It’s tempting to start a new idea thinking about the outcome. Leaders often see the results clearly in their mind. But the inherent risk in that thinking is that even though a vision of change might be a great source of inspiration, it can also be a stumbling block to success. Instead of charging out front and hoping others will join you, start with asking several crucial questions:
- Who do you need on your team?
- Who can challenge your assumptions or teach you what you need to know?
- Who has influence that you do not possess?
Building teams is an indispensable skill for leaders, and this is especially true in congregational settings. Churches with strong individual leaders who are lacking in reliable teams might thrive in the short-term, but they won’t sustain their momentum long term.
When you read through Acts, it is obvious how little the people in the early church accomplished alone and how much the early leaders worked in teams. After a dispute about the daily food distribution (Acts 6), the apostles selected a seven-member team to oversee operations. When Peter and John were in prison (Acts 12), a team of disciples met at Mary’s house to pray for them. And as Paul crisscrossed the ancient world, he constantly relied on teams of people to fulfill his calling: Priscilla and Aquila, Silas and Timothy, and the unnamed elders of the Ephesian church (Acts 20:17).
Church vision can live or die on the strength of the leadership team. Leadership scholars distinguish between “teams” and “groups.” A group is a “collection of individuals” who share information to enhance individual success, but in a team, members develop a “degree of mutual interdependence” and adjust their actions based on the needs of the team. You can convene a group with a single email invitation. To build a team, you need to invest time to develop trust. How will you nurture teams to lead the congregation into its next season of ministry?
