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-- © GodSpeak International 1999 --
-- Do not republish without written permission from <copyright@godspeak.org> --

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS AND CONTRIBUTING RESOURCES
Author: Cliff Murray <Cliff1943@aol.com>
Editors: Teresa Seputis, Al Vesper

Prayer-School Course #3

Team Ministry

Lesson 6

Benefits Of Team Ministry

This looks at the benefits of having a leadership team to run the church instead of a single individual. The same benefits can be applied to other forms of team.... such as an intercessory team, an outreach team, etc.

  1. Total Ministry

    People with different gifts, talents working together provide the whole package for the full growth of the body. My weakness is another's strength. Administration is my weak point......I know I need help.

    Eph. 4:7-8, 11
    1 Cor. 12:4-12, 28-30

    Paul says here that all the different ministries can work together as a team because they have the same Spirit, the same Lord, and the same God.

    For example, look at the "husband and wife" pattern: I don't look at my wife as inferior or as my competition. We are equal and walk in different roles. I look at her wisdom as absolutely essential to my ministry and my marriage.

    Nobody has it all. No pastor has it all. The wise person recognizes that God sovereignly brings team members together, just like in a marriage.

    A.W. Tozer said, "God is looking for people through whom He can do the impossible---what a pity that we plan only the things we can do by ourselves."

    The leadership team working together demonstrates to the whole church how body ministry works. It displays how each is to function in relation to each other. This is how total ministry benefits the whole body.

    We need radical appreciation for each other. Knute Rockne, the famous coach of Notre Dame in years past developed a shifting backfield and they were called "The Four Horsemen". They pulverized opposing teams. He was a master psychologist. The front line was called the 7 mules. The 4 horseman began to think they were all that mattered. The coach pulled out the 7 mules and put in second stringers. They could not move the ball. He said to them, "Why don't you show them your press clippings?" ... That day they learned a lesson. They learned to appreciate the 7 mules in a radical way.

    Team members need to know and understand that their gifts and call are very much a part of the functioning body, and that they fulfill strategic roles.

  2. A Variety Of Ministry Personalities

    Some will relate to one person better than another. If you have a team of leaders the congregation will flourish best in this climate. God puts people that are different together for a purpose. This is healthy for the church.

  3. An Accelerating Productivity

    More work can be done by several working together than those same people working alone or separately. For example: a length of twine may be able to sustain a weight of say 20 lbs. Bind three of them together and they will hold 160 pounds -- that is the sum of what each can hold by itself plus another 100.

    We see this same principle in Deut 32:30, where it talks about one chasing 1,000 and two 10,000. We see multiplication of accomplishment in teamwork.

    This is true in the spiritual realm, as well as in the natural. More victories over spiritual evil can be accomplished when several gather and focus their efforts on the same issue.

    Gen. 11:5-6 But when the Lord came down to look at the city and the tower, he said. These people are working together because they all speak the same language. This is just the beginning. Soon they will be able to do anything they want.

  4. Reiteration Of Truth

    Truth is enhanced and established.

    At the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established (Deut 19:15).

    Take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established (Matt 18:16).

    In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established (2 Cor 13:1).

    The subject here is primarily that of discipline and witnessing in a trial. The point being that when two or three different individuals speak forth the same truth, it tends to establish the truth.

    In the same way, a team of voices speaking the same thing can be very effective in establishing the truths of God in the hearts and lives of people.

  5. Encourages New Ideas

    A team provides different viewpoints, opinions, approaches and methods. Learning to be effective as a team is like learning to grow together in a marriage. You make adjustments over the years as you work things out.. you adjust to and change each other. Should not be afraid to disagree, and to express that disagreement in a loving and gentle manner. You gain insight as you process disagreements.

    Quote: "A man who lives alone thinks his own thoughts"

    Growing people are changing people. If you are not teachable and changeable you are never going to progress in the things of God.

  6. Checks And Balances...A Bonus Benefit

    Peter warned the elders in 1 Peter 5:2-3 "Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being examples to the flock."

    Team leadership consists of coordinating efforts toward team goals rather than dominating team activities. If the leader acts as a boss, he or she plans, controls, directs and decides, and the team submits and conforms with some kind of passive assent.

    On the other hand, when the leader acts as a guide, he or she seeks to allow and to encourage the team to plan, control, direct, and decide.

    The danger of abuse is ever present, that is why the warning.

    A parent could abuse their children and break their spirits. They could, but that is not right.

    If my wife thinks I am being too hard on the kids she will talk to me about it. That is checks and balances. Maybe I don't have the full picture. Maybe I am overreacting out of some other problem.

    Three main pitfalls for ministry:

    1. Pride
    2. Money
    3. Morality (entanglement with sex)

    When you try to minister alone you expand your vulnerability and enlarge the number of opportunities for temptation. We all have blind spots, character flaws that we can't see or don't want to see. We need others to keep us in check.

  7. Assures Smooth Transition

    There will be transition when the pastor leaves ... regardless of what reason made him/her leave. It could be death, a new call, or whatever. No matter what the reason, congregation will go through a traumatic experience. Team ministry provides for a much smoother transition. There is a greater sense of security in the church. God cares about His sheep. Team ministry is a blessing to the flock.

  8. Provides Fulfillment

    Not every one is called to be a senior pastor. People can be released in fulfilling roles of ministry that match their gifts and calling. This is the intent of Rom. 12:3-6. Paul says to think soberly... that is to realize your limitations. Sober thinking says, "I need other team elders. I must do my ministry and not someone else's."

    In an ideal situation, each person's role is built on his or her greatest strength. Their talents can be maximized.

    This is not always the case so we must be flexible for the good of the team.

    Magic Johnson had the ability for making plays happen and was always willing to fill what ever role the team needed. Several occasion he started championship games as a guard, forward or center. (perhaps the only player to do this) It was in his rookie year in game 6 in Philly. He played center and scored 42 points to win it all.

    When a role is not filled the team suffers.

  9. It Preserves Ministers

    Ministers are people too. "The great Elijah was subject to like passions as we are." (Jam. 5:17) Burnout is a very present reality. The load must be shared to prevent this.

    Quote: "A past president is said to have remarked that the best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and self-restraint enough to keep from meddling with them while they do it!"

    While that is not scripture, it reflects the benefits of team ministry.

    Someone has said that as the glory of man is the woman and the glory of Christ is his bride, the church, so the glory of the senior pastor is the team.

    The Apostle Paul always bragged on those who accompanied him in the ministry. He called them:

    It is not exaggeration to say that Paul's success in the ministry was in large part due to the comfort, encouragement, and support he received from the members of the teams that ministered along side him.

    If we are not the senior pastor we need to accept the position we are in as God's purpose and for our good.

    A wife or husband can find great joy in making their mate successful. That player with the assist gets great satisfaction from the slam dunk. The lineman who protects the QB when he throws the winning pass. In hockey, the person who "assists" the goal gets as much credit as the one who actually scores it.

    We err when we don't recognize the benefit of others in our lives.

    Aaron and Hur held up the hands of Moses. They were as crucial to the success of the battle as Moses was. God had decreed that as long as Moses stood over the troops and held up his hands, the Israelites would win. But when Moses lowered his hands, the enemy would prevail. You can bet that Moses desired to keep his hands up. Yet he became fatigued and was unable to do so. However, Moses had teammates.. Aaron and Hur who helped him to successfully fulfill his God-appointed role. And God's people won the victory that day.. because of this teamwork.

    This joke about perspective drives home the point of how we benefit from others in our lives:

    A husband and wife stop to get gas. The husband is a very well off insurance salesman. The wife gets into a conversation with the attendant and seems very friendly with him. As they leave, the husband asks "what was that all about?"

    "He was my former boyfriend that I was going to marry."

    "Well it is a good thing you married me, or you would be the wife of a service station attendant." the husband said.

    The wife countered, "Actually, if I had married him then he would be you!"

  10. Intensifies Commitment To Each Other

    Ruth and Naomi were a team. They were linked together. They had been to hell and back.

    If Ruth had not been committed to Naomi, she probably would not have ever met (much less married) her rich relative Boaz. If Naomi did not have Ruth to help her, she might not had made it through that difficult period as a poor widow.. she was old and frail and might not have been able to support herself by gleaning in the fields .. a physically demanding and difficult task. They saw to each other's needs and as they went through a difficult situation, they became more and more of a support to each other. They became closely knit together and committed to each other.

    I certainly hope your team does not have to go to hell and back together. But as you work through difficulties and obstacles as a cohesive unit, you will find that your team becomes more closely bonded together.

Maintaining Long-Range Benefits of Team Ministry

Team members need to be FAT!!

F= Flexible
A= Available
T= teachable

It is an unwritten law that honeymoons can't last forever. When the wedding excitement dies down and life sets in, kids come along and the bills mount, it requires work for a husband and wife team to enjoy and reach the goals they desire.

The same is true of a Ministry Team. To be effective and productive certain qualities need to be developed.

Let's look at the "Team Development Wheel" which is a concept developed by John Maxwell. Maxwell teaches that there are four stages of relationship that a team will experience as they move towards full potential.

And when you reach stage 4, the hardships the team went through together (to get there) seem like a small price to pay for what they have together. It is worth the effort, it is worth persevering to build a good team.

[Please Note:
This is intended as a discussion series. Please feel free to send your discussion (comments or questions) to prayer-school@godspeak.net. We will have online discussion each week, MC'd by Cliff Murray, the author of this series. These discussions will NOT be put on the course WWW page.]



-- © GodSpeak International 1999 --
-- Do not republish without written permission from <copyright@godspeak.org> --


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