Teams that work – pt 14. Pulling together or apart?

Equipping, Team
Selfishness and bad attitude There are few more difficult members to have in a team than those who have their own hidden agendas. The selfish footballer who wants to score the goal when he should have passed the ball, or the cricket batsman who is more interested in his seasonal average than the welfare of the team, are each nightmares to the captain. Indeed, it is sometimes necessary to change the team selection to remove such a person. In Christian circles, too, that attitude can sometimes be present. The flesh in some people seeks after ‘glory' and ‘profile'. Such people are not good team players. Bad attitude represents a powerful force for destruction and Paul addresses the subject head on in Phil 2:3-8. He shows how Jesus' attitude was exemplary…
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Teams that work – pt 13. A United Team

Equipping, Newfrontiers, Team
I have ben using Phil 2:1 to look at some of the features which create a positive environment in which a team can work. We shall now look at the characteristics and attitudes of the team itself through the next few verses. Complete joy As a team leader on many occasions and in many situations I can happily echo Paul's words to the Philippians ‘complete my joy...' How is this achieved? Through ‘being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind' (Phil 2:2b). Unity Unity of a team is a vital ingredient to success. But to achieve that unity takes time and effort. It does not just happen. Once the team is selected there needs to be an intentional ‘team building' to…
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Teams that work – pt 12. A positive context

Equipping, Team
The atmosphere and ethos in which a team operates are important for success. Here I continue to look at some of the characteristics of a positive environment based Phil 2:1. Love The ability to encourage comes from a root of love. God is love - what better reason for being able to love one another? Indeed, we have no option - it is a command of Jesus: ‘love one another as I have loved you' (Jn 13:34). His love was demonstrated so vividly in being prepared even to die for us that our relationship with God the Father might be restored. Love does not equate with ‘like'. It is inevitable that we do not like all people with the same intensity - we might even dislike some! Love is different.…
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