Be A Team Player! Series

Choose Your Own Adventure

“Be a Team Player!”

Today we want jump into the Lifestyle Choice of “Being a Team Player”. If you’ve been with us for a while, you already know what I’m talking about. Not only do we celebrate the model of “Doing Church as a Team” at Faith Fellowship, but every ministry that we put our efforts to goes out of it’s way to make sure it is practiced.

To put it simply, “Every member is a minister.”

Romans 12:3-5 (NIV)

For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. 4 Just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 5 so in Christ we who are many form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.

My favorite illustration of what God intended for the “church” (His people) is that of a

Giant Jigsaw Puzzle:

- No piece is optional (all crafted for a specific place, and when missing becomes incomplete!)

- No piece is insignificant because there are many other pieces

- It’s not always an easy task (takes time to find a fit—others might have to be in place 1st!)

- When there’s a rebellious piece, it’s not tossed away!

- When each piece is placed together, it’s beautiful!

Every piece of the puzzle is vital. So is the same for each of God’s Children. Everyone has a fit somewhere!

Today the choice before us is simple, “Will I step up to the CALL to MINISTER to others?”

This is not a Choice that should be taken lightly, because this Choice to take on God’s Ministry will change your life.

You are No longer just an Attendee of Church, but an Active Member of a Fellowship, ready to help in the way you were DESIGNED to do so!

1. Finding Your Design

In Wayne Cordeiro’s book, “Doing Church as a Team”, he gives an Acrostic with the word DESIGN that is “designed” to help those within the church body begin to identify their gift mix.

A. D – Desire

What are your passions? What are your dreams? – Mine: Film, Discipleship

Do you realize that God has not only given you talents and abilities, but also those same passions and dreams?

Philippians 2:13 (NIV)

For it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.

God pairs the gifts that he has given with the passion to use them! (Motivation!)

Musicians – passionate about one instrument

Athletes – One sport

Knowing your passion will help answer the “WHERE”, and give you a starting point:

Where can I use my gifts and talents?

Where do I feel most motivated to serve?

Where do I sense a calling or attraction?

This was the hook that got me into lifetime ministry! Started w/ film and video…

When we are using our gifts in alignment with our passion we will experience the most effectiveness.

But if we are serving where we are not passionate, we will feel maximum weariness!

Serving is great, but if you’re not passionate about children’s ministry don’t serve there!

In your bulletin we have given you a “Team Brochure” for Faith Fellowship…find a ministry you are passionate about!

B. E – Experience

Your experiences of life are important considerations when finding God’s design for your life.

Understand this: God uses everything, positive or negative, to shape you. No Accidents, No Coincidences, No unplanned events…

Psalm 56:8 (NLT)

You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.

Ex. What about the times you’ve been hurt? Do you have more compassion for others in similar situations? Maybe that sorrow you endured was for the benefit of another…

God has bottled up your tears, and is using them for His good.

Many times these things are obstacles for us to overcome:

He didn’t talk till he was four and didn’t start to read till he was seven. One of his teachers labeled him “mentally slow, unsociable and adrift in his foolish dreams” This was said of a young Albert Einstein.

“He’s too stupid to learn anything,” said some teachers of a young boy named Thomas Edison.

“He possesses minimal football knowledge and lacks motivation,” and expert said of a beginning coach named Vince Lombardi.

He went bankrupt several times and was fired by the editor of a local newspaper because of an apparent lack of ideas. The man they fired was Walt Disney.

Don’t let setbacks stop you. Let your experience be used to find your fit!