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Team Building by Functioning Interdependently

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Team Building by Functioning InterdependentlyAs a Church we want to see people serve together, to be on mission together. Leaders need to prepare or equip people (Eph. 4:11-12) which not only involves training on the specific ministry they’ll be doing but also helping them learn to work as a team.

We’ve been using Philippians 2 for some Essential Team Building Components. We’ve already noted, from the first two verses, that team building takes alignment with God’s purposes. Unity must be based on who we are and what with have in the Lord, not our own agendas.

Functioning Interdependently as a Team Eliminates Personal Agendas

Personal agendas are born out of our own needs and interests. Consequently, team members must look beyond themselves to the needs and interests of each other, suggesting interdependence, which we see in verses 3-4.

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

We need each other to be most effective. It’s not about how much “I” accomplish but how God uses “us” to do His work — interdependence, not independence.

In addition to the content on this page, the Steering the Church Toward Body Life Leadership Guide points to phrases in Philippian 2 that denote a mutual, reciprocal work on the part of believers one toward the other. It also lists some signs of independence versus functioning interdependently that grow out of this Scripture passage.

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5 Replies to “Team Building by Functioning Interdependently”

  1. God has a body.
    A business has a team.
    The church is not of the world
    a business is of the world
    Unless the Lord builds a house those who labor, labor in vain.

    • Yes, T. I. Miller, God does refer to the Church as a body with many interdependent parts (1 Cor. 12) with Jesus as the Head (Col. 1:18). We are members of one another (Rom. 12:4-5). We’re on the same mission, following God’s purposes. While the Bible doesn’t actually use the word “team” to describe the Church, as a body there are many parallels to the way a team functions. We function according to God’s design by His Spirit, not according to a man-made system. Functioning as a team, “for the common good” (1 Cor. 12:7), seems like it has its origins in God, not the world. Of course, the world tends to taint that which God means for good but should that invalidate its pure form and intent? — “From him (Jesus) the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” (Eph. 4:16)

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