The Dynamics of Team Ministry

In our last lesson, we looked at the difference between gifting and character and explored the different types of problems that surface in teams due to character deficiencies present in team members. We identified 8 important character qualities that are desirable for team members to possess. They are:

• loving
• servanthood
• Faithfulness
• availability
• teachable
• humility
• meekness
• corporateness

Let's examine each of these traits.

Loving

The primary characteristic to look for in potential team members, is love. You need people who love people, not just position. Anyone that is ambitious, striving, and competing to be "best" has a wrong spirit. They must not be performance-oriented, but oriented towards blessing people. If the minister does not have a genuine care for people, s/he will fail to represent God's heart to the persons that he/she ministers to. Love is the ultimate measure of motive and attitude.

1 Corinthians 13:1-3 states: "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing."

Love is demonstrated in a sacrificial attitude -- someone willing to give rather than receive. This person will display an attitude of giving themselves wholly, to see the individuals they minister to blessed, built up and strengthened in their faith; and the vision of the ministry built.

Servanthood

An important kingdom reality is that the Kingdom of God functions quite differently than that of the world. Jesus said it this way, "My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here" (John 18:36). In fact, the Kingdom of God has even been called "the upside-down Kingdom," because His Kingdom works very opposite the natural domain. For example, the Scripture tells us that the greatest is to be the servant of all.

Matthew 20:25-28 states: "But Jesus called them to Himself and said, 'You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave-- just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many'" (Matt 20:25-28, also Mark 10:43-45).

A team member's motive and desire should be to make the team a success. A team support member should want to serve. The motivation should not come from fear, it should not come from a sense of duty, nor should it arise out of a sense of obligation. Rather they should desire to serve out of a true servant's spirit. Ephesians 6:5-6 states "Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness in your heart, as unto Christ; not with eye-service, as men pleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart."

Those who are great at servanthood not only make effective team members, they also make effective team leaders. If you give a position from which to minister to someone who is a servant-at-heart, he/she will use that position to serve others instead of seeking self-advancement.

Faithfulness

Faithfulness is defined as being steady in allegiance or affection; remaining constant, reliable, trusted, or able to be depended upon; being strict or thorough in the performance of duty as in being a "faithful worker." 1 Corinthians 4:2 tells us, "Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful." Faithfulness carries implications of having qualities of stability, dependability, and devotion.

Faithfulness is a valuable asset to any team. Scripture have much to say about the character quality of faithfulness and the results of faithfulness. Luke 16:10-12 mentions three areas of faithfulness in which the results will be significant -- faithfulness with little; faithfulness with that which belongs to another; and faithfulness with financial things. It says, "He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon; who will commit to your trust the true riches? And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?" (Luke 16:10-12).

Team members should demonstrate that they are faithful in such areas as attendance, responsibility and service, personal Christian life, as well as relationships to leadership and the people.

A sub-topic under the whole issue of faithfulness is the character quality of loyalty. Loyalty implies firm support and defense of a person, cause, institution, or idea considered to be worthy: such as "a loyal citizen." Though loyalty is not often mentioned as a valued trait, its presence in a team is a great asset.

Availability

Team members should exhibit personal initiative and shouldn't have to be pushed into ministry. This will be evidenced by their availability and willingness to commit. Success of any team will correspond to the measure of commitment from each individual member. As a team is being formulated and released to minister, they will see that commitment brings stability even in the face of difficulty. As long as the team is committed to stand and serve together, there will be a sense of security and a sense of corporate anointing, unity and power. Regardless of how able and gifted a person is, if they are not available to commit to the time it takes to serve the team's purposes, they will only be a source of chagrin for the others who would depend on them.

Teachable

A person who is not teachable or correctable, but has a "know it all" attitude, will be a continuous problem. An uncorrectable attitude is almost a guaranteed formula for not only problems in the ministry. Ultimately, such a person will experience delusion and deception in their own life. The apostle James wrote that the one who possesses divine wisdom will exhibit an attitude of being "easily entreated" (James 3:17-18). A teachable attitude is a sure indicator of the next quality we will look at, that of humility.

We will look at the remaining traits (humility, meekness and corporateness) in the next lesson.