Doing Church and Life as a Team

Today's bible reading is foundational to my concept of "teaming." Doing Church or Life in teams is not something dreamed up by clever and innovative pastors - it is the heart of God. For the first time in Luke's Gospel, Jesus finally calls upon his disciples to do something. Up until now they have been primarily observers and hearers. He has taught a hundred crowds as they watched and listened, imbedded in their minds His message and methods day after day, week after week, month after month until they know them by heart. Now it is time to send them out to learn how to minister.I think the principle of including others is underscored here. Teaming for sure and starting it by modeling. The concept of "shadowing" is as old as Abraham praying and Isaac watching, as old as Moses showing Joshua the ropes and certainly as old as Jesus letting His disciples have the heart, passion and DNA of the Savior before sending them out. Please read the passage:
Scripture:
Luke 9: 1 - 6
When Jesus had called the Twelve together, he gave them power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. He told them: "Take nothing for the journey—no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra tunic. Whatever house you enter, stay there until you leave that town. If people do not welcome you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave their town, as a testimony against them." So they set out and went from village to village, preaching the gospel and healing people everywhere. (NIV)
Observation:
In the typical church, believers are asked (or bribed) to serve in a few predictable capacities:Teach a Sunday School class Work in the nursery Lead a small group Sing in the choirClean the Church Be an usher or greeter Serve on a board or committee It is little wonder that many pastors lament that only 20 percent of their members are "active." Could it be that the service opportunities are not broad enough to engage the energies and passions of people in the church? We have attempted to broaden our capacity and innovation by making room for people who can build, create video, dance, sing, feed others, serve outside our church walls and into our community and much more. Every person who follows the Lord will eventually be sent out by Him. They will be called to serve as a minister and that their ministry is in finding needs everywhere and anywhere and finding creative ways to meet them in the love of God and in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is Jesus that does the sending and we are to team up with those He is sending by making room for them and encouraging them and assisting them in deploying the gifts that are discovered. In today's passage, the training of Jesus' disciples has now reached a crucial juncture. In verses 1-2 we see a kind of rhythm. Gathering and sending, gathering and sending.
APPLICATION:
We are not called to the Lord to sit idle nor are we called to serve and not given the power to do so. God's calling is His enabling...it is a given. If He calls you to do something He sends you forth with the power and grace to accomplish it and He never asks you to go it alone, thus Doing Church as a Team.
Once he has called them together He gives them both power and authority. Power: means "power, might, strength, force ... ability, capability."[5] It refers to the raw power needed to accomplish an action. Authority: can refer to capability, might, power, ability, also, but when used with the word for power here (dunamis) it is emphasizing " 'authority, absolute power, warrant' ... the power exercised by rulers or others in high position by virtue of their office, 'ruling power, official power.' "[6].
God has called each of us to be servants. Not just volunteer or serve. You see, when we volunteer or serve we are still in control. But when you become a servant you are giving yourself to the usage of the Lord. You are allowing Him to use your life, time, resources and gifting and infuse it with His power and authority. You are allowing Him to team you with others and help "newcomers to servanthood" find their way too. He is sending you, can you hear His call? He has placed people in your pathway that need to hear and see Jesus in you. As the disciples went forth from "village to village" we too go out from LFC to be the church in our area. From neighborhood to marketplace to workplace. They went out preaching the gospel and healing others - may we do the same! He is calling us as He did His disciples to go forth and declare His kingdom, to heal and extend the freeing and forgiving power of the Lord.
Prayer:
Lord, thank you for including us in your Kingdom and calling us to serve you. You love us so much that you stretch us. Thank you for moving us into situations that are new and sometimes scary with the purpose of helping us grow. Help us to follow you as you send us forth to a life of servanthood and the opportunity to be part of your mission, to see your power move through our lives. In your name, Jesus, Amen.