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TEAM-BUILDING in the local church. Practical Ministry. Biblical images of Team-work. Moses (Exodus 18) The prophets had “schools,” kings had advisors, wise men had disciples. Jesus had a team of apostles (Mark 3:14) The early church worked in pairs (Lk 10:1) and teams (Acts 8:14; 15:2,22).
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TEAM-BUILDING in the local church Practical Ministry
Biblical images of Team-work • Moses (Exodus 18) • The prophets had “schools,” kings had advisors, wise men had disciples. • Jesus had a team of apostles (Mark 3:14) • The early church worked in pairs (Lk 10:1) and teams (Acts 8:14; 15:2,22) Practical Ministry: Team-Building
Core Biblical principles • Every Christian is of value (1 Cor 12:21f) • Every Christian has a role (1 Cor 12:15f) • We strive for diversity not uniformity (1 Cor 12:4f) Practical Ministry: Team-Building
Choosing Teams • Obviously, the more responsible the post, the more important the issue of selection. • But do you appoint through AUTOCRACY (from “above”) or DEMOCRACY (from “below”? Practical Ministry: Team-Building
AUTOCRACY • Advantage: I get to choose my own team (which minimises frustration). • Disadvantage: I am tempted to pick only “yes-men” with no balancing voice Practical Ministry: Team-Building
DEMOCRACY • Advantage: The whole church owns their team of leaders • Disadvantage: You get saddled with aggressive self-promoters and not a good balance of temperaments and skills Practical Ministry: Team-Building
“Leadership with consensus” • Finding a compromise position • There must be room for genuine leadership with the existing leader having primary say. • There must be opportunity for all those affected by the decision to express support (or not!) • Some suggest nomination by existing leaders, with confirmatory vote by wider group Practical Ministry: Team-Building
Who to choose • Build a balance of temperament and talent • Develop a sense of representation (race, gender, age, background etc) • Build a family of network support • Do not choose people who are all like you! • Do not choose all “yes-men”! Practical Ministry: Team-Building
How to lead a team • Work on fostering relationships, not just performing tasks. • Be secure, not intimidated (by their knowledge, ability or personality). • Recognise and appreciate every contribution. Practical Ministry: Team-Building
“I could do it better myself” • Yes, you probably could. That’s why you’re the leader. • But consider this frustration carefully: • You can’t do everything • And you mustn’t attempt it • You developed your present-day abilities through somebody trusting you • Delegation is a developed skill Practical Ministry: Team-Building
How to be a good team member • Find security in your relationships, not in your role. • Can you handle criticism? • Can you handle someone out-performing you? • Be clear about yourself, your role and how that role supports and encourages the roles of other team members • Develop the gift of encouragement • Find ways to honour the other team members as valued colleagues in the wider work Practical Ministry: Team-Building