Trust... the foundation of Team.

It should be obvious to most by now that the Church is not a democracy. In our Southern part of United States, however, there are many that haven't discovered that yet. They think there is a link between American democracy and the Bible. There is not. Actually, the vast majority of the church universal seem to understand this foundational point regarding the life of the church; most of the church world doesn't allow the most common expression of this misconception, the vote. It takes great trust to allow a group of leaders, or a leadership team, to lead us and the church on our spiritual journey. Of course to me it takes much greater faith to believe in the vote of a majority, and especially when novices and often times the disinfranchised get the same vote as mature, stable believers.



My primary focus today is the trust that must exist within the leadership team. The kind of trust that doesn't have to wonder if another member of the team has my best interest or the best interest of the church at heart. It has no question or fear of a "hidden agenda". Is this possible? Absolutely! Not only is it possible, it is critical to the success of any spiritual team. A group can arrive at a place where there is the safety of the input of the diversity of the group while held together by the trust factor within the group. Each member of the team knows and trusts the others in the group. Sound impossible? It's not. It takes several things to get there:

1. The correct choices of the right leaders in the first place.

2. Much time spent develolping respect and trust. There are no short cuts here, "time is the cost of every relationship".

3. Handling confrontation Biblically to keep confrontation from becoming conflict.

4. Developing and honoring confidentiallity.

5. Time and experience in the relationship.

6. A commitment to preferring others above yourself.

7. A belief that other members of the team are there in the will of God.

8. A decision to trust.



If trust is lost, God's ability to lead through the leadership team is weakened. That is probably what caused many to abandon this process and deteriorate to the vote in the first place.