- It amplifies results.
- It awes spectators.
- It satisfies team-members.
Teamwork is an easily understood word that is amazingly difficult to live out.
Whether you are talking marriage, sports, or the corporate world, teamwork is to be admired, desired and acquired. But there is the rub… actually developing cooperation, trust in an atmosphere of single-minded effort toward a common goal. Now that is a challenge.
Jesus took on that challenge with his disciples. He had to deal with conflicting world views (Simon the Zealot, a political activist in favor of overthrowing Rome on the same team with Matthew, a tax collector for the establishment), with arguments about who was the MVP, and with generally inconsistent play from his main guys (remember Peter? Walking on water one minute, sinking in unbelief the next).
We all identify. We have experienced in our homes, businesses and in the church, those conflicts of world-views, differences of priorities and strategies, and the struggles for consistency in our performance.
Sports teams give a lot of time and energy to building a team. The better they do this, the stronger the team and the greater the results.
The Apostle Paul talked to churches about teamwork. He may not have exactly used that word, but he got close. He used often the word translated fellowship, participation, or communion. Koinonia and its related words communicate a sense of connection in a common purpose.
Fellowship was a hall-mark of the early church. Dr. Luke, in his written history of the early church (Acts 2:42) tells us that (t)hey devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
Fellowship is one pillar of the church. Prayer, God’s Word, the Ordinances of Baptism and the Lord’s Table are all called out along with fellowship as pillars of the church gatherings of the first century. If we want to be a healthy church, growing and serving the Lord, we will embrace these pillars.
Our study this Sunday morning will take us to the book of Philippians for a survey of what it takes to be a team at Cedar Grove. Take a read through the verses below. I think you will get the idea. Let’s learn all we can about being team members of Jesus’ team. We want to get the best results we can.
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Submitted by Pastor Keith, 1:11 pm
