It's all about Team

It's All About Team

The old saying goes "There's no I in  Team", which is true, but there is a M and an E, which is Me, which is the same thing.  A successful and great team, can't be about one individual, about one person getting all the credit, the limelight, and accolades.  Truly successful and great teams, though they may have some great individual performances or players, still trace their success back to teamwork, unity, good chemistry, and not caring who gets the credit as long as they win.

Teams work to win championships, titles, and trophies.  Teams are no different than businesses or churches. They are a group of people working toward a common goal.  In a business it may be to make money, expand or grow the company.  In churches our goal (should be anyway) to Glorify, Honor, and Worship God.   Church is a body of people who make up members of that body with Christ as the head, and the church does not exist for one person to get all the credit, accolades, attention, or glory, only Christ. 

If Christ is not the center of attention, then you have the wrong motives, the wront attitude, and have a personal agenda other than that of Christ. Sure, people say and do things "in the name of Jesus",but we forget that God "knows all" and He knows our heart, our motives and our agenda.  Some Preachers Preach because if they were brutallty honest, they like the attention, credit, and strokes to their ego.  Some people serve in  church in leadership, leading the worship, or heading up a committee because they like feeling important, being in charge, or control.

None of those things benefit God or help the body or glorify Christ.  Just like we've seen in sports over and over, when you got one person who cares more about self than the team, the team is seldom successful, can't win, and ends up causeing alot of turmoil in the locker room and slowly unravels the team.

We cannot preach, lead, serve, sing, or use our gifts for God if He's not the center, core, or sole  motivation for doing so.  Many people are indeed "called", but they eventually stopped listening to God or doing it for God for various reasons and started marching to the beat of their own drum or sound of their own horn.

How many athletes became stars and in the process got lost in the lights, glitz, greed, money, and glamour. They started playing as kids for fun and being a part of a team with their friends and over time, their attitude, motives, and ego become corrupt and pretty soon, attitudes shift to "what about me",  "I deserve more", and "I'm special", and "It's all about me".

Happens in pulpits, in sanctuaries, in ministry, and in churches.  We like the limelight, the attention, the pats on the back, and the credit, and pretty soon we start feeling like we deserve it, we are owed it, and we want more.  There is no glory for God in that.  If you don't sing, serve, preach , teach, lead, and worship for God's glory and credit, than it's empty words, wasted time, and hurts the body(team) of Christ.  I don't care what your motive or agenda is, if it's not Christ, it's wrong period. 

We need to check our ego's at the door.  We need to constantly be evaluating our attitudes and motives with prayer, God's word, and even accountability by trusted peers/mentors.   Why do you preach? Why do you serve? Why do you lead? Why do you do what you do? Is it for God or for you?  Are you worried more about getting credit or giving God credit?  Do you want to build the church, reach the lost, or help people for your own selfish agenda, or do you truly do it for the cause of Christ?

We are the last ones to notice our faults usually because we are in denial or unwilling to be honest with ourselves, but if you don't the team(church) is going to suffer. Most of all at some point it will backfire and blow up in your face.  Just like athletes who are selfish and greedy with big ego's, they lose contracts, friends, fans, and teams no longer want them, even though they are talented,  because not worth the hassle or drama that accompanies them.  The greatest athletes are those that give their teamates the credit.

A preacher can be the most gifted speaker or evangelist, yet His ego holds him back.  You can be the most gifted teacher/singer, but your motivation is you, and your talent is wasted, you can be the greatest leader, but you're selfish agenda causes constant turmoil and problems(and you think everyone else  has the problem).

Let's all be a team player, let's all contibute and do our part for the good of the team.   Even though I Pastor a church, this church is not about it, nor will it be successful solely based on me. I am just one person and my role is to pastor, but everyone here who serves and gives is just as important as me.  Sure we all like a kind word, encouragement, and a someone to notice our hard work, but if that is your motivation, then you've missed the point.  The church is God's body not ours, the credit is His not ours, and the glory is for Him not us.  It's all about God and we are on His team.


James 4:3(NIV)

When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.