Don’t Go Alone! Why You Need a Team to Image God.
The “power of teamwork” may seem like a cliche virtue to highlight, but it is a core component of the Christian walk. Starting with the first people in Genesis, we see the challenges that arise when working with others; whether it is Adam blaming Eve or Cain killing Abel, figuring out how to work as a team is difficult, even for families. However, if you plan on being a part of God’s family and fulfilling his mission then understanding teamwork is vital to your success.
If we are going to do any lasting work for God, it’s going to come on the other side of a collaborative effort of like-minded people who are willing to submit themselves to doing things God’s way. This means we have to learn to work with others even when it is difficult. Unfortunately, working with others can be so problematic for some that they’d rather just try to do it alone, but when it comes to going on the mission field this is a pitfall you need to avoid.
The Dangers of Going Alone
There are a number of reasons someone may enter the mission field alone. Maybe they believe it's more financially responsible or feasible to forgo a team or they don’t want to waste time looking for a team because they are just so eager to start. Whatever the case may be, the benefits of a Biblically-grounded team always outweighs whatever people may think the benefits of going alone are.
Maybe the reason someone wants to work alone is because they will be able to get more done, and that a team would only slow them down. Who hasn’t had a group project that has made them think like this? An African proverb explains it well: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” Our own human finiteness can lead us to do things in our own timing, and thus we go about trying to accomplish them in ways that fit our schedule. However, we can’t forget who we are working for. God may not do things as fast as we want them done, and trying to take the reins and speed up the schedule could easily cause one to sway off course. We have to display patience, having faith in the timing of God, knowing he is thinking much further into the future than we are.
Doing things alone to get more done could also be a result of not wanting to share credit. We shouldn’t allow the world’s promotion of self-obsession to infiltrate our execution of fulfilling the great commission. We are not working for individual glory, but for God’s glory, and to accomplish this, it will take a group of people who are able to build each other up into the body of Christ by putting the needs of others over their own (Eph. 4 & Phil. 2). God is glorified through people who are able to work together to meet a greater goal, and the working together part is often a big part of that greater goal.
It should be a red flag if a missionary ever prefers to work alone. If you don’t have the people skills to work on a team, how do you expect to develop the relationships necessary to be an effective missionary? The mission involves improving people’s lives by revealing the goodness of God to them, which you cannot do disconnected from people. You have to know them to know their real needs, and they have to know you to see how God is using you. If you can’t get along with those who should be on your team, you likely aren’t going to be an effective missionary.
Jesus says it clearly when he is talking to his disciples: “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” They will display the image of God through their love for one another, not an imaginary love for strangers. After all, how can you say you love those who you hardly know if you cannot even love those who are supposed to be on your team. It is the interactions with your brothers and sisters in Christ through which we reveal the goodness of Christ. Demonstration can exist when both parties know what they are doing. Like Jesus said: “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them” (Matt. 18:20).
Our relationship with God relies on a good relationship with others. If we are unwilling to cooperate and connect with others, we will be limiting the healing God wants to give to the world. Sure, every hero has their origin story which focuses on them, but aren't the best stories when all the heroes work together? Just think about it, not even the Lone Ranger works alone.
The Power of Teamwork
In order to unlock the power of teamwork, you first have to know the heart of teamwork: shared values. Shared values are deeper than just the specific mission itself. It’s these core values which dictate how you go about fulfilling your missions, and is even what those missions are birthed from. The team’s unity is found not just in the goal of the mission, but the way you accomplish it.
Here’s an example: your team’s been given a task to renovate a widow’s bathroom because caring for the vulnerable is derived from a shared value of love; however, this shared value of love should also be how you go about this task, meaning your teammates hold each other accountable to ensure you don’t get low-quality materials, cut corners, or overlook mistakes. Rather, you all will be listening to the actual needs of the widow, doing your best to meet those needs with the resources available, and making sure the widow feels love and respect in the process. This means the team will need to engage in dialogue, decision making, and provide accountability for one another to ensure they keep to the shared values they have.
Obviously, for those who are working for God, our values are derived from his Word, and may be most clearly seen in the way Jesus lived out his life. This is why we must immerse ourselves in the Bible, and absorb all the lessons we can from it, as it should serve as our authority for defining our values.
While the difficulties of teamwork are often oversimplified, the Gospels give us a good understanding of the complexities which can arise: arguments about who’s greater, confusion regarding their mission, failures, doubting, denials, and betrayals; these all become a part of this team’s story. Some of the insights recorded about Jesus’ group may even make us question Jesus’ application process for discipleship. But if Jesus was able to do history-changing work with them, then we should follow his example.
