“Team work makes the dream work”. Team ministry is the ideal pattern for local churches. Many hands make large work.
These statements are true and realistic in the 21″ century ministry. Every ministry worth its salt, no matter how littler or large requires the cooperative effort of many gifted and anointed people. Yes, in most cases, it is the topmost leader that is known, celebrated and honoured, but behind that man are many people working silently behind the scene. No great work can be done alone. Individuals can win pendants or medals; it is the Team that wins championship.
A. Biblical Foundation – Mark 3:13-14; Luke 10:1-2; Acts 13:1-4; Romans 16:3-4
The scripture is replete with examples of team work and Team ministry. Jesus built a team of disciples and sent them on team ministry. The Apostles also did team ministry.
- God usually calls a man to lead or be the captain of a vision.
- That leader must consciously and carefully select his team.
- The team will eventually make or mar the leader.
- Any team without team-spirit will achieve nothing.
- Raising a team that plays and works together requires a lot.
- The leader must be matured, magnanimous and secure for team work.
- Team members must work for the team, not selfish purposes.
Without a good team that possesses Team spirit, there can be no peace, progress, growth and expansion of any work. In many cases, it is wrong Team members that pull down the progress of the work (Psalm 133:1-3)
B. Team Work By Ministers – Acts 13:1-4; 1 Cor. 16:15-19
In His infinite wisdom, God calls leaders and ministers to work together in the ministry. Every leader can choose his team. In ministry, we have:
- Senior Pastors and Associate Pastors
- Elders, Trustees and Boards
- Ministers and Deacons
- Sons and Mentorees.
- Head of Departments and Directors
- Staff and Personal Assistants
- Volunteer workers and Helping hands.
- Lecturers, Teachers and Trainees.
Ministers who are Team members over a church or ministry must work together in love, acceptance, respect and unity, else, the work will never move forward. Ministers that use decent, sly, cunning, dishonest words and actions will almost always destroy Team work and Team spirit. Using age, class, status and experience to work in a team will never augur well for Team bonding.
C. Principles of Leading A TEAM
Since team means, Together Everyone Achieve More, there are fundamental principles of Team forming and leading which every Team leader must imbibe:
- Possess a clear, definite and God inspired vision.
- Be committed to the fulfillment of the vision.
- Know that your vision will attract others -sincere or insincere.
- Start praying and watching out for gifted Team members.
- Divulge yourself free from lone ranger and solo mentality.
- Be a broker of talents, gifts and graces of others.
- Set up and operate biblical value system for ministry.
- Allow team members to contribute to the vision fulfillment.
- Give room for expression that leads to vision realization.
- Discipline errors, digressions with firmness and impartiality.
- Reward all praise worthy efforts and criticize mildly.
- Be a worthy model of growing leadership and relational skills.
Recommendde Reading
THE GREATEST ASSET OF ANY MINISTRY – PEOPLE
The God of the Second Chance: Restoration After a Fall
Seven Habits Of A Growing Christian
D. Principles of Loyal Team Members
1. Be convinced by God to be a Team member.
2. Respect and honour your Team leader.
3. Imbibe his vision – not di-vision.
4. Welcome Team spirit, values and operational guidelines.
5. Contribute positively to the Team
6. Be honest, truthful, plain and trustworthy.
7. Do more than is required pursue excellence, not average.
8. Don’t be boastful, proud and position conscious.
9. Serve the vision, team and the leader.
10. Intercede for your leader.
11 Inform the leader of things that are good or bad.
12. Shun instigations and contrary advice.
13. Demonstrate love, obedience and loyalty to the vision.
Ε. 10 Dangerous People That Can Hurt Any Team
1. Volcanic Personality – Your anger, wrath, temper or tongue can ruin your Team.
2. Financial Controller Power brokers can hurt the ministry badly.
3. Self-Appointed Prophet – Trying to control the leadership through prophetic words.
4. Attention-Getter Wild, unrealistic ideas that are utopian.
5. Chameleon – Double-face, double-tongue and discord-sowing.
6. The User – Only wants to use the Team to achieve selfish ends.
7. Silent Offender Pick offenses and withdraws to cocoons.
8. Sexual Predator Looking to seduce, tempt and mess the Team up.
9. Garbage Collector Spreading lies, rumors and half truths about the Team.
10. Kleptomania – Stealing the time, treasures and talents of the Team for personal purposes.
Proud, cocky, disloyal, quarrelsome, carnal, critical, lazy and good for nothing Team members, after repeated warnings, should be wisely, maturedly and fairly ease out of the Team, lest they corrupt others. The Team is always greater than individuals.