The REASON why
I DO NOT CHOOSE the BEST
to create a TEAM is simple ...
- Jesus chose ORDINARY and unlisted men (except one) ... for more on this ... click to reach this link -- 12 ORDINARY MEN
- Now when we think about the twelve Apostles, typically if you have any kind of background in the church or any kind of background maybe in a Catholic Church or an Anglican Church or you've been to Europe and you've seen a cathedral, you've seen the stained-glass Apostles. They're typically elevated in a transcendent way, somewhere just below God or just below Christ or in some very prominent place because the assumption is that these are the highest and the best and the classiest and the most religiously ascended of all Christian masters. *GTY material
- Nothing could be further from the truth. They are not other worldly, they are not nearly divine, they are not the cream of the crop among men. They're not the highest and the noblest and the best. They're not the most educated, the most highly skilled, the most gifted, humanly speaking. The truth is, they basically are distinguished by one thing, that is they are ordinary. They have that in common.*
- They are perfectly ordinary men in every way. Not one of them is renowned for scholarship. Not one of them is renowned for erudition. None of them had a track record as an orator or some kind of theologian. They were outsiders, total outsiders from the religious establishment of Jesus' day. They didn't have any particular natural talents. They don't appear to have any particular intellectual talents. They weren't highly educated. They were, on the other hand, prone to mistakes and misjudgments and misunderstandings and bad attitudes and lapses of faith and bitter failure and argumentativeness and no more so than their leader, Peter. And Jesus remarked that they were slow learners, they were spiritually dense. They were blockheads.*
- In 1st Corinthians verse 26, “Consider your calling, brethren.” And this would be true now that you're in to the next generation after the Apostles. “There were not many wise... “According to the flesh. Not many mighty, not many noble.” In other words, the Lord didn't pick people from among the intellectually elite, the wise. Or from among the influential and powerful, the mighty. Or from among the high born, lofty, noble. But rather, verse 27, and it started with the Apostles, “He chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise.” God chose the weak things of the world to shame the things that are strong, the base and the despised God has chosen, things that are not...the non-existent ones, to nullify the things that are. Purposely God chose the lowest of the low, the foolish and then go down another step, to the weak, go down another step, the base, the no-births, the insignificant. And go down another step, the things that are not, the non-existent ones.*
- As far as the world was concerned, these Twelve people didn't even exist! As far as the religious establishment of Israel was concerned, they certainly didn't matter as who the Lord chose. And they knew that. Acts 4:13, the elite in Israel looked at Him and said, “What in the world is this, these untrained, uneducated, unskilled people from Galilee.”*
- Observation/s from CHURCH HEALTH experts ... see below (from SiMPLEchurch BOOK by Thom Rainer & Eric Geiger):
- Herb Brooks carefully selected players to be on the team. He looked for players who would be more committed to the name on the front of the jersey (USA) than the name on the back. After he chose his team, some insisted that the best players were missing. His response, as depicted in "MIRACLE", is a classic line. He said, "I am not looking for the best players. I am looking for the right ones."
- Brooks was looking for players who would align to the same approach to hockey. The right players are vital. Without the right leaders, the church will never be aligned. People follow leadership, and if leadership is not moving in the same direction, then people are scattered. Leaders are responsible to establish and reinforce the culture of the church. Consequently, if the leaders are not aligned, the church will not enjoy unity.
- Sometimes the BEST PLAYERS are NOT the RIGHT PLAYERS.
- An example: a CHURCH GROUP hired "the best" for each role and found themselves with a divided staff. Theologically the team was aligned, but philosophically they were divided. Staff members used the same ministry jargon, but their approaches to ministry were often in conflict.
- According to a RESEARCH, it is vital that you recruit and get people based in part to their commitment to the existing church process [WARNING SIGNAL: The ONE YOUR GOT wants to CHANGE YOU! HAHAHA ... it has to be the other way around: YOU MUST CHANGE THEM]. It is critical that recruitment and placement of leaders in key positions must be people who are deeply committed to your simple [EXSISTING] ministry process. They must be committed not only the the ministry but also to HOW your church DOES ministry.
- (*other lines added by me)
- The level of commitment must be verbalized and actualized this way:
- "We only get and recruit leaders who are committed to our entire PROCESS"
- RESULT: It's about enjoying ALIGNMENT and its power creating same directional moves! When we are UNITED ... nothing is impossible!!!
- The BEST and the EXPERTS tend to be...
- wanting to be FOLLOWED versus to be LED.
- doing things INDIVIDUALLY because they believe in "THEM" versus they believe in "US". Can you imagine if we have 7 EXPERTS??? disaster in the making!
- They cannot believe in "US" ... they only believe in "THEMSELVES". They cannot do "TEAM".
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you still WILL not BELIEVE?
PLEASE read below ...
Resumes of Apostles
To: Jesus, Son of Joseph
Woodcrafter’s Carpenter Shop
Nazareth 25922
From: Jordan Management Consultants
Dear Sir:
Thank you for submitting the resumes of the twelve men you have picked for managerial positions in your new organization. All of them have now taken our battery of tests; and we have not only run the results through our computer, but also arranged personal interviews for each of them with our psychologist and vocational aptitude consultant.
The profiles of all tests are included, and you will want to study each of them carefully.
As part of our service, we make some general comments for your guidance, much as an auditor will include some general statements. This is given as a result of staff consultation, and comes without any additional fee.
It is the staff opinion that most of your nominees are lacking in background, education and vocational aptitude for the type of enterprise you are undertaking. They do not have the team concept. We would recommend that you continue your search for persons of experience in managerial ability and proven capability.
Simon Peter is emotionally unstable and given to fits of temper. Andrew has absolutely no qualities of leadership. The two brothers, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, place personal interest above company loyalty. Thomas demonstrates a questioning attitude that would tend to undermine morale. We feel that it is our duty to tell you that Matthew had been blacklisted by the Greater Jerusalem Better Business Bureau; James, the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus definitely have radical leanings, and they both registered a high score on the manic-depressive scale.
One of the candidates, however, shows great potential. He is a man of ability and resourcefulness, meets people well, has a keen business mind, and has contacts in high places. He is highly motivated, ambitious, and responsible. We recommend Judas Iscariot as your controller and right-hand man. All of the other profiles are self-explanatory.
We wish you every success in your new venture.
Sincerely,
Jordan Management Consultants
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#JESUSandTHE12_nextSERIES2018thoughts
PRAYER:
LORD Jesus I thank YOU for your mercies, grace and power ... you chose the worst! For you to show forth THY grace.
