Working at TEAMWORK

TEAMWORK TAKES WORK But it's worth it

Lately my concept of working with, on, for, and through a team has been stretched. My collaborative skills needed expanding. I've never been anti-teamwork. It's just that: I come from an individualistic culture. Back in high school, while I enjoyed being on a team, the wrestling team is really a collection of individual achievers. Most of my life was spent in a career when I was the only full-time worker at the church where I served. In other words, I've had a lot more experience with go-it-alone, than I have with go-team. Now, I find myself in a situation where a lot of what I need to get done is stuff that I can't do. I am surrounded by people both way more capable than I am, and yet people who need something I can contribute to make their work more effective. Sometimes it is collaboration; They bring A, I contribute B, and the resulting C is far bigger than either A or B. On other occasions I am a catalyst; very little of what I have done is seen in the final product, but something from me has made that end-result possible. I'm impressed with the power of cheering, or encouragement. I'd say I'm the recipient of more of that team-spirit than I give out. It's not as much fun--on either end--but challenge is a powerful part of working together. Others around me will get in my face. "I don't think that's right," or, "I don't think that's your best." When you combine all of that with the fact that I'm surrounded by folk who live and breath a lifestyle much more community oriented than the one I'm familiar with, you can see why the concept of team is growing in me. I'd suggest that working as a team is a paradigm you should give more attention to. If you do think about it, it'll be the result of one more element of teamwork in action. Teammates help one another consider . . . . It's STTA (Something To Think About).  Here is a different presentation of the Good News in Christ.  You can find several ways to explore the Message of Grace here.

Sleeping on the Job

Something To Think About Sleeping on the Job:

A very common image for the church--it applies to both churches and The Church—is the Body.  1 Corinthians 12 is one of the most extensive treatments.  One point that is abundantly clear is that every part needs to do its part. A crisis, or maybe it was a “pre-crisis,” developed in the early church.     "As the believers rapidly multiplied, there were rumblings of discontent. The Greek-speaking believers complained about the Hebrew-speaking believers, saying that their widows were being discriminated against in the daily distribution of food."  Acts 6:1 (NLT)   I’m looking back at my time as a pastor, and at the record of pastors I know.  My (our) tendency would be to put on an apron and make sure the soup distribution was equal.  The Apostles were too wise for that. So the Twelve called a meeting of all the believers. They said,    “We apostles should spend our time teaching the word of God, not running a food program.  And so, brothers, select seven men who are well respected and are full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will give them this responsibility.  Acts 6:2–3 (NLT)   There are times when I have gotten up from a chair to find that my foot had “gone to sleep.”  I suppose I could have just crawled to where I needed to go, letting my knees fill in for my slumbering foot.  The wiser course of action though is to massage the foot, or even gently stomp it on the ground to get the circulation going again.   Getting the foot back in the game is good not only for the rest of the body, but for the foot itself. What in the body should be doing? What might be being neglected because you are not on the job? It’s STTA.