”Fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love,
being of one accord, of one mind.
Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit,
but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself.”
Philippians 2:2-3 (NKJV)
Group vs. Team
A ‘team’ differs from a ‘group of people doing things together’, though we have sometimes mistakenly referred to ‘a group’ as ‘a team’. Both a group and a team must have something that brings them together: for a group, maybe it is a common interest; for a team it is a common purpose and commitment. A group may be full of people with an individualistic mindset — they are there mainly for themselves and their own gain. A real team can't function that way. Like Paul addresses in Philippians 2:2-3, there is a wrong team mentality (selfish ambition, conceit), or a desired one (humility, unity).
“Good teams become great ones when the members trust each other enough to surrender the Me for the We.” — Phil Jackson, Chicago Bulls
A group can be put together quickly, but it takes time to turn them into a team. It can take even more time if we don’t understand the difference between a ‘group’ and a ‘team’ or if we are unsure of How to START a Team or How to BECOME one.
The Lord Jesus Christ Himself built different teams. We see ‘The Twelve’ in Luke 9:1-2, and ‘The Seventy’ in Luke 10:1-2. He spent time with them, teaching and training them, and He gave them opportunities to grow and to do. Jesus’ teams participated in His Kingdom activities and helped Him build the Church — both before His crucifixion and after His resurrection. In Acts 6:1-7, we can see new teams forming to help care for the growing Church.
When we understand that we ought to work in and from teams, the question we must ask ourselves is: do we have the 'team' mindset?
“Individuals play the game, but teams win championships.” ― John Maxwell
A group usually can make things happen; however, it often lacks enough diversity in perspective and capability to make it happen really well over a long period of time. Because of lack of commitment and rapid turnover, groups can easily change or fall apart. A group often misses out on the perseverance and sustainability we find in teams. If we want to go the true distance and keep on improving, we need teams.
“The truth is that teamwork is at the heart of great achievement.” — John Maxwell
Turning a ‘group’ into a ‘team’ is an intentional process with certain steps imparted by the team leader to the team. A team is not just some random people working on something; it’s much more purposeful and strategic. Good leaders assemble their team(s) with the needed skills, aptitudes and strengths to accomplish more over a longer time; that diversity increases sustainability. Paul also instructed Timothy to “entrust to faithful men” — it’s not just about being willing or eager to make it happen, there must be faithfulness and commitment. A team wants to move further, learn and grow together, and function in unity. A team sticks up for one another and the team leader.
Individuals vs. Team Members
Individuals trust themselves — their own skills, perspective, and tasks.
Team members trust the skills, perspective, and tasks of their leader and teammates.
Individuals will talk more about themselves (I + me).
Team members speak more about the team (we + us).
Individuals are motivated by the influence they (want to) have.
Team members are more focused on team integrity.
Individuals want to be seen and/or promoted.
Team members ought to be the ones getting promoted.
Individuals often have a competition mentality.
Team members think in win-win scenarios.
Individuals can have hidden agendas.
Team members speak up and are honest in what they communicate.
Here are the 5 Steps in “How to Become a Team”, which we like to refer to as the “5 x Cs”.
Watch the following teaching to learn more about the steps to Become a Team and how they fit within the overall System of Building the Church.
Here at The Church Building System, we want to help you by providing the step-by-step methodology for how to build your church (or ministry organization). We have tools and resources available to help you along your leadership journey.
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