For the very first time in the history of the summer Olympics, the United States lost the 4 x 100 relays in 1996, in Atlanta, Ga. It had never happened before. The event that had always assured a gold medal for the U.S. suddenly became an embarrassing moment. The American runners weren’t out-trained or out-coached; rather, they were in top physical shape. There was no controversial story about drug enhancement. They simply dropped the baton; they didn’t make the proper hand-off.
When that happens, your chances of losing in this sport are 100%, even if your team is faster than the others. When I heard this story, I immediately thought about ministry and the interdependence of relationships. Ministry is and will always be a TEAM SPORT.
There are at least three things that will sabotage your ministry: (1) isolation, (2) independence, and (3) insecurity. James 3:16 said it well: “For where you have…selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice” (NIV).
The pace of life today lends itself to “getting the job done,” with or without others. The principles of kingdom life, though, demand that we lock arms and press our way into places of covering, accountability, communication and an array of other benefiting dynamics that position us for a prosperous future.
Take a minute today and make a call, write a letter, or send an e-mail. Let someone know how much he or she means to you, while at the same time reminding yourself that this trip was designed to be taken with others! It’s more like riding a bus instead of a motorcycle. The vehicle may get a little crowded, and someone may get the seat you wanted, but hey…dig into his or her lunch bag! After all, this is FAMILY!
“For in fact the body is not one member but many.” I Cor. 12:14 (NKJV)
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By: Glenn Burris Jr., general supervisor
