of help to the team  Everyone contributes to its success  Everyone is empowered by the Holy Spirit for the benefit of the team

 1 Cor 12: 8-11“ … for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the same Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills”

 In the team, gifts are from God. He imparts them to his people according to His own will. Because of that, God deserves all the glory.  There is unity in diversity in every team. It is important and needed to foster complementarity.  In a team, people are like a rainbow. Every color contributing the beauty of all  No competition or comparison is allowed as every gift is important, and no one has all at a time.

 One team, many members  1 Cor 12:12-14 :“For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body – whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free – and have all been made to drink into one Spirit. For in fact the body is not one member, but many.”

 A team is a group of individuals with the same goals and objectives  The number counts  The diversity is meaningful

 Verses 15-21:“ If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body”, is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear should say, “ I am not an eye, I am not of the body”, is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were a hearing, where would be the smelling? But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. And if they were all one members, where would the body be? But now indeed, there are many members, yet one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, “ I have no need of you”; nor again the head to the feet. “I have no need of you”.

 Every member is important  All are important as a whole  All are necessary  No one is important on his own  No one loses his individuality  Each depends on the other – inter- dependence- and on the whole team

 Verses 22-24: “No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary. And those members of the body we think to be less honorable. On these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable parts have greater modesty, but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it”

 Most times, some players may seem less important, but in the long run, they become the most important.  None should be regarded as without much important, as long as their contribution to the realization of the dream is highly needed.  French people say, “On a toujours besoin d’un plus petit que soi”

 Verses 25,26: “…that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.”

 God’s intent is to see to it that there is harmony and care among the members  When a Team is bonded and works in mutual respect, goals are met and much is accomplished successfully  As it is with a football, basketball or volleyball team, each player individually, and, for instance, all players collectively, contribute to the championship. If one is not effective, all are not effective. Only mutual support will bring success.

 Verses 27,28: “Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. And God has appointed this in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healing, helps, administrators, varieties of tongues”

 Members are equally important due to the specificity of their gifts  Yet, they still are diverse and different  God appointed them with purpose, to use their diversity to enrich the team and accomplish the task.

 Verses 29,30: “Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues? Do all interpret?

 Spiritual teams must fight competition among them  God never intended and even expected His people to compete using the gifts and talents He gave them  He rather wanted them to complete each other  By so doing all will be important together.

 1 Cor. 12:31-13:1 :”And yet I show you a more excellent way. Though I speak with the tongues of men and of the angels, but have no love, I have become sounding brass or clanging cymbal.”

 In order to foster the energy of team and gear it to success, a very important ingredient is needed, that is love.  In the accomplishment of God’s work, love is indispensable.  Teams may be good and they may have all the gifts, but if members do not love each other, it will be difficult for them to accomplish much.  Love is the answer to the team’s quest for success.

 Team spirit must capitalize on Diversity  The aim of a team is to reach good result using common goals but different Spiritual gifs  Teams perform well when leaders put emphasis on diversity, without neglecting the individual share and contribution to the whole team. All individual gifts are needed together. John Wooden, a former basketball coach said, “Individuals win trophies, but teams win championships”.