Building the Right Team

The Choosing of the Seven

Acts 6:1-7 NIV

"In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, "It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables, Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of Spirit and wisdom, We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word." This proposal pleased the whole group, they choose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit: also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas,  and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them. So the word of God spread, The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and the large number of priests became obedient to the faith." 

Building the Right Team

In order for us to accomplish something bigger than us, we need to build the right team. We can accomplish just much on our own, but together, with the right team, we can accomplish great things.

But building the right team must be taken into careful considerations, who you pick to be with your team will either help you reach the goals you want to accomplish or drag you and make your life miserable.

In the text above we see that when the early Christians were experiencing exponential growth, they later realized that in order for them to sustain that growth and keep on growing they will need to build a  right team to take care of other matters so they can focus their attention on their strengths, which is prayer and ministry of the word.

In building the right team we can consider the following characteristics we should look for in the team we wish to build.

People with Integrity

"Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word." (Acts 6:3-4; NIV)

During this time of growth, the apostles realize that the skills they have in spreading and sharing the Word of God is different in managing and leading the administrational issues in the church. In order for them to focus on their ministry and calling they have gathered the disciples, or in our times the church member, to share with them the burden of managing a growing church.

In verse 2 we can see that after they have gathered the "multitude of the disciples" they have said to them 'It is not desirable that we should leave  the Word of God and serve tables' instead they suggested that they should 'choose seven men from among you who are known' in NKJV  it is stated like this 'seek out from among you seven men of good reputation' meaning the church members should choose people or individuals that they trust, who already have a certain influence over them.

As I study this section I realize that there are leadership principles involve here that made the early church prosper and grow exponentially. 

People with relationship with God

"Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word." (Acts 6:3-4; NIV)

People with wisdom

"Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word." (Acts 6:3-4; NIV)

Building the Right Team

PERSONAL APPLICATION

In building the right team, it is not enough to just find and have people join you, it is better to consider the following in choosing the right team for us:

1. Find people who have a certain influence over other people and who trust his integrity - if we want to experience exponential growth, it is best to find people who has already have influence and have people trusting him/her  because they trust his integrity to tell them the truth.

2. Find people who have the right relationship with God - If the people we find don't have the right relationship with God, it will be hard to align values among ourselves. It will be better to find people who share the same conviction, same passion and same relationship with God like us.

3. Find people who have the wisdom to apply the knowledge he have. - If we find people who has the knowledge but don't have the wisdom to apply what they know, what you will have is a group who will be trapped in analysis. It will be better to find people who you know acts, decide and stand on their beliefs and faith.