WARM-UP
The Need for Team
No matter the sport, athletes can’t achieve their pursuits alone. In team sports, there must be a group of people working together toward a common goal. In individual sports, athletes need coaches, trainers, family support and fans to spur them on. But more important, athletes need teammates who are reliable, trustworthy and skilled in their particular role.
Q: What are some examples of why teammates are so important in your sport?
Q: What are some characteristics of a good teammate?
WORKOUT
Greatest Team Ever
The concept of team transcends sports and is highlighted in many ways throughout the Bible. Perhaps one the greatest teams ever assembled can be found in the New Testament, specifically in the book of Acts. The original group was 12 men (or disciples) who chose to follow Jesus and learn the Truth from Him.
Even though they were ordinary people, they spent three years learning from the Son of God. You might say this was the greatest team ever because their leader was and still is the Greatest Coach ever.
And even though the disciples didn’t truly begin to shine until Jesus left Earth, there was a reason why they were chosen to walk alongside Him throughout His ministry. Jesus had a plan for them but needed to train and disciple them before they could begin their greater mission.
Q: What’s more important to you, having a great coach or having great teammates?
Q: What does it look like when you have both?
Q: What advantages do you think the disciples had as a team because of Jesus’s leadership?
A Spiritual Dream Team
Some might argue that Jesus didn’t need a team. But what He did need was a group of committed teammates who could go out and do the work of spreading His message after He was gone.
One of the best examples of Jesus and the disciples engaging in teamwork can be found in John 6:1–13. Jesus had been teaching a large group of people along the seaside and could sense they were getting hungry. There was no way they could afford to buy food for everyone, but then Andrew approached Jesus with some news. There was a young boy with five loaves of bread and two fish—but that wasn’t nearly enough, right?
Not only did Jesus demonstrate miraculous faith, He also allowed them to take part in the miracle and work as a team to take care of the people.
At the same time, by having disciples or a great team to follow Him, it’s possible that Jesus was simply showing us the importance of having teammates to support us throughout our Christian walk.
Q: What kind of people do you usually pursue to be your friends?
Q: Would you say that your friends are helpful or not when it comes to the spiritual aspects of your life? Explain.
KNOW THE WHO
Just like athletes need to have the right teammates to achieve the greatest success, believers also need to have the right teammates helping them grow closer in their relationship with Christ. In other words, answering the question of “who” we have in our lives is essential.
The apostle Paul gives us a great example of what it looks like when we surround ourselves with the right kind of spiritual teammates.
The question then becomes “who” should we be pursuing, and “where” should we look to find them? Which attributes you think would be most important in a Christian teammate.
Compassionate
Confident
Inconsistent
Jealous
Judgmental
Kind
Malicious
Prayerful
Prideful
Trustworthy
Truthful
Q: What were the attributes you considered and why? Q: Which attributes did you not consider and why?
Q: Where are some places you think you might be able to find Christian teammates with those desirable attributes?
Q: How do you think having teammates with those desirable attributes might help you grow in your Christian walk?
WRAP-UP
Pursue Team
If you’re ready to take the next step in your faith journey and if you understand that you can’t go it alone, consider these three steps that will help you gain the benefits that come when you pursue a righteous team.
1. Evaluate the Team. Decide what kind of teammates will help you grow in your faith and reach your full potential as a follower of Christ.
2. Draft the Team. Find those people who can help you and ask them to be an active part of your faith journey.
3. Commit to the Team. Be accountable to those on your team and your Christian leaders who want to help you. Stay committed to the process. Listen to their advice and follow it to the best of your ability.
As you surround yourself with trustworthy teammates, you’ll be able to be better equipped to live out the encouragement given in our theme verse.
OVERTIME
In your quiet time, write down the names of some people that you would like to be your spiritual teammates. Map out a plan to draft your team and what steps you will take to commit yourself to the process of being a part of that team.