Team Building

"For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come." -1 Timothy 4:8

Last night I attended a "Team Building" event with my volleyball team. For 3 hours, everyone participated in group activities and listened to a speaker talk about the mental aspects of the game. It was an encouraging night as the speaker was a Christian, and although he didn't speak from a "Spiritual" point of view, his statements were very applicable to not just volleyball, but life in general.

One activity we did involved four hula hoops set up one in each corner of the gym. At the center of the room, the speaker dumped out a large bin of wiffle balls. First we split into equal teams and gathered around our designated hoops. Then we were told to pick up one wiffle ball at a time and carry them from the center of the gym to one of the hula hoops. On "go," everybody raced to the center and began frantically transferring wiffle balls to their team's hoop. Once the supply in the middle of the gym was depleted, we were told that we could rob balls from all the other hoops, and create alliances with other teams as well. The result? Pure chaos...competition at it's best.

At the end of the game, while we were all bent over panting for breath, the speaker looked us over rather thoughtfully.
"Girls!" he cried,"I told you at the beginning of the game to get all the wiffle balls into one hoop. One hoop."
Slowly, understanding registered on each of our faces. We had wasted all that energy and time stealing balls from each other, when we should have been working to get them all in one hoop collectively as a team. The speaker had made us play the game for one specific reason. "You spend so much time competing against your teammates," he said sadly, "Instead of simply accepting your role and playing as a team."

I think that out of all his statements, that one hit home the most. When the night was over and done, I couldn't help but reflect upon another team I'm on...the church. Alot of people fail to acknowledge the competition within ministry, but you don't have to look hard to find it. How many people (including myself) get so wrapped up in trying to excell at the "best gifts," that they neglect their true Spiritual Gift/s? How many times have individuals competed against one another for the most recognition? How could things change if we "accepted our roles" and "played as a team?"

Some verses to consider:
"But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be."-1 Corinthians 12:18
"It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up." -Ephesians 4:11-12

In Christ's Grace,
Ellie V.