If a group of people trusts one another, has empathy for one another, and accommodates each other's needs, ideas, personalities and faults, they aren't yet a team.  They're just a social club.  The last component of a team is the "M"---Mission.  At New Life our mission is: sharing the new life of Jesus Christ with the world--one person at a time!  Every LIFE group, every ministry team, every group of any kind at New Life has that mission to hold us together.  The Scriptures put it this way:  ”...be of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose."  Ephesians 4:2 (LB)

The challenge for every group of people who want to be a team that serves together in Jesus' name is keeping the mission first, while remaining united in spirit.  There's always the task--the mission, and there are always people--relationships.  When we focus only on the task without regard to people, the team falls apart.  When we focus only on the people in the team and forget the task--the mission, we are no longer a team.  The key is maintaining love AND mission.  That takes time.  It takes effort.  Most of all it takes commitment.  At the end of the day we become what we are committed  to in life.  That means if we're going to accomplish the mission, if we're going to serve as a team, we need to make a commitment to Jesus. We need to commit to each other, and we need to commit to the task.

Take a moment right now and consider whether you have a group of people with whom you share trust, empathy, accommodation and mission.  If you do, what are you doing to build that team to serve others in Jesus' name?  If you don't how are you going to become part of one?  God created us to serve together, and together means with other people!  Make it a priority to build your team or develop a team, because we ARE better together!

Let's pray:  Heavenly Father, thank You so much for Your goodness and love.  Thanks for calling us to be part of Your team.  Fill us with Your Holy Spirit that we may grow in every way that will make us more useful servant s of You and more effective team members.  This we pray in Jesus'  name.  Amen.