Functioning as a team isn’t always easy. Problems can quickly distract us from focusing on God’s purposes. If we aren’t careful, certain issues can keep us from functioning interdependently, as a team, the way God designed the Body to work best. And, we may find ourselves reacting from our flesh rather than with Christ-like character. When dysfunction sets in, we lose some of the fellowship that spurs teams forward, on mission together. — Is there any hope of rising above the dysfunction?
Face the Realities About Team Building
1) Being a ministry team doesn’t make us exempt from problems. Ministry teams are made up of fallen human beings, saved by grace, living in a fallen world (Rom. 3:23-24).
2) It’s not always the other person (Matt. 7:1-5). Even when it is, we each have a part in reconciliation and resolution (Matt. 5:23-24; Gal. 6:1-5).
Identify What Tends to Make Teams Dysfunctional
When our priorities are skewed, we tend to become more focused on what makes the most sense for “me” rather than the team.
Think of the mix of people on a team. Some are more task-oriented while others are more people-oriented. Some are comfortable with the way things always have been while others are more visionary and goal oriented. Some may obsess on details while others are less attentive to details. Some people drag their feet in making decisions while others may impulsively rush ahead. If each person pushes their own agenda, dysfunction becomes inevitable. Everyone needs to focus on God’s purposes instead of their own.
Dysfunction comes with either co-dependent or independent functioning rather than the interdependence God intends for the Body.
On a given team we may have members at both ends of the spectrum, each hindering the proper functioning of the team. Both need to do their part to promote an interdependent environment. For example, the more reserved team member needs to speak up some and the talkative, outgoing member may need to speak less. The more inactive and less committed member needs to do their part while the overburdened and extremely zealous member needs to resist taking on other people’s responsibilities. The person who consistently takes a hands-off approach needs to learn how healthy accountability works whereas the one who tends to micromanage and control the group needs to learn to become more of a servant.
We open the door to dysfunction when operating from our flesh rather than with Christ-like character.
Team members are bound to disagree at times. How we deal with conflict often stems from our personality temperaments. To handle disagreements in healthy ways, we all need to walk in the Spirit so we respond with Christlikeness. For example, those who naturally tend to be more passive in conflict need to learn to speak the truth in love (Eph. 4:15). Those who tend to be more oppositional need patience, kindness, gentleness, and self-control to be able to back off a bit (Gal. 5:22-23). Some members will take a more grace-oriented approach while others take a more truth-focused approach. They each need to learn to function from a place of BOTH grace and truth (Jn. 1:14, 17).
Grab Hold of What’s Needed to Rise Above Dysfunction
If we try to build healthy teams from a worldly standpoint, we’re bound to run into problems. Remember Romans 12:2 – “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
To pull on our own good intentions and self-determination, we’re bound to fall short. Remember what the Apostle Paul said in Romans 7:18-24. – “For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. … For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me.”
Paul concluded, “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death?” Praise God, the answer comes in verse 25. — “Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!”
Rising above dysfunction may see impossible but there’s hope. Conflict and other issues don’t have to result in dysfunction. From our position with Jesus Christ the heavenlies (Eph. 2:6), we gain the perspective we need to rise above. It takes more, however, than the right perspective. We need a power outside of ourselves. God provides “His incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms …” (Eph. 1:18-20)
All team members need to pull on God’s power to rise above dysfunction. We must be careful not to cast responsibility to change solely on the other members.
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