VISION OF THE POSSIBLE, CHAPTER 4

OVERVIEW

This chapter probes into more practical ways to build a team.  How do we select the right persons for a team?  What skills are essential and how are they best used to accomplish our church planting goals?  What to do when conflict arises?

COMMENTS

Some of the eight keys to team building applied more to our team then others.  Our team is unique and very different in comparison to the type of team he is discussing but I still consider us a team and many of his points are still applicable to what we are trying to accomplish.  Point #3 regarding recruiting is invaluable and, I believe, done well by IMB.  We all remember the burdensome process we all went through prior to appointment but I do see the intelligence behind it.  There should be little doubt in our call during our pre-MLC time.  Obviously, this does not mean we will not see missionaries head back to the states for various reasons(maybe a different call from God), but there is little doubt in our initial call and desire to serve God cross-culturally. 

Point #4 mentioned the need to be realistic with each other or showing grace to one another in love.  Everyone on our team has different personalities and ways of doing things.  I think we are all driven, independent people which is a characteristic of most missionaries but we are going to accomplish team goals differently and on different timetables.  With our team members working in totally different people groups, we should definitely not see a “my approach” will surely work in your people group mentality.  This does not mean we should not share ideas, which has been very valuable, but we need to remember that we will all see fruit at different times.  We need to pray and encourage one another and work under the leadership and vision God has given us.  As Sinclair mentioned, he noticed a strong correlation between teams that pray a lot and see a lot of fruit.  Some of us are doing this a little, but I would encourage all of us to begin sharing more in our team, via email, when we need prayer cover over a specific ministry situation, meeting or outreach event.  Afterwards, share what God did with this prayer need.