Four Reasons You Need a Team
(and Four Reasons Why a Team Needs You)

Volume 246
September 3, 2007

In the first chapter of Genesis, at the end of each of the first five days of creation the same phrase is repeated – “It was good.” That’s followed by “It was very good” at the end of the sixth day after the creation of man.

“It was good.” “It was good.” “It was good.” “It was good.” “It was good.” “It was very good.”

So it’s a huge shock when we come to Genesis 2:18 and hear “It was not good…” How could anything created by a perfect and omnipotent God not be good? What wasn’t good? “It was not good for man to be alone.”

God is three persons in one essence. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit have an eternal relationship. God wouldn’t be God without it.

As men made in the image of God, it isn’t good for us to be alone. We can’t adequately express the image of God in us outside of authentic relationships. To be fully human is to connect with other people in real ways.

When you are part of a team in leadership, you are expressing this relational aspect of the image of God. You also can fulfill several biblical mandates that enrich your life…

1. Encourage One Another (1 Thess. 5:11) - We need to encourage, and to be encouraged. What seems insurmountable when we are in the dark by ourselves can be overcome when we have men standing with us in the light.

2. Learn to Not Always Have to Get Your Way (1 Peter 3:8) – Nothing brings humility like compromising on a team and then finding out after the fact that their idea actually worked. God uses humble men in powerful ways.

3. Grow Together (Romans 15:14) – There are some lessons you can’t learn from a textbook. And unfortunately, you won’t ever learn them if you don’t try to do something great with a group of leaders. Don’t come to the end of your life as 80% of the man you could be because you refused to join up with a team and advance the kingdom of God.

4. Love Others (Ephesians 4:2) – Guys are easy to get along with as long as I don’t actually try to accomplish something with them. When we have to work together on a calling from God, then we learn to love people for their gifts and in spite of their shortcomings. And we learn that a biblical friendship is the most powerful force in the world.

Do you need to grow in any of these four areas? (Yes, that’s a rhetorical question – if you don’t think you do, then, uhmm, I’m pretty sure you do.)

Pray about what God might want you to do as a man, grab some guys, and get to it. You’ll find a joy in teamwork and service that will transform your life.

With you in the battle for men’s souls,

President, Man in the Mirror.