Years ago, we decided to do something creative for a Fourth of July service at Faith Family Church. We had a big idea built around the Ten Commandments, and somehow, we were going to bring Moses and the mountain right into the service.
We didn’t have all the resources we have today. In fact, another church graciously loaned us their fog machine. Everything was set, I came out and gave my introduction, and then Moses appeared on the mountain.
There was only one problem. We had so much fog coming out that Moses was up there choking on the smoke.
It wasn’t exactly the moment of excellence we had envisioned!
I can laugh about it now, but that story reminds me of where so many ministries begin. We had vision. We had passion. We had people willing to work. What we didn’t yet have was a highly effective team.
Years later, I stood watching one of our productions with approximately 8,000 people in attendance. The quality and excellence were so high that I found myself becoming emotional. I realized I had been given ten minutes to present the Gospel to people I might never have reached otherwise.
How did we get from Moses choking on a fog machine to that?
Teams.
It didn’t happen overnight. There were meetings, mistakes, frustrations, tears, adjustments, and a lot of learning along the way. But through those experiences, I discovered several principles that I believe can help every pastor build stronger teams.
Leadership Matters
Everything starts with leadership. Ecclesiastes 10:10 says, “If the ax is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed, but skill will bring success.”
Sometimes pastors look at another church and think, If only we had their resources. But often what we need isn’t more money. We need to sharpen our leadership skills and develop the people God has already placed around us.
One of the great examples in my life was a gal whose home the church actually started in when she was just a teenager. Years later, as a mother of four, she became part of our staff and eventually served as our Creative Director.
I didn’t personally find every person who eventually became part of our creative ministry. I found her, and she built a team.
That’s leadership.
As leaders, we must position people where they can succeed. Some people are originators. They dream, create, and constantly ask, “What could we do next?” Others are organizers. They bring structure to those ideas and help hold everything together. Then there are operators, faithful people who love showing up and executing their responsibilities.
We need all three.
The mistake is expecting an originator to always function like an organizer or putting an operator in a position that requires constant innovation.
Talent matters, but talent isn’t everything. Effective leaders also need integrity and wisdom. You may immediately recognize someone’s ability, but character is revealed over time.
We aren’t simply looking for talented people. We’re developing trustworthy leaders.
Your Why Matters
Once you’ve found the right people, they need to understand why they’re doing what they’re doing.
Years ago, my son was playing on a basketball team that had tremendous potential. The team had encountered some problems, though, and I could see things beginning to unravel.
I invited the players into my office, bought everybody Chinese food, and asked them one question:
“Why do you want this team to be great?”
Their answers were completely different. One player wanted to represent God well. Another wanted to have fun. My son was straight forward. He wanted to win!
Same team. Same uniform. Same coach. Different motivations.
That conversation helped me realize how important the “why” is to building a healthy team.
Church teams aren’t automatically aligned simply because everyone loves Jesus. We can agree that we’re doing ministry for God while still being disconnected from one another about what we’re trying to accomplish and why it matters.
The what provides direction. The why provides inspiration. And the how gives people a road map for getting there. When any one of those is missing, frustration grows.
Function and Feel Both Matter
I’ve also learned that healthy teams require both function and feel. Function asks, “Are we accomplishing the mission?” Feel asks, “Do people enjoy being part of this team?”
You can accomplish a lot and still create an environment nobody wants to remain in. You can also have a wonderful time together while accomplishing very little. Healthy teams do both.
That’s why meetings matter. Meetings shouldn’t simply fill calendars. They’re opportunities to solve problems, strengthen relationships, clarify expectations, celebrate victories, and identify new opportunities.
Pastors sometimes feel guilty investing time in leadership because ministry needs never stop. I understand that. Right after one of our biggest Easter weekends, we were immediately walking with a family through the funeral of a longtime church member. Ministry doesn’t conveniently pause so we can work on our organizational chart.
But Jesus said, “I will build My church.” That’s incredibly freeing. My responsibility isn’t to do everything. My responsibility is to pray, grow, communicate God’s Word faithfully, care for the people closest to me, and develop leaders who can carry the mission with me.
You don’t need to become a genius surrounded by a thousand helpers.
There are gifted people sitting in your congregation right now. Some of them may be better than you at things you’ve been trying to do yourself.
Give them a dream worth pursuing. Help them discover their gifts. Clarify the why. Give them responsibility.
Then watch what God can accomplish through a group of people who aren’t merely helping a pastor fulfill his vision but a team carrying God’s vision together.
That’s when ministry becomes a whole lot more effective.
And a whole lot more fun too!
