{"id":754,"date":"2021-06-11T13:03:26","date_gmt":"2021-06-11T18:03:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/reconciledworld.org\/flourish\/?p=754"},"modified":"2022-12-19T13:25:05","modified_gmt":"2022-12-19T19:25:05","slug":"teamwork-in-ministry-is-like-a-good-loaf-of-banana-bread-part-3","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/reconciledworld.org\/flourish\/teamwork-in-ministry-is-like-a-good-loaf-of-banana-bread-part-3\/","title":{"rendered":"Teamwork in Ministry is Like a Good Loaf of Banana Bread \u2013 Part 3"},"content":{"rendered":"

In this four part series, we\u2019re comparing teamwork to a good recipe\u2014individual ingredients may be bland or bitter, but combined in the right way the result is mouthwatering! The teams we are a part of can be found in many areas of our lives. We may be\u00a0 part of prayer teams, elder board teams, groups in our community or school, sports teams, or ministry teams. We hope this series will strengthen and develop your involvement and leadership in any team you find yourself a part of.<\/span><\/p>\n

In part 1<\/a> of our series, we introduced four truths about teamwork. In part 2<\/a> we began by looking at the first three key ingredients of healthy teams. We will continue here in part 3 by looking at the Biblical story of the Tower of Babel. This fascinating story will help us identify ingredients 4-6. In doing so, I hope you will continue to be encouraged by your role in the teams you are a part of.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Tower of Babel<\/h3>\n

In chapter 11 of Genesis, we see people working as a team to build a giant brick tower. Their dream as stated is that this structure will \u201creach to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves\u201d (Genesis 11:4). There is a lot we should not seek to imitate in this story\u2014like their pride, arrogance, direct disobedience to God\u2019s command of filling the earth, and their thinking works could get them to heaven! However, while the story of the Tower of Babel doesn\u2019t end well, it is a fascinating lesson in teamwork.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Ingredient #4: Shared Vision<\/h4>\n

As the story of the Tower of Babel unfolds, a foundational key to teamwork emerges: a common vision.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Genesis 11:4 says, <\/span>\u201cThen they said, \u2018Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens. … \u2019\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Common vision is a unifier that takes the mundane and infuses it with meaning. With vision a team\u2019s energy, effort, and focus is channeled towards a single goal that matters most. Vision is the compelling <\/span>why <\/span><\/i>that motivates <\/span>what <\/span><\/i>team members do. The people of Babel had a clear understanding of the goal and they \u201cbought into\u201d the vision. While their goal wasn\u2019t God honoring, it still speaks to the power of shared vision. <\/span>[1]<\/span><\/sup><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How clear is the vision for your team? A clear vision brings understanding and buy-in; both elements are critical to your team\u2019s success. Consider these thoughts to determine a clear vision:<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n