Discuss Assignments from Last Meeting

What are your specific and achievable commitments to grow in godliness and grit?

What do you need from the team to remain accountable and achieve the goals you have set for yourself?

The Value of Teamwork

“Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.” 

Henry Ford

We have all heard the cliches about teamwork:

• There is no ” I ” in team…
• We > Me… or
• Teamwork makes the dream work! 

Without a doubt, learning to work well on a team is an essential part of a successful OneLink summer trip. Navigating personality differences and team dynamics is often the most challenging part of the summer.

No team can be successful unless each member puts the team’s goals and needs ahead of their own. On the other hand, no team can be successful unless each team member contributes their unique talent to the team’s goals and needs.  

Watch this Video

The Avengers Initiative: A Lesson in Teamwork (Alert: there is a 10 second gap at beginning)

The Avengers Featurette Teamwork

This video demonstrates from a pop culture example the benefits and challenges of teamwork. Not only that comic book “heroes” are joining in fighting evil, but also the big name actors sharing the screen and fame of the movies. Each Avenger must utilize their superpowers and talents and, at the same time, put their ego and desire for personal fame aside for the sake of a greater objective: fighting evil. 

Your OneLink team is a group of remarkable people coming together for the greatest purpose of all! It is vital that you learn to work well together in order for the gospel to be shared and Jesus exalted. There are inevitably a few teams every summer whose work is hindered and gospel witness is overshadowed by internal team conflicts.

Our relationship with each other is the criterion the world uses to judge whether our message is truthful – Christian community is the final apologetic.

Francis Schaeffer

Fortunately, the Bible has a perfect model of teamwork.  

The Trinity as a model for the Church

"That they may be one as we are one." John 17:22 (NIV)
“There are many parts, but one body.”  1 Corinthians 12:20 (NIV)

The beauty of teamwork is the combination of diversity and unity. Teamwork can be summarized as a diverse group of people contributing their personal gifts and talents and working together as one to accomplish a common objective.  

The concept of diversity and unity in teamwork is perfectly illustrated in the doctrine of the Trinity (“three-in-one”).  

The three persons of the Godhead (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) are equally God and yet distinct in their role and function. No member acts independently and there is no comparison or complaint about roles. The three work together in perfect unity toward a common purpose.

In addition, we see healthy relationships of authority and submission in the Trinity. The three persons are equal in power, but there is voluntary submission to leadership: the Son submits to the Father’s will and does only what the Father does (John 5:19), and the Holy Spirit is sent to glorify the Son and make Him known (John 16:14). 

In the same way, leading with humility and cheerfully submitting to authority are important aspects of an effective summer team. Team leaders are delegated the responsibility to guide and shepherd, and team members are asked to cheerfully submit to their leadership. Leadership and followership are different but equally valuable roles to make the team successful. It is vital that each member performs their role with a selfless and a team-first attitude.

Team Leaders: “Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them…as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.” 1 Peter 5:2-3

Team Members: “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.. Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people.”  Ephesians 5:21, 6:7

Each person in their role is called to serve others!

Maintaining Healthy Relationships

Good teamwork is also dependent on maintaining healthy relationships within the team throughout the summer. God has made humans for relationships (Genesis 2:18) and yet all of us are sinners (Romans 3:23). Working in close quarters and in stressful environments for 6-8 weeks straight makes the goal of keeping healthy relationships a continual challenge. The most common source of team conflict is selfishness at not getting what we want (James 4: 1-3). Other sources of conflict may be differences in personality, opinions, expectations, roles, etc.

Do not expect that everyone will get along perfectly and be “besties” all summer long! This is not likely, nor is it necessary for the team to be successful. Do expect that you will have personality conflicts and disagreements. You must do your best to maintain clear relationships by learning to be patient with one another and addressing issues as they arise. “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” Ephesians 4:2-3

There are two keys for maintaining healthy relationships: open communication and healthy conflict resolutions.

A. Open Communication

“Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” James 1:19 (NIV)

“Speaking the truth in love!” and “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. Ephesians 4:15, 29 (NIV)

Good communication involves being a good listener, keeping open and healthy lines of communication, and speaking with love and respect. Many conflicts are the result of poor communication or misunderstandings. Team debriefing times are ideal opportunities to “unload the camel” and address any arising conflicts. However, truth should be spoken in love with the goal of reconciliation and restoration, and not just a desire to be proven right.

B. Healthy Conflict Resolution

"What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight." James 4:1-2 (NIV)

Conflict in life is inevitable because of our selfish and sinful nature. Thankfully, we are no longer slaves to sin (Romans 6:6) because the Holy Spirit gives us power to overcome the sin nature (Galatians 5:16). When you experience conflict this summer, it is important to “stay on top of it.”

Unhealthy Examples of Conflict Resolution

There are three possible responses when conflict arises:

1. Attack – You feel disrespected or misunderstood, you want to defend yourself and prove you are right. You are quick to point out the faults of the other person and ask people to take sides.
2. Escape – You are embarrassed or offended so you withdraw and avoid the other person. You hope the conflict will go away on its own, but you harbor resentment and the tension grows. 
3. Make Peace – You recognize there is conflict and pray about how to resolve it quickly. You own up to your part and are quick to forgive the offense. You get help from a 3rd party if needed.  

Healthy conflict resolution starts with having courage to “lean into the funk.” This means engaging uncomfortable situations with humility by confessing where you are wrong and forgiving the other person who has hurt you. If two people cannot resolve their differences on their own, a third person may be needed to help mediate the process. 

Confession and prayer for one another brings healing. James 5:16

We forgive because we all sin against God and yet he forgives us in Christ. Ephesians 4:32

Philippians 2:1-5 says “Make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus.”  

1. Your team is a diverse group of sinners saved and united by Christ. None are perfect and all will make mistakes.
2. Be loving, tender, and compassionate toward one another because you share the same faith and are joined in the same Spirit. Do not assume that the conflict is personal.
3. Being like-minded toward the common goal requires putting aside selfish ambition and vain conceit.  
4. Put your teammate’s needs before your own and serve with the mindset of Jesus.

OneLink Value: Team Player

Verses for Memorization:

• Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
• 1 Corinthians 12:10-12

OneLink has defined being a team player as “a willingness to disregard personal desires for the greater good of the team; living out a call to work for the success of their teammates and the greater work of God.“

God has sent you this summer as a team because a team can accomplish much more than any single member alone. God has given you your team members to challenge, correct, encourage, and walk alongside you this summer for your good. The devil will try to divide your team with lies to create doubt, fear and conflict among your team. “Encourage one another daily … so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.” Hebrews 3:13 (NIV)

Final Step