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!
C. S – Spiritual Gifts
This is where we begin to see the “What” question answered. Everyone who receives Jesus Christ is endowed with one or more spiritual gifts.
Romans 12:6-8 (NLT)
In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. 7 If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. 8 If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.
These are some of the “motivational gifts” that will fuel our actions and tendencies.
Prophecy: The ability to discern quickly between right and wrong. This gift compels the believer to see things without shades of gray. It is not fortune telling because it’s source, is God and has no other gain, but God’s glory!
Serving: Feels compelled to meet physical needs through serving
Teaching: Enjoys sharing truths with others, and loves to discover what helps others learn effectively
Exhortation: Encouragement that stirs others faith stronger. Can help resolve conflict, and is able to garner support to mobilize people in a common goal
Giving: feels motivated to meet a need or advance a ministry by helping to relieve financial burden. It is a delight!
Leading: has the ability to administrate and organize others towards a common goal
Mercy: Quickly discern the emotional hurts of others, and feel motivated to alleviate the inner struggles of others.
Each one is important, but they are not meant to be unbalanced by being separated! They each require the addition and contribution of the other six areas working together in sync with one another!
We also have a Spiritual Gifts Test available to anyone who is interested in identifying his or her spiritual gift set. Click Here To Get It!
D. I – Individual Style
Each of us has a different temperament, which is usually reflected in our personality.
Ex. People–persons, others are more task oriented — Structure/Spontaneous
This is where I believe God’s infinite genius shows through! God created each one of us uniquely to reach others of like-mindedness in a way that only you can! But working together with other styles for maximum effectiveness!
Ex. Recruiting Youth Leaders
I didn’t want only “outgoing, cool” volunteers, because while they would minister to some youth, there’s an entire other group they would alienate. It takes all kinds! Everyone is vital!
Warning: We cannot get stuck in our own “Style Box”. We will end up worshipping the Style and not the Substance, and ultimately miss out on God being glorified!
E. G – Growth Phase
We must be in a constant state of Growth when we choose to walk with Christ.
Finding your DESIGN may take time, just like finding where a piece of the puzzle fits.
It’s the same with finding your fit within the church. For some it will be easy, and it’s tempting to call these people the “in crowd” or “favorites”.
But you have to relax! It might take time, and you may not find your fit until a few others find theirs, and you might be the one that joins others together!
In the meantime, develop the Fruit of the Spirit as you discover the Gifts of the Spirit!
Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV)
But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control.
Understand this, without developing these paramount character qualities, you will run into personality conflicts and relational issues that will alienate you and ultimately impede your ministry.
“When God has you in His waiting room, it is for an important reason. He is not stalling. He is not slow about His promises. He is not marginalizing you. He is working on you and is asking you to cooperate with Him. He must position you for his best, and He will not put you in a place for which you are unprepared.”
-Wayne Cordiero
For me personally, I have a tendency to get so excited for future ministry, that I overlook the ministry I am currently called to. If God wanted me there right now, I would be there.
Be patient. God uses everything. You are exactly where you are supposed to be. Develop the fruit of the spirit, and when it is time, God will use you.
F. N – Natural Abilities
Seems self explanatory, but God gives us natural abilities that match our gifts and passions. Some people can just do things more naturally, and everyone is a 10 somewhere!
I can “get by” doing the financial side of things, but it’s work for me! But for others, it’s a snap and a joy! So who should be doing this job then?
The point I want to make is this:
God does not just want us to serve, but to serve joyfully.
Deuteronomy 28:47-48 (NIV)
If you do not serve the Lord your God with joy and enthusiasm for the abundant benefits you have received, 48 you will serve your enemies whom the Lord will send against you.
God wants us to serve him with Joy! And He wants us to serve well:
1 Peter 4:10 (NIV)
Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.
This also swings the other way. If we know what we are called to do, but decide to not act on it…
James 4:17 (NLT)
Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.
Wow, pretty convincing isn’t it?
Today we have a choice: Are we on God’s Team or Another Team?
Are you using what God gave you for His glory, or something else’s glory?
It’s time to join the TEAM.
-Prayer
Go Further! - Personal Study Questions
1. What does the phrase “Doing Church as a Team” mean to you?
2. Using the DESIGN acrostic, list personal characteristic that best identify you: Desire, Experience, Spiritual Gifts, Individual style, Growth phase, Natural Abilities
3. Where do you think you would best fit in the ministries of the church? Where do you really enjoy serving? Can these two is it possible for these two questions to intersect? How can you make that happen?
