Are you on a Team?

In some ways the body of Christ is like the NFL, except all of our local church teams are playing against the adversary and not against each other. Our local churches, like football teams, all have a mission to compete effectively for Christ, and yet each has its own identity and unique place. It sounds spiritual to say that you just serve on Team Jesus, but the Bible says those that team Jesus consists of many local teams with their own unique team managers and coaches. On which of these are you serving?

The problem is often not so much which team within the body of Christ that a player is playing on, but rather that some players choose not to serve on a team at all. Maybe they don't like the discipline and rigors of Spring training. Maybe they don't want to risk being asked to go out on the field, or maybe they want to go out on the field and don't want to compete for the first string slots. Maybe they haven't found a team name or uniform to their liking, or maybe they just think that everyone should be on the same team, and don't like the fact that God chose to establish many local teams to accomoplish His purpose for the church.

The important question for each of us, is are we active on one of God's teams? Are we committed to our local team, and willing to work hard to get in shape? Are we willing to serve in whatever capacity the team coaches want or need us? Are we willing to show up for practices on time, and to respect our fellow teammates?

Serving on a local team is not just showing up, putting our name on the roster, and wearing a uniform, is it?

For in fact the body is not one member but many. If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I am not of the body," is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where would be the smelling? But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body just as He pleased. (1Co 12:14-18)

So how are you doing on the local team in which He has set you?

Yours in Him,
Pastor B.