Do you want to know how to build a team? Look at teaching in God’s Word about unity within the Body. Philippians 2 provides essential components for team building.
The first point, aligning with God’s purposes, comes from the “if … then” statement in verses 1-2.
Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.
In Christ we stand united but the state of our unity with one another doesn’t always match our standing in Him. “If” teams are going to experience “any encouragement” from the unity they have in Christ, “then” they must be “like-minded” so who they are in Christ becomes what they do.
Teams Aligning with God’s Purposes Demonstrate Like-mindedness
What does it mean to be like-minded? Philippians gives two aspects of like-mindedness:
1) having the same love – based on God’s love (agape) not human love
2) being one in spirit and of mind – based on God’s purposes not agreeing on every issue
Also read: Leadership Skill of Team Building
You’ll find some brief commentary on the above points in the Steering the Church Toward God’s Purposes Leadership Guide along with an acrostic using the word TEAM about the kind of unity needed in team building.
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
I love the idea of team building for GOD lovers and the real word followers, for the most part. It is definitely a blueprint for new upcoming faith-based small startup churches.
Yes, Ray, as God lovers we become God followers (Jn. 14:21). His blueprints are always best — better than what we would come up with on our own (Isa. 55:9).