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Chapel Service

 

Sonoma Raceway

June 27, 2015

 

“Going Beyond Teamwork”

 

 

www.BeyondCheckeredFlags.com

Bob Butcher

 

God often speaks to me what I am supposed to share with you during ministry times.  I just spent last week in the Oregon wilderness with one of our YWAM ministry programs called NIKO Leadership & Team Building.  This was a unique group of participants ranging from age 13 to mature and in their 40’s.  Some were new staff at our Salem Campus and came from all walks of life and internationals from Brazil and Korea.

During the week one day, maybe the hardest and most strenuous of all; focuses upon Team Building.  Clearly God spoke to me and this is the result for you today. Let’s open our hearts and let God teach us.  Teamwork in our NASCAR world is FAR MORE THAN that incredible perfect ballet we watch and seek to perform as our car pits for service during the race.  Let’s take a peek at God’s plan and design for teamwork.

1 Corinthians 12: 12 -27:

Through this we are to take to heart that we are to:

  • Ascribe value to each person’s role or part
  • There are many parts & each with specific functions
  • They are arranged and distributed to each as God desired them
  • All parts are necessary for health of the project as well as each person’s value in their own eyes and God’s plan for each person involved.

1 Peter 4: 7-11 says:

  • Above ALL keep fervent in your love for one another
  • Why? …Because LOVE covers a multitude of sins.
  • Be hospitable to one another without complaining.
  • Since each person has received a special & unique gift of talent use it for serving one another and the team’s project as good stewards of God’s grace for you, the team, the work project.
  • When it comes to speaking to each other do so as one who is sharing God’s words.
  • When you serve others or the work project do so by the strength that God supplies, not in your own self or you will fail.
  • When you do the above you glorify God through Jesus Christ to whom belongs the glory for ever and ever which then results in your reward in the end also.

Romans 12: 4 – 6:  “For just as we have many members in one body and all those members do not have the same function then we who are many are one body in Christ Jesus and belong to one another.  Since we have different gifts we are to exercise them accordingly.”

Philippians 2: 3-4: “Do absolutely nothing from selfishness or conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourself.  Do not merely look out for your own back but instead look out for other’s backs instead.”

In other words you don’t have to worry about yourself as you watch out for other’s backs on your team.  That’s because the other team members are watching your back and there are far more of them than just you so that’s far more covering & protection that just yourself!

Have you ever considered what is the epitome of Teamwork in all of creation?

Hint: It is the most overlooked area of all in our life and the most attacked and destroyed today; both in America and world wide.

Answer:  Teamwork is the epitome of a marriage!

Think about Teamwork within a marriage in the above context also.

A Marriage is like a pit crew in a synchronized ballet of teamwork.  It’s the perfect picture of teamwork… both great and bad.

  • They need to work together
  • The more teamwork the better and more successful the marriage.
  • You watch each other’s backs …and NOT fall for the enemy’s tests or deceits, selfishness, or the blame game either!
    • If you love one another then you want the best for the other person more than for yourself.
    • Have you reread 1 Corinthians 13: 1-8 lately? If it wasn’t in your wedding vows, it should be every day!
  • Also remember the part of love that specifically refers to sex:
    • Each other’s body belongs to each other
    • Just as a Team, family, or work group Belong to one another as we learned in Romans 12: 5 above; so do husbands and wives belong to each other in an even more sacred way. A marriage is not different than a team concept, just more sacred and at the highest human potential in God’s design and plan for His kids.

So, whether at any moment you are operating as a team or a husband and wife, and also a family then these principals of Teamwork apply to our every action, words, or intent.

Please take time to spend some quiet, private with God and seek for yourself what He has for you; because YOU are His love, His focus, and His desire to mature you into the image of His Son.  You are already MADE in His IMAGE.  We just need to work at growing into who He designed us, made us, and gifted us to be day by day.  That IS our rich heritage, future, and immense Blessing we can trust in.  However, it is ALSO our choice to choose whether to accept the gift or not.  I hope your answer is YES along with Kathy and me.

 

NIKO June 2015 This is one special NIKO Leadership & Team Building group of participants and YWAM Staff.