Team Development 139
indulging in much wine.’’ (1 Tim. 3) This no doubt made the selection
process a difficult one for these young ‘‘coaches.’’ On the other hand,
once they found people who met these criteria, their job of actually
running the church became much easier.
At first glance, the head of a major airline, a cigar-chomping basket-
ball coach, and an apostle and his two young prote ́ge ́s would seem to
have little in common. But all realized the importance of selecting the
right people for the team.
THEPOWER OFTEAMS
People acting in teams can accomplish amazing goals that an individual,
or even a group of individuals, could never have achieved. And there is
a large difference between a team and a group of individuals. From a
group, Noah assembled a team that had little experience in shipbuilding
but a strong dedication to each other and their purpose. Moses forged a
ragtag group of ex-slaves into a strong team (of course, it helped that
these slaves had previously been divided into tribes or ‘‘work groups’’).
Nehemiah built a wall with teams. Joshua knocked down walls with
them. And Jesus turned a small, diverse group of fishermen, tax collec-
tors, and laborers into a team that would convert half the world to their
mission.
The people of Israel also experienced periods of dissolution, purpose-
lessness, and selfishness. It was at these times that they degenerated from
a team and became a mere ‘‘group.’’ They became idol worshipers and
ceased to treat each other honorably and ethically. Like ‘‘sheep who
have gone astray,’’ rather than being unified in a common purpose, they
turned ‘‘every one to his own way.’’ (Isa. 56:3)
This was the state of the Chicago Bulls when Phil Jackson took over
as coach. The Bulls later won six NBA championships, but only after
they were able, under Jackson, to function as a team. True, they had
the greatest player in the history of the game in Michael Jordan, but it
is easy to forget that Jordan was with the Bulls several years before they
began to approach greatness by becoming a true team. In fact, during