Perhaps your ministry team has lone rangers or monopolizers. Maybe members rarely agree and when they do, it’s preluded with heated debates or arguments. They are a team in name only. You pray for them but change seems minimal. What about praying together as a team? Try it and note the difference prayer makes in functioning as a team.
Praying together is important but we’re not just talking about token prayers. We’re talking about truly and fervently seeking God and His will. When our focus gets where it should be, we tend to function as God intends.
Importance of Praying Together as a Team
Prayer is important to functioning as a team because of who we are as humans — self-centered, self-absorbed, and self-promoting. That’s what leads to so much turmoil when coming together as a team. The solution? Rather than fight and quarrel, go to God and ask Him. Make it about getting on page with God, not with personal agendas. — “What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.” (James 4:1-3) “Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing.” (1 Tim. 2:8)
We are human so we won’t always pursue God and His ways as we should and therefore will at times get hurt or offend others. Before trying to work out our disagreements and offenses, first go to God about it. Healing comes as we pray for each other. Being able to forgive one another is critical to God’s blessing on our teamwork. — “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.” (James 5:16) — “And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.” (Mk. 11:25)
The lure of the flesh can be strong. Pride can stand in the way of working with others as a team. Political maneuvering has been modeled for us in the world. Jesus went before us and understands our temptations. He will help us. — “Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” (Heb. 4:16) So, before even attempting to progress on an agenda, stop to pray together for God’s help.
Further, since the decisions made in ministry have the potential of making an eternal difference, we can’t rely on human wisdom. God promises to provide the wisdom we need if we just ask (James 1:5). But, we should not expect Him to answer if we’re “double-minded and unstable” (James 1:6-8) which happens when we let pride and politics get in the way. — “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isa. 55:9) “There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.” (Prov. 14:12)
How Prayer Makes a Difference in Functioning as a Team
We need to come together in prayer, as one in the Lord, much like a symphony coming together with its various instruments on the same page of music. — “Again, truly I tell you that if two of you on earth agree (symphoneo) about anything they ask for, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” (Matt.18:19-20)
The very act of praying together, when truly about seeking after God, to be in His presence, turns the focus where it should be — on God and His will. With attention off of ourselves and onto Him, we’ll find unity out of our diversity because we’re all doing our parts to make sure we’re on page with God. That’s what teamwork is about in the Church.
For More on These Topics:
All Posts about Team Building:
- Essential Team Building Components
- Team Building by Aligning with God’s Purposes
- Team Building by Functioning Interdependently
- Team Building by Exercising Christ-like Character
- Team Building Leads to being on Mission Together
- Team Building Pulling on God’s Power
- Power to Function as a Team Because of the Gospel
- The Difference God’s Power Makes in Functioning as a Team
- Power to Function as a Team Because of Grace
- Power to Function as a Team Because of the Holy Spirit
- Power to Function as a Team When Praying Together
- Power to Function as a Team Because of Spiritual Gifts
- Perspective to Function as a Team
- A Reliable Means of Equipping Us for Teamwork
- Biblical Principles for Functioning as a Team
- Be an Example of a Team Player
- Rise Above Dysfunctional Team Issues
- Power in His Name to Function as a Team